Istanbul : Rarely will
visit to Turkey exclude the chaotic and glorious wonder that
is Istanbul. Istanbul is home to layering of civilization on
civilization of empire built on empire. It’s as
momentous as Rome, as captivating as Paris, and as exotic as
Bangkok. It is all of the praises one can imagine while being
simultaneously the opposite.
As
the riches of Istanbul increase, urban modernization projects
erase a past that - illustrated by the discovery of
Theodosius’s port at present - day Yenikapi –
threaten the historical record pretty much any time anyone
puts a shovel to the ground.
And
now to the necessary cliches : As the only city on earth to
straddle two continents and literally the city of
civilization’s desires, Istanbul is an enduring symbol
of greatness. It has endured attempted or succesful conquests
down the historic dateline by Xerxes, Darius, Alexander the
Great, the Romans, the Visigoths, the Huns, the Crusaders,
the Arab raiders and the Ottomans. In more recent centuries,
Russia also had it's eye on the prize of Istanbul, covetous
of control of the Bosphorus Straits and free passage from the
Black Sea into the Mediterranean and the trade routes beyond.
Even today, hundreds of thousands of sometimes oversize and
hazardous ships stream up and down this epic waterway as they
make their way through the center of both a city and a
nation.
The
parade of civilizations converges on the historic peninsula,
also known as Old Stamboul or the Old City. It is the capital
of empires and a religious center, the heart of the Grek
Orthodox Churc and for centuries the Islamic faith. Istanbul
is the custodian of one of the world’s most opulent
displays of art and wealth. A stroll through the
neighborhoods that make up the historic peninsula will reveal
the foundations of ancient Rome and Byzantium with gilded
mosaics like those in the Ayasofya and St. Savior in Chora or
the more modest peristyle (open court with porticos) of the
Great Palace. The Otoman dynasty redirected the city’s
fortunes into the imperial majesty of undulating domes and
commanding minarets and the sumptuous mystique of Topkapi and
Dolmabahçe palaces. Fatih Mehmet II was himself astounded at
the beauty of the city he had finally conquered and he as
well as subsequent sultans fixated on replicating the
symbolic splendor of the Ayasofya in what has become a
panorama of monumental imperial mosques.
Across
the Golden Horn is the modern heart of the city, heir to the
future of the country,pulsating with all the electricity of a
cutting - edge international metropolis. While the political
capital of Ankara sits safely in the heartland, this part of
Istanbul is Turkey’s center for art, entertainment,
music, cuisine, education and yes, even international
diplomacy. Meanwhile, in anticipation of its upcoming 2010
reigns as Cultural Capital of Europe, Istanbul is undergoing
an unprecented frenzy of modernization.
Istanbul Tour 1
Tour Code : IDT101
Itinerary
: Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque,
Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome
Duration : 8 hours
Prices : Please
Ask
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all informations
Istanbul Tour 2
Tour Code : IDT102
Itinerary
: Bosphorus Cruise with Dolmabahce
Palace
Duration : 7 hours
Prices : Please
Ask
Details : Please click for
all informations
Istanbul Tour 3
Tour Code : IDT103
Itinerary
: Bosphorus Cruise with Chora
Museum
Duration : 7 hours
Prices : Please Ask
Details : Please click for
all informations
Istanbul Tour 4
Tour Code : IDT104
Itinerary
: Jewish Heritage - Galata and
Balat
Duration : 8 hours
Prices : Please
Ask
Details : Please click for
all informations
Istanbul Tour 5
Tour Code : IDT105
Itinerary
: Ahrida Synagogue,Neve Shalom
Synagogue,Jewish Museum of Turkey
Duration : 5 hours
Prices : Please Ask
Details : Please click for
all informations