• Golden Horn - This estuary, shaped like a horn, separates European Istanbul. Renowned as one of the world’s finest natural harbors, it was the hub for Byzantine and Ottoman naval and commercial activities. Today, beautiful parks and promenades adorn the shores, where the setting sