A Layover Istanbul Tour Program
UTS
Representative will meet you at the gate of the plane (with a sign reading your
names) and you will be assisted during the passport formalities and escorted
through the customs. There will be no lines except for the luggage.
You will then continue to the Old Town of Istanbul for a visit to World famous Hagia Sophia which is one of the
most extraordinary constructions in the history of architecture. The awesome
building inspired countless generations by its colossal definition of what the
ideal interior space in a domed basilica should be and with its innovations in weight-support
and construction techniques.
Lunch will be served at one of UTS’s recommended local/select
restaurants close to the sights, at your
own cost.
The next visit will be to the 6th century Underground Cistern- perhaps the most unusual structure in Istanbul, exhibits the engineering marvels that solved water supply problems. Originally, Constantine built this vast underground space in the early-4C as the water reservoir for the Imperial Palace, and it was later enlarged under Justinian in 532.
The last visit will be to
the Grand Covered Bazaar No bazaar, however,
is more dazzling than the Grand Covered Bazaar, built in 1461 and in service
ever since. Along with magnificent mosque complexes, the mother of all
bazaars was a monument to the ‘Rise of Istanbul’- the great master plan of the
Turks for the rejuvenation and reanimation of an old imperial capital. It
contains 3,500 shops employing more than 20,000 people all under one roof.
Everything imaginable is for sale, gold and silver jewelry, rugs, carpets,
antiques, tiles, leather, souvenirs, but just seeing and experiencing this
mother of all bazaars is worth the trip.
To book this tour, please contact UTS – Turkey Team