Turkey – Istanbul and Gardens

Join us on an exploration of the gardens of this capital of art and history.

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Fly from the UK to Istanbul where transfers are included to your hotel in Istanbul for six nights.

Half day guided tour of Istanbul - The afternoon is free for you to enjoy this mysterious city. With its long history at the centre of empires, Istanbul offers a wealth of historic and religious places to take in. The majority of these ancient monuments, dating back to Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, including the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), and Basilica Cistern are located around Sultanahmet Square. While others are dispersed throughout the peninsula of the old city, such as Church of St Savior in Chora (Kariye Müzesi), the entire inside of which is covered by mindblowing frescoes and mosaics. An impressive section of mostly intact Theodosian walls, which mark the full length of western boundary of the peninsula, is right next to this particular church.

Visit to the Yildiz Grove & Park in Yildiz - Yildiz Park was once part of the imperial garden of Yildiz Palace. Extending down the slopes from the palace, this walled park was reserved only for palace dwellers during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II. Currently, Yildiz Park is a beautiful garden complex set in a very large park of flowers, plants and trees, gathered from every part of the world dating from the Ottoman era. Park grounds offer panoramic views of the Bosphorus. Two beautiful old pavilions, namely Çadir and Malta pavilions, are used to rest and refresh. The park is separated into two sections, the outer section is open to the public and comprises of the Sale, Çadir and Malta pavilions and the still-operating Yildiz porcelain factory. The vegetation of the park includes magnolia, bay leaves, Judas trees, silver limes and horse-chestnuts. Furthermore, the park has oak, cypress, pine, yew, cedar and ash trees. Also, the outer section has two man-made lakes.

Visit to The Mihrabad Grove - The Mihrabad Grove is a beautiful grove overlooking the Bosphorus and covers an area of 25 hectares, located in Kanlica, Istanbul. There are variety of gardens as well as monumental cypresses, umbrella pines, Judas and bay trees. Mihrabat Grove is located on a hill with a view of the entire city. It was created by Mahmud I in Kanlica. The grove, which is home to many types of trees and plants, has a vast area of 200 acres. It is a place where Istanbulites have a great opportunity to get some rest and escape the urban city.

Visit Naile Sutlan Grove in Ortakoy Krucesme - The grove between Ortaköy-Kuruçeºme has the name of the daughter of Sultan Abdülhamid II, Naile Sultan. The grove where history and nature embrace is decorated by several kinds of valuable trees and flowers as well as a magnificent pavilion.

Free Day in Istanbul – Why not visit the Grand Bazaar? The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops, and attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices and antique shops. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by type of goods, with special areas for leather, gold jewellery and the like. The bazaar has been an important trading centre since 1461 and its labyrinthine vaults feature two bedestens (domed buildings), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake.

Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK.