Add IQ -Istanbul for Advanced Visitors

8/9/2019 Add IQ -Istanbul for Advanced Visitors

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Lesser Known Jewels of stanbul

Istanbul For Advanced Visitors

This tour program is designed for visitors who have already been to thetypical highlights of Istanbul like Ayasofya, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace,Grand Bazaar, Spice Market.

At each site on this tour the duration is between 45 minute to 1 hour whichis plenty to appreciate each site without overdoing it; this also enablesinclusion ofother sites to the program. The detailed site descriptionis below the itinerary information.

We will begin our day with a stop at the Byzantine church Chora now a museum; famous for the Mosaics and frescoes showing the lifecycles of Christ and Mary; especially Marys life cycyle based on St. Jamesapocryphal Gospel .

The highlights of the Archeological Museum ( sarcophagi and Istanbul &Environs sections only )

Basilica cistern from 6th century is our next stop before lunch. Thisstructure is also famous for a sequence of a James Bond movie -

From Russia with Love, filmed here.


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After lunch we are heading to the 19th century Dolmabahce Palaces Harem Section where we will explore the interesting details of theHarem life with incredible decorations from ceiling to the floor.

Then we will visit Ortakoy district; a lovely waterfront area which turnsinto a nice street market on weekends. Here you may take your own

postcard quality photo of the famous mosque Grand Mecidiye and thesuspension bridge connecting the two continents as well as the Bosphorusstraits.

Note :a. There is an Ottoman military Band performance at 3 oclock in the

Military museum for half hour, including an incredible slidepresentation. Addition of this expands the program for 1 hour.

b. Below you will also find the details of a stroll on Istiklal Street , as

well as lesser known interesting off Spice Market areas.Modifying the program by adding or subtracting some of these sites isavailable.

Site Descriptions :

Spice Market and neighboring streets

Kuru yemis (KOO-roo yeh-meesh) means "dried fruits." Turkey grows a lotof wonderful fruit. To preserve and store it in the days before tin cans andrefrigeration, much of it was dried. Dried fruit is convenient! No cans or

packages to open or dispose of, no need for refrigeration. Just add mouth!Plums, figs, dates, apricots, apples...even blackberries and other berrieswhich are pressed and dried into sheets ("fruit leather"). Don't forget thenuts: high protein, high flavor, low maintenance: walnuts, almonds,


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peanuts, pistachios and of course hazelnuts (filberts), of whichTurkey's Black Sea Coast furnishes half the world supply.

Off-Spice Market shopping streets are at least asimpressive as Spice Market ( Egyptian Bazaar)itself : The four century old streets with fourcentury old spice shops around Rustem PasaMosque is where we begin our exploration ofthese streets, lesser known to tourists.

The stroll will introduce secrets of Turkish cuisine:Hanging dried eggplant and pepper skins, blacksesame, varities of olive and chilly pepper, hennafor your red hair, sumac, cheese market, and pet

market will reveal insights from life in Istanbulwith an half hour stroll, which may be combinedwith your Spice Market visit to buy Turkish delightwith mastic or classical version with pistachios init according to your choice. The pomegranatevinegar also available which is the taste enhancing factor of mountain ofthe infidels salad Gavurda Salatas , which is found only in very fewfine restaurants including the nearby Hamdi, which also happens to haveone of the best Baklava and biyet ( special baklava with touch of creamin the center ) of all of Turkey.

Ortaky District + 1 hour Bosphorus Cruise

This area is missed by most visitors to stanbul due toguide books not emphasizing its charms at the rightdose. It offers incredible Bosphorus view , fine street


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markets and the best plus the most efficient Bosphorus cruise for 1 hour .( afternoons only, after 3 or 4 pm at 20 pasts )These reasons make this one of the top waterfront strolling areas forstanbul citizens.Best time : afternoons and early evenings, preferably weekends , if youwould like to enjoy the street market at its zenith.

This is a waterfront area that resembles to Seaport of New York City, themajor difference being the mosque instead of the mall at Seaport.This is very close to the first suspension bridge connecting Europe andAsia over the Bosphorus Straits ; as referred to in Homers book Odyssey,the site of the clashing rocks.19th century Grand Mecidiye Mosque is situated on the shore as if it werefloating.

This area converts into an up scaled flea market the look is the look of aflea market but the items offered on the stands are brand new and nice,and prices are better than the tripled or quadrupled rates of Grand Bazaar.But still there is minor negotiation possibilities from the low profit marginsof these softly spoken female vendors.

Highlights of Archaeological Museum - 40 minutes

Lots of visitors think Arch. Museums are boring : Ifyou spend a half day in Istanbul in an Arch. Museuminstead of covering more territories of this vibrantcity , you are probably right; though special interestvisitors are thrilled here.The compromise is a 40 minute tour offering

highlights of this museum : Thesarcophagi collection never fails toimpress visitors including the

one that is called Alexander theGreat.


