The Exotic Istanbul - Private Tour (with Chora Church Fener and Balat)

The Exotic Istanbul - Private Tour (with Chora Church Fener and Balat)

See second part of Istanbul Top 10 List. Visit the Underground Cistern, walk along Divanyolu Street (the Imperial Road) until Suleymaniye Mosque, the most impressive work of architect Sinan. Wander down to Eminonu area, strolling through the bazaar quarters. Short visit to the Spice Market (the Egyptian Bazaar) and we then continue with the Chora (Kariye) Church Museum after lunch at a local restaurant. Next, you will discover Istanbul's two of the most photographed neighborhoods.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Basilica Cistern, Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3, Istanbul 34410 Turkey

We begin our tour with a visit to the mystical Basilica Cistern (Underground Cistern). The Basilica Cistern is a massive water reservoir constructed by the Byantines in the 6th century. The structure is a living example of Roman engineering. And yes, it was Basilica Cistern, in the James Bond movie "From Russian With Love".


Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Divanyolu Street, Divanyolu Caddesi Tram Road S Sultanahmet, Istanbul Turkey

Walk Along "Divan Yolu (Imperial Road)

Next you will walk along the “Divan Yolu (Imperial Road)” to Suleymaniye Mosque. Along the way, you will see the Constantine’s column, tomb of Sultan Mahmud II, Beyazit Square (Forum Tauri), Istanbul University from the 15th century.

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Suleymaniye Mosque, Prof. SIddIk Sami Onar Cd. No:1 Süleymaniye Mah, Istanbul 34116 Turkey

Our path takes us to the stately Suleymaniye mosque, built between 1550 and 1557 AD. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent ordered its construction and it’s an impressive legacy of Ottoman architecture.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Kariye Museum (The Chora Church), Kariye Cami Sk. No: 8 Fatih, Istanbul 34087 Turkey

The Chora Church (The Church of St. Savoir in Countryside) is located close to the Thedosian Walls, an area which was considered as “countryside” during the Byzantine era. The Chora Church Museum hosts fascinating insight in to Byzantine Mosaic art at its climax.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Balat, Istanbul Turkey

On the Chora Church tour we wind our way through the narrow streets of Fener and Balat. Balat is located to the south of the Golden Horn (the bay dividing the European side). It is an old neighborhood dating back to the Byzantines. With our guide you will learn the story of this exotic neighborhood and enjoy the local culture.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Sadrazam Ali Pasa Cad. No:35 Fener, Fatih, Istanbul Turkey

Our final stop is the Ecumenical Patriarchate also known as Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. The current church dates back to 18th century, though some of the relics are much older.

Duration: 20 minutes