Enjoy sweeping views of the breathtaking skylines of Europe and Asia Continents of Istanbul as you soar past some of the most iconic landmarks known throughout the world. Called Byzantium and later Constantinople, Istanbul is the only city to span two continents, sits on the Bosphorus – the strait of water that divides the continents of Europe and Asia and encompasses the natural harbour – the Golden Horn..
Meet your representative and minibus at your hotel for your pick-up and drive to the heliport to board your flight. See up close the Golden Horn River, Old City of Sultanahmet and both European andAsian shores of Bosphorus Channel.
⇒ GOLDEN HORN RIVER AREA
- Miniaturk: Quirky yet interesting museum that demonstrates hundreds of miniature replicas of famous Turkish buildings.
- Eyup Sultan: See one of Istanbul’s most important religious location and iconic mosque of Eyup El-Ensari who was a close friend of Prohpet Mohammed.
- Pierre Loti Hill: A popular vantage point, where the French poet Pierre Loti who once wrote some of his best pieces here.
- Feshane: First textlile institution, originally built to supply ‘Fez’ hat (called ‘Tarboosh’ by the first founders Moroccans) for the royal court and clothes for Ottoman Military, today it’s an enormous event space where traditions still observed today.
- City Walls of Constantinople: Built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. Ultimately the city fell from sheer force of Ottoman forces on 29 May 1453 after a 6-week siege.
- Egyptian Spice Bazaar: Best place to stock up on bargain saffron, spices and Turkish delight!
- Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora: Highly recommended to see inside where you can take yourself through the lifetime of Jesus and Mother Mary following the artefacts on the walls.
- Fener Patriarchate, Fatih Mosque, Galata Bridge and Karaköy Harbour..
⇒ HISTORICAL SULTANAHMET AREA
- Hagia Sophia Museum: which was commissioned by the great Byzantine emperor Justinian, consecrated as a church in 537, converted to a mosque by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 and declared a museum by Atatürk in 1935 – surpasses the rest due to its innovative architectural form, rich history, religious importance and extraordinary beauty.
- Topkapi Palace: Royal residence of the legendary Ottoman Sultans, now converted into a museum. The royal quarters where the sultan, his family and, yes, many concubines lived are there, but be sure not to miss the Chamber of Holy Relics, which has King David’s sword, a fragment of Moses’ staff, and John the Baptist’s arm and a section of his skull. Relics of Mohammed are also on display.
- Gulhane Park: It was once the outer garden of Topkapı Palace, accessible only to the royal court. These days crowds of locals come here to picnic under the many trees, promenade past the formally planted flowerbeds, and enjoy wonderful views of the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Princes’ Islands from the Set Üstü Çay Bahçesi on the park’s northeastern edge.
- Grand Bazaar: labyrinthine and chaotic shopping souk, sprawling over a huge area in the heart of the Old City.
- Suleymaniye Mosque: Built by the greatest, richest and most powerful of Ottoman sultans –Suleymaniye the Magnificent
- Hippodromme: Famed as the centre of Byzantine life for 1000 years and of Ottoman life for another 400.
- Blue Mosque, Divanyolu Avenue and Istanbul Governor’s building..
⇒ EUROPEAN SHORES OF BOSPHORUS
- Bosphorus Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge:
- Rumeli Fortress: Built in the narrowest point of the strait in just 4 months in 1452 by Mehmet the Conqueror in preparation of his planned siege of Byzantine Constantinople.
- Dolmabahce Palace: During the early years of the republic, Ataturk used the palace as his Istanbul base and died here on 10 November 1938.
- Taksim Square: Major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels with the central station of the Istanbul Metro Home to Gezi Park, Indepedence Monument, Istiklal Avenue or Grande Rue de Pera, Galatasaray and Cukurcuma neighborhoods.
- Tarabya, Bebek, Ortakoy, Ciragan Palace, Inonu Stadium and Galata Tower..
⇒ ASIAN SHORES OF BOSPHORUS
- Haydarpasa Station and Harbour:
- Leander’s Tower:
- Beylerbeyi Palace:
- Kuleli Military School:
- Anadolu Fortress:
- Selimiye Barracks, Uskudar, Hidiv Kasrı, Kucuksu Palace and Black Sea shores.
and much, much more – all from the sky! Upon landing, a return shuttle is waiting.
Departure Day/Time:
Sunday at 13:30
Length:
Flight time approx. 14-16 minutes
Duration:
2 hours door-to-door