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Dolmabahce Palace the Harem Wing

Harem section makes up the two thirds ofDolmabahce Palace. Passage from Mabeyn andMuayede Hall to Harem is through corridors

with iron gates and heavy timber doors, aremark of the traditional segregation. Thespacious halls lightened by the reflections ofBosporus, the bedrooms of Sultans, his wives,concubines, sons and daughters, and study andlounge rooms are all in this section. Theapartment of Valide Sultan (Mother Sultan),Blue and Pink Halls, the rooms of SultansAbdlmedjid, Abdlaziz and Resad, concubinessection, matrons rooms, Great Atatrk's study

and bedroom and many valuable artifacts suchas furnitures, rugs and kilims, inscriptions,vases, chandeliers, oil paintings are the mostinteresting and impressive features of Harem.


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Istiklal Street

The modern quarter of Beyoglu, especially Taksim Square and IstiklalStreet, symbolizes the cosmopolitan setting and the cultural openness ofthe city. Also described as a Mecca for the young and beautiful in stanbul,the street is offered as a big Istanbul attraction in the numerous travelguides.It is lined with impressive 19th century buildings along the whole street fortwo kilometers as well as funky cafes, bluesy bars, restaurants, andcinemas.

The highlights tour here begins with a stroll from Tunel district ( thewhirling dervishes center, Galata Mevlevihanesi is also here ) through nicenarrow streets with fine street cafes. You will also get a chance to learnwhere famous Turkish bar meze restaurant Refik is situated ( towardsPera Palas hotel ) Then walk by St. Antuanne Church, stop by GalatasarayHigh School, Ara Gulers photo exhibition on the street where his cozy cafAra is situated, Flower Arcade ( cicek pasaji ) , fish vegetable market ,Nevizade Street.You will also be familiar with the location of great Istanbul view bars,restaurants including 360, Hac Baba, and Hac Abdullah on this strollingtour.

Ottoman Military Band & its Beethoven Connection


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At 15:00 oclock ( not available on Mon & Tue ) is the Ottoman militaryband performance at Nisantasi district. Half an hour lasting first half of theconcert will introduce this band that influenced in Mozart, Beethoven andChaikowsky, as a result of which the style called Ala Turca was born.When the concert takes place indoors there will also be an impressiveslide presentation for 10 minutes. You may listen to their favourite tune at:

http://www.islamicity.com/Travel/turkey/2.mp3

Basilica Cistern

The cistern, built by emperor Justinian around 542, is also called the"Sunken Palace", which aptly reflects the magical atmosphere of thissubterranean building. The reservoir had a capacity of 80.000 cubic feet ofwater and provided the quarter around the Hagia Sophia as well as theemperor's palace and later the Topkapi palace. On an area of 453 x 213 ft.(138 x 65 m) or 2,2 acres (8970 m) a dim wood of 336 marble columns,which support the up to 8 m high vault, is reflected in thewater. This is where a sequence of the Bond movie, From Russia withlove was filmed.

Walkways and atmospheric lighting make the Cistern a great touristattraction, which takes you back into ancient times.
http://www.islamicity.com/Travel/turkey/2.mp3http://www.sights-and-culture.com/Turkey/Justinians-Cystern-5515.jpghttp://www.sights-and-culture.com/Turkey/Justinians-Cystern-5519.jpghttp://www.sights-and-culture.com/Turkey/Justinians-Cystern-5517.jpghttp://www.islamicity.com/Travel/turkey/2.mp3


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Chora

Chora Church (Kariye Camii in Turkish) is the most interesting Byzantinechurch after Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The importance of the church doesnot come from the building itself , the frescoes and the mosaics are superband reflect the magnificient heritage of Byzantine Art. The Chora ChurchMuseum is open every day from 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m except Wed.

The word "Chora" means "in thecountry" because of the original churchwhich was outside the city walls. Thereare no remains left from the originalchurch and the first form of the presentstructure dates back to 11C. The churchwas founded by Maria Doukaina,mother-in-law of Alexius Comnenos Ibetween 1077-1081. Today's churchwas constructed after two centuries, thewalls were revetted with superb mosaicsand a pareclession was added decoratedwith beautiful frescoes. The founder of

the church was Theodore Metochiteswho served as a prime minister duringthe time of Emperor AndronicusPalaeologus I. He was also anastronomer, poet, theologian andphilosopher. Actually he lived a very sadlife, after Palaeologus was replaced byanother emperor, he was sent to exie. After he came back toKonstantinople, he devoted himself to the church as a monk and he diedthere. Early in the 16C, the church was converted to a mosque by Atik Ali

Pasha and the mosaics were covered with plaster. In 1948, it was restoredby Byzantine Institute of America and opened as a museum in 1958.

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Add IQ -Istanbul for Advanced Visitors