Dolmabahce, Bosphorus Cruise and Two Continents Tour
A full-day combination of culture, history and sightseeing across both sides of Istanbul, from Dolmabahce Palace to a Bosphorus cruise.
Moments from the Journey
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Istanbul in a Single Day
After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel. We will visit Dolmabahce Palace which was the residence of the late royal Ottoman family with 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 baths and 68 lavatories.
Later we will enjoy your trip over the Intercontinental Bosphorus Bridge to Camlica Hill, the highest hill in Asiatic Istanbul, and enjoy breathtaking views of both shores.
Then we will head back to Europe. Your tour guide will take you along your tour of the Golden Horn, the arm of the Bosphorus peninsula which separates the old and new cities of Istanbul, Eyup Sultan Mosque and see the 21km long City Walls of Istanbul. We will enjoy the beautiful view from the cable car as you climb the hill to the café named after the famous French writer Pierre Loti.
After enjoying the view of Pierre Loti Hill, we will start to cruise along the Bosphorus on one of the iconic ferries of Istanbul, navigating the strait between Europe and Asia connecting the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea. After a light snack lunch on the boat, we will have a stopover for an hour in Anadolu Kavagi, a small fishing village on the Asian side of Istanbul, so you can see both sides of the city in the same day. Disembarking the ferry, we return to the hotel.
What Makes This Tour Unforgettable
Your Itinerary
You will be picked up from your centrally located hotel in Istanbul. The first stop is the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), one of the oldest bazaars in Istanbul, offering spices, sweets, dried fruits, nuts, teas and coffees, along with the nearby Rustem Pasha Mosque, known for its Iznik tile interior.
We continue to Dolmabahce Palace, built by Sultan Abdulmecid in the 19th century as a residence blending several European architectural styles. From there, we cross the Bosphorus Bridge — the first bridge connecting Europe and Asia — to Camlica Hill, one of Istanbul's highest points at 268 meters, with panoramic views over the Bosphorus, the Historical Peninsula, Galata Tower, and Beyoglu.
We pass the Rumeli Fortress from the sea, built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 to control access to Constantinople, now a museum and open-air theater. The day continues with a Bosphorus cruise on one of Istanbul's iconic ferries, with a light lunch served on board, and an hour's stop in Anadolu Kavagi, a small fishing village on the Asian shore, before disembarking and returning to your hotel.
Your Journey Covers
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off by air-conditioned non-smoking tour coach
- Professional English-speaking guide assistance
- Museum tickets and entrance fees where necessary
- Entrance fees to the sights with Fast Track Service
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Land transport with a modern A/C vehicle and driver
- Fuel, road tolls and parking fees
- Service charges and local taxes
Frequently Asked
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