AyasİsosTravels AİT3411: ISTANBUL- NICEE – IZNIK - CUMALIKIZIK UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE - BURSA: Cultural Tour 8d7n: full board in hotels 4* 5*
Content
AyasİsosTravels AİT3411: ISTANBUL- NICEE – IZNIK - CUMALIKIZIK UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE - BURSA: Cultural Tour 8d7n: full board in hotels 4* 5* ........................................................................... 1
1st Day: Europe-Istanbul-Bzantine Land and Sea Walls........................................................................ 2
2nd day: District of Eyüp-Mausoleum of Eyup-Pierre Loti-Chora Church-Hagia Sofia-Topkapi Palace-Harem ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
3rd Day: Cirkus Maximus-Ibrahim Passover Palace-Yerebatan Cistern-Egyptian and Chache Market-Blue Mosque-Bosphorus Boat Tour ....................................................................................................... 3
4th Day: Archaeological Museum-Çinili Köşk-Beylerbeyi Palace- Çamlıca Hill-Asié ........................... 4
Day 5: Istanbul-Nicee, Iznik-Cumalikizik- Bursa (240 km) ………………………………………………............….. 4
Day 6: Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire of three continents............................................ 5
Day 7: Bursa-Istanbul ............................................................................................................................ 6
Day 8: Istanbul-Europe............................................................................................................................ 7
Price ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
Comments............................................................................................................................................... 9
Optional excursions................................................................................................................................. 9
Including ................................................................................................................................................. 9
Not included ........................................................................................................................................... 9
AyasİsosTravels: Multilingual Cultural Tour Provider and Operator...................................................... 10
1st Day: Europe-Istanbul-Bzantine Land and Sea Walls
Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will take an orientation bus ride on the way to your hotel. We drive along large parts of the formidable Byzantine land and sea walls that were only breached in 1453 by Mehmet the Conqueror.
Dinner and first of four nights in our Hotel 4*-Boutique or equivalent.
Day 2: District of Eyüp-Mausoleum of Eyup-Pierre Loti-Chora Church-Hagia Sofia-Topkapi Palace-Harem
Today we will explore the Golden Horn by bus. We start in the Eyüp district, a place where Muslims come to visit the mausoleum of the standard bearer of the Prophet Mohamet. Above the large Islamic cemetery is the famous café of Pierre Loti, the French army officer who lost his romantic heart to a forbidden love. Then we walk along the Byzantine wall for a while
to Chora Church/Kariye Camii with its world-famous mosaic cycle depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament. .
Lunch in a 'Greek' restaurant close to the hippodrome.
In the afternoon, Hagia Sofia and Topkapi Palace with Harem. Perhaps we still have some time left to stroll through the large Covered Bazaar. We will have dinner in Kumkapi, a neighborhood famous for its excellent seafood restaurants. Overnight in our Hotel 4*-Boutique or equivalent.
3rd Day: Cirkus Maximus-Ibrahim Passover Palace-Yerebatan Cistern-Egyptian and Shachely Market-Blue Mosque-Bosphorus Boat Tour
At the hippodrome we discuss the remains of what was once the Circus Maximus and the Nika Rebellion under Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. Visit to the Hippodrome, to the Ibrahim Pascha Palace and its Ethnographic Museum. Afterwards, walk through the historic Sultanhamet district and visit the Blue Mosque.
We have lunch in the Mesopotamian restaurant Gilgamesh, known for its southeastern Turkish cuisine. Then we enter the wonderful Yerebatan cistern underground, a huge Byzantine water reservoir.
Afternoon: visit to the Egyptian and Chache market.
Saffron, caviar and Turkish delight await in the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, we also see Mahmut Pacha's Brocanterie Market.
Boat trip on the Bophorus; we sail under the two suspension bridges that connect Europe to Asia and admire the priceless yalis and the sultan's palaces such as the Beylerbey and the peerless Dolmahbaçe palace. Possibility of acquaintance with the cultural Turkish products: carpets, gold and silverware, leather goods.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel 4* boutique or similar.
4th Day: Archaeological Museum-Çinili Köşk-Beylerbeyi Palace- Çamlıca Hill-Asié
In the morning we also admire the rich Middle East collection and the Cinili kiosk in the Archaeological Museum. For lunch we cross over to Fenerbahce on the Asian side. We are close to the Bagdad Caddesi, with its 13 km the longest shopping street in the world. We visit the Beylerbeyi Palace and finally end our day on the Camlica hill. We have a 360 ° panorama of Istanbul with its 18 million inhabitants. Dinner and overnight in our 4* Hotel, e.g oetic or similar.
Day 5: Istanbul-Nicee, Iznik- Cumalikizik- Bursa (240 km)
After the breakfast buffet in our hotel, cross the Bosphorus via the Suspension Bridge to the Asian Contains. We are also preparing to cross the Sea of Marmara from Eskihisar side. The crossing of the Sea of Dolphins takes about 30 minutes.
Arriving at Iznik, ancient Nicaea was the seat of a famous ecumenical council in 325 AD that condemned Arianism (a doctrine that denied the divine personality of Christ).
The city owes its reputation to the many pottery workshops that were established there during the Ottoman era.
In Roman times, the city was defended by powerful ramparts 5 kilometers long, forming an irregular polygon with four gates, three of which are still visible today.
In the city center you can see the ancient church of Aya Sofia (St. Sophia) which was turned into a mosque during the Ottoman conquest. Excavations revealed the ancient mosaic tiles and the frescoes that adorned it before it was reallocated.
The Green Mosque is one of the most interesting monuments of the city (late 15th century).
Visit to the Iznik Museum in the Nilüfer Hatun Imareti, a pious foundation from the 14th century. It contains Roman and Byzantine inscriptions, sarcophagi, sculptures, cippi...
