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6-Day Treasures of Istanbul |
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Travel beyond Istanbul to explore Turkey. Enjoy the tastes,
smells and discoveries of this exotic land that is Muslim in character yet
secular in spirit. This tour looks at Turkey's warm welcome to Jews
throughout her history, including during the Inquisition when many Jews fled to
Turkey. Spend your time visiting this land's ancient synagogues and places of
prayer, its neighborhoods and markets, as well as a sail down the
Bosphorus.
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Tour Highlights
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Visit to the
Jewish Quarter in Istanbul.
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Ferry ride along
the Bosphorus.
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Visit to the
Underground Basilica Cisterns.
Trip Includes
- 4 nights accommodation in
Istanbul.
- Breakfast daily.
- 2 days of Sightseeing and
transfers by deluxe air-conditioned van or motor-coaches as per
itinerary.
- Services of a friendly and
professional English-speaking Expedition Educator throughout the trip.
- Entrance fees per
itinerary.
- Arrival and Departure
airport Transfers.
- All hotel and airport portage and
tipping included.
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DAY ONE:
WEDNESDAY DEPARTURE
- Departure from the U.S. to
Turkey.
Overnight:
Flight
DAY TWO: Thursday
ARRIVAL TO TURKEY
-
Arrive in
Istanbul.
- Welcome by our
representative and assistance with arrival formalities.
- Transfer to your hotel and
check in. Airport transfer included
- Dinner on your own at an area
restaurant.
Overnight: Istanbul
DAY THREE: Friday
THE JEWS OF
ISTANBUL
-
Breakfast at the
hotel.
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Visit the site of the
Jewish Quarter of Istanbul - enjoy a guided tour of the Galata neighborhood,
once the center of Jewish life in Istanbul and home to many Jews of Italian
descent who fled Spanish-controlled Italy during the 16th
century.
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Visit the Neve Shalom
and Ashkenazi Synagogues in the Byoglu district of
Galata.
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Tour the Jewish Museum
and continue to the Ahrida Synagogue, founded by Jews from modern-day
Macedonia who were escaping Ottoman Empire oppression. False messiah Sabbatai
Tzvi, founder of the 17th century Jewish Sabbatean movement, prayed there.
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Lunch on your
own.
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Visit a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, the Topkapi Palace, a unique palace complex, where you can gaze
at the priceless works of art in the Imperial Treasury, home to precious
jewels, spoils of war and handcrafted, bejeweled armor of the Sultans. See the
Imperial Harem, which was home to many Jewish women and girls during the
Ottoman Empire.
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Visit Istanbul's Grand
Bazaar, which dates from 1461 and is a known haven for its spice, carpet and
pottery stalls.
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Dinner on your own at an
area restaurant.
Overnight: Istanbul
DAY FOUR: Saturday SHABBAT IN ISTANBUL
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Optional
Shabbat morning services at the Etz Hayim synagogue, originally built in 1661
- destroyed by fire in 1941, it was rebuilt and continues to serve its
community.
- Day at
leisure or enjoy one of a number of optional tours.
- Dinner on your
own
Overnight: Istanbul
DAY FIVE: Sunday ISTANBUL LAYERS OF HISTORY
- Breakfast at the
hotel.
- Begin your day with a
visit to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the National Mosque of Turkey built in the
18th century, and also known as the Blue Mosque. A classical example of
Ottoman architecture, the impressive structure incorporates traditional
Islamic architecture with popular Byzantine elements.
- Visit the
Hagia-Sophia, once the largest cathedral in the world. A massive, sixth
century Byzantine basilica, it was converted into a mosque in the 15th century
and by 1935 became a museum.
- Descend to the
underground Basilica Cisterns, a vast cathedral-sized water collection space
with 13-foot walls and 30-foot high decorated columns - 336 in total, it is
one of a network of cisterns in the city.
- Lunch on your
own.
