Tours of the City
Walking Tours
While Istanbul is a driver’s nightmare, it is a walker’s paradise. One recommended self-guided walking route is from the Kariye Museum, along the city walls, to the Golden Horn, where visitors can see the little visited remains of the last Byzantine Palace, Blachernae, including its grim dungeons. Jewish visitors might enjoy the back streets of the Galata Tower area, which contain numerous synagogues and other religious buildings.
Istanbul Walks, Eski Bagdat Caddesi 50 (tel: (0216) 489 6031/32; website: www.istanbulwalks.com) offers a choice of walks lasting around two-and-a-half-hours, including classic sights around Sultanahmed, around the Bazaar, and Galata and Pera. Most tours depart from the Tourist Information Office on Sultanahmet Square. Reservations recommended.
Bus Tours
Details of bus tour operators with English speaking guides are available at most hotels. In addition to a hop-on hop-off bus service, Plan Tours (tel: (0212) 230 2272 or 234 7777; website: www.plantours.com) arranges city sightseeing tours, including Jewish Heritage tours. Sites visited include the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar. Transfers to and from hotels (European side only) is provided.
Fez Travel (tel: (0212) 516 9024 or (0870) 742 4173 in the UK; website: www.feztravel.com), which is geared to backpackers, organises longer sightseeing trips for small groups to ‘off the beaten track’ locations. A three-night Istanbul City Break includes two full days of sightseeing, the services of an English-speaking guide, all entrance fees and bed and breakfast accommodation.
Boat Tours
A full-day Bosphorus river cruise with lunch, including a visit to Dolmabahce Palace and other sites along the way, is offered by Plan Tours (tel: (0212) 230 2272 or 234 7777; website: www.plantours.com). During the summer, they also run private boat tours of the Bosphorus, as well as dinner cruises. Transfers to and from hotels (European-side hotels only) are available.
In summer, tourist cruises of the Bosphorus, operated by the Turkish Maritime Organisation, Trkiye Denizcilik letmeleri (tel: (0212) 522 0045, website: www.tdi.com.tr), leave Eminn pier three at 1030, 1245 and 1415, stopping at Besiktas 15 minutes later. The ferry makes its way up the Bosphorus, passing the city’s lovely wooden ‘yalis’ or seaside mansions, up to the old sea gates at Anadolu Kavagi. The trip takes two hours in each direction, with the option of stopping for lunch at the fish restaurants of Anadolu Kavagi. Both single and return tickets are available.
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Tours of the City