Istanbul

Day One:
Check-in at Rinas Airport must be done 2 hours before the flight. Flight to Istanbul. Departure with the tour leader to the Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı). The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest covered markets in the world. It has 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops in an area of 30,700 m², attracting between 250,000 to 400,000 visitors per day. Free entrance – stay about 2 hours.

After the bazaar, departure by bus to Dolmabahçe Palace. This summer palace of the Sultans, also known as the “Palace of the Filled Gardens,” was built between 1843–1856 and cost around 35 tons of gold (about 1.5 billion USD). It was constructed by the 31st Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Abdulmecid I, to match the luxury and comfort of European monarchs at the time. Stay about 1 hour.

Continue to Taksim Square, located on the European side of Istanbul. It is famous for restaurants, shops, and hotels and is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central metro station located there. The Republic Monument is also located here. After the visits, return and check-in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day Two:
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by bus to the Istanbul Aquarium, opened in April 2011 and among the largest in the world in terms of volume, variety of aquatic species, and activities. Entrance €25 – stay 2 hours.

Continue to Topkapi Palace, the winter residence of the Sultans. Built by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror starting in 1459, six years after the conquest of Constantinople, Topkapi served as the primary residence and administrative seat of the Ottoman Sultans in the 15th and 16th centuries. The complex consists of four main courtyards and numerous smaller buildings. The Sultan’s family lived in the harem, while state officials, including the Grand Vizier, held meetings in the Imperial Council building. Stay 2 hours.

Visit the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), designed by the Albanian architect Sinan and built between 1609–1616 during Sultan Ahmed I’s reign. The mosque combines Byzantine elements from Hagia Sophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered the last great mosque of the classical period. Free entrance – stay 30 minutes.

Continue to Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), officially the Great Mosque of Hagia Sophia, formerly the Church of Hagia Sophia. Built in 537, it was the patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople and the largest Christian church of the Byzantine Empire. After the Ottoman conquest in 1453, it was converted into a mosque, then into a museum in 1935, and reopened as a mosque in 2020. Free entrance – stay 30 minutes.

Next, visit the Hippodrome of Constantinople, once the sporting and social center of the Byzantine capital. Today it is Sultanahmet Square, where fragments of the original structure still remain.

Return to the hotel.

In the evening: departure for a Bosphorus Night Cruise with dinner, unlimited drinks, and traditional & modern Turkish shows. Entrance €40 – stay 3 hours. Return to the hotel. Overnight.

Day Three:
Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning.

In the afternoon: departure to Eminönü, the ferry port, for a 2-hour Bosphorus cruise towards the Black Sea, admiring Istanbul’s coastline, Europe and Asia, and viewing the historic Rumeli Fortress from the boat. Entrance €10 – stay 2 hours.

Continue to the shopping center. Free time.

Transfer to the airport. Return flight to Tirana.

⚠ Note: All travelers to Turkey must have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry. The city tax is not included and must be paid at the hotel reception (€1.5 per person per night).

Other Details

Included in the price:

• Round-trip airfare (20 kg checked luggage + hand luggage)

• Accommodation in a hotel in the European side, central Istanbul

• Breakfast for all days of stay

• Sightseeing in Istanbul by bus (as per program)

• Albanian-speaking tour leader and guide for all days

• Airport–hotel–airport transfers

Not included in the price:

• Anything not mentioned in the program

• Travel insurance

• Entrance tickets to monuments and museums

• Istanbul city tax (€1.5 per person per night)

Optional excursions:

1. Bosphorus cruise 1.5–2 hours – €10

2. Night cruise with show & dinner – €40 (includes round-trip hotel transfer, dinner, unlimited soft drinks, live shows with dancers & DJ, 3 hours)

3. Visit to Aquarium – €25

4. Visit to Panorama Museum – €20

Flight Schedule:

Thursday Departures:
Tirana 07:55 → Istanbul 10:35
Istanbul 23:10 → Tirana 22:50

Friday Departures:
Tirana 07:15 → Istanbul 10:10
Istanbul 21:50 → Tirana 22:30

Saturday Departures:
Tirana 07:15 → Istanbul 10:10
Istanbul 21:50 → Tirana 22:30

Sunday Departures:
Tirana 07:30 → Istanbul 10:30
Istanbul 22:30 → Tirana 23:10

Special groups 25 & 27 November:
Tirana 07:30 → Istanbul 10:30
Istanbul 16:15 → Tirana 16:55