- Take the ferry
and cruise along the Bosphorus. Experience the mix of local architecture;
imperial palaces mingle with wooden seaside mansions, decorative ferry
landings, the impressive twin fortresses of Rumeli Hisar and Anadolu Hisar,
and Istanbul's two suspension bridges, the Bosphorus and the Fatih Sultan
Mehmet Bridge.
- Return to the
hotel.
- Dinner on your own at
an area restaurant.
Overnight: Istanbul
DAY SIX: Monday DEPARTURE
- Breakfast at the
hotel.
- Check out of the
hotel.
- Transfer to the airport for
flight home. (Airport transfers included. Please allow a minimum of three
hours for check-in).
- Flight back to the
U.S.
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Need to Know
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- Tour prices are per person in U.S.
dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special
dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local
guides, drivers, and the Expedition Educator are included.
- Hotel Accommodations: The
tour price includes all hotel accommodations, in hotel rooms with private
baths. Our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering
value. Although the level of the accommodations may differ slightly from hotel
to hotel, we are committed to your comfort. Two-bed rooms are reserved in most
hotels. Triples are two-bed rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are
not recommended when considering the comfort of those in the room. King-size
beds are not available in most hotels; what is considered king-size usually
consists of two single beds pushed together and made up separately, but with
one headboard. Some two-bed rooms may have two twin - not full- or queen-size
- beds.
- Meals are included as
specified in the itinerary.
- Expedition Educator: All
trips are conducted by our Expedition Educators or local guides who remain
with the group throughout the tour.
- Gratuities Included: All
gratuities for restaurant and hotel staff.
- Luggage Responsibility: All tour
packages allow one piece of luggage per person and one carry-on bag. Excess
luggage will be subject to charge of up to $100 per piece. The Travel Agent
and/or Tour Operator shall not be held responsible for any damage to or loss
of luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of
incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to your
insurance company.
Not Included
- Airfare to the tour
departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be
purchased from us for travel originating in the United States. Please see
Flights tab in the right-side toolbar.
- Personal Expenses: All
personal expenses such as: laundry, valet service, cables, telephone calls and
postage are not included.
- Guide and Driver
Gratuities:
- 4 seater -
$70 (i.e. 2 pax) - per day
- 7 seater - $90
(i.e. 3-5 pax) - per day
- 10 seater - $110
(i.e. 5-7 pax) - per day
- 10-19
passengers: Guide $10, driver $5 - per participant per day
- 20 passengers
and more: Guide $8, driver $4 - per participant per
day
Additional Information
- Airline Security Measures:
In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the
time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your
passport name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket
or you may be denied boarding.
- If you are traveling from an
airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what
travel documentation and identification is required for that particular
airport.
- Due to heightened security
regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette
lighter or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be
permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to
departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and
recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the
Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov to obtain more
information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage
items.
- Holidays and Museum Closures
- Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen
circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed
in the destinations being visited.
- Photography During Tours: We will
occasionally use photographs taken by fellow guests or your trip director for
promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any
marketing activities, please notify us at the start of your
tour.
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View Map
Accommodations
- 6 Day - Gold
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Day 2 - 5: Titanic Hotel
Istanbul
Opened in 2008, the Titanic is an urban hotel
located in Istanbul's city center, with all the comforting amenities of a spa,
gym and indoor pool, while located within walking distance to all the sights of
Istanbul. Spend time after a long day touring relaxing in the pool, or having a
drink in the hotel bar, with the addition of live music, a Titanic
touch.
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- 6 Day - Platinum
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Day 2 - 5: The Ritz Carlton
Istanbul
Overlooking the Bosphorus Straits, the Ritz Carlton Istanbul is located in
the prestigious Dolmabahce district, walking distance to Old Pera and Beyoglu,
as well as Taksim Square, Beyoglu and Dolmabahce Palace, and a short drive to
the Blue Mosque.
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Dates & Prices
Program
The AW Added Value
AW Flights
Reading List
Need to Know
Peace of Mind
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