The walls remind us of the city's defense against outside invasions.
Crafts based on Nicean pottery are still alive in some family workshops.
Constantinople later fell in 1204 to the European armies of the Fourth Crusade which established the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He had little control over the region and several small Byzantine kingdoms such as Epirus and Trebizond sprang up. However, it was Nicaea that, with Theodore Lascaris, formed the core of the Byzantine Empire. His successors slowly expanded their domains and in 1259 Michael VIII Palaiologus took the throne. He took Constantinople from the Latins in 1261 and re-established the Byzantine Empire.
In 1331 the city fell to the Ottomans who renamed it İznik. With the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the city lost importance, except that it became a local center of ceramic production in the 17th century. Then this industry moved to Istanbul.
Council of Nice Lunch is on its way.
Next, visit the typical village of CUMALI KIZIK at the foot of Mount Olympus.
Orientation tour in Bursa.
Bursa is probably one of the most beautiful cities in Turkey. The city is doomed to the color green, that of its famous mosque, but also of the vegetable decoration of the gardens and orchards that extend at the foot of Mount Olympus in Mysia, today's Ulu Dag.
The city seems to have been built by the king of Bythinia, Proussa 1st towards the end of the 1st century BC. Evangelized by St. Andrew, it became one of the centers of Christianity in the East. The exploitation of thermal springs and silkworm breeding under Justinian made it an extraordinarily prosperous city.
Bursa is famous with Karagöz and Hacivat too:
The central theme of the plays is the contrasting interaction between the two main characters. They are perfect imitations of each other: in the Turkish version, Karagöz represents the illiterate but direct audience, while Hacivat belongs to the educated class, speaks Ottoman Turkish and uses a poetic and literary language. While Karagöz is certainly meant to be the more popular character with the Turkish peasants, Hacivat is always the one with a level-headed mind. Although Karagöz always surpasses Hacivat's superior training with his "native humor", he is also very impulsive, and his endless deluge of get-rich-quick schemes always results in failure. In the Greek version, Hacivat (Hatziavatis) is the better educated Turk working for the Ottoman state, often representing the Pasha, or simply law and order, while Karagöz (Karagiozis) is the poor peasant Greek, nowadays with Greek-specific trappings of the raya. Hacivat continually tries to "domesticate" Karagöz, but makes no progress. According to Turkish dramaturge Kırlı, Hacivat emphasizes the upper body with his refined manners and detached disposition, while Karagöz is more representative of "the lower body with eating, swearing, defecation and the phallus.
Dinner and accommodation in Bursa at our 5* hotel.
Day 6: Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire of three continents.
After breakfast, visit the Green Mosque, a jewel of marble and pottery whose prayer hall is lined with glazed earthenware tiles in a beautiful bluish green.
It was built during the reign of Mehemet I and is arguably one of the most beautiful Ottoman mosques.
Also visit the Green Mausoleum with the remains of Sultan Mehmet I. The outer walls of d his octagonal türbe are covered with blue and green tiles and make it one of the wonders ofthe city.
Complex Muradiye with the Imperial Tombs, these monuments fascinate us by the fate of the Ottoman princes: of Djem Sultan, son of Fatih-Mehmet, the conqueror of Istanbul and of Prince Moustapha, son of Suleiman the legislator.
Free time at the Grand Bazaar of Bursa, silk products and spices.
Have lunch at Yüce Hünkar Restaurant next to the Green Mausoleum to taste Turkey's finest cuisine with Alexander the Great's Kebab.
Dinner and overnight in Bursa; hotel 5*.
Day 7: Bursa-Istanbul
After breakfast, way to Istanbul and crossing by bootee ferry of Sea of Marmara, arrival in Istanbul contemplating the city of Çamlıca Hill, where we taste the tea at the Black Sea samovar in the pavilions of sultans where the sultans arrived with their harem.
Lunch in Asian part of Istanbul
Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Istanbul. Hotel 4*
Day 8: Istanbul-Europe
After breakfast, if possible, visit of City Center and Transfer to the airport and return flight to Europe.
Price
• Tour Price List from AyasİsosTravels: Travel Products (Tours, Roundtrips, Group Tours, Vacations) from AyasİsosTravels in Turkey.
• Full board in a Groupe of 27 pax in hotels 4* 5*
• Please send an e-mail for the special conditions and prices.(partners@ayasisostravels.com)
Comments
• • Departure date can be changed for closed groups.
• • There is a special price for closed groups of more than 23 pax. Discounts may be possible for students, teaching staff, travelers with a disability and their companions.
• • Please send an e-mail for the special conditions and prices.
• • A FOC for groups of more than 23 pax.
Optional excursions
• • Dinner in the Gar Kabaret restaurant or in the Caravanserail Cousin Club or in the Galata Tower or in Orient House Istanbul or
• • Spinning Dervish Dancing.
Including
• • Stay of 8 days and 5 nights in a hotel 4* in Istanbul and 2 nights in Bursa 5* full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• • Transfer from and to airport in Istanbul, Istanbul-Bursa-Istanbul
• • Lunch in specialized restaurants in the afternoon
• • Entrance fees for the various visits foreseen in the program
• • Boat trip on Bosphorus, back and forth Sea Marmara
• • Guidance by a university conference multilingual guide Dutch, French, English, German.
Not included
• • Flights H/T to Istanbul.
• • Insurance, airport taxes.
• • Drinks at the table and the usual tips for driver and guide (target price 3 to 5 euros p.p.p.d.)
Departure days can be organized (according to the demand of the special groups)
AyasİsosTravels: Multilingual Cultural Tour Provider and Operator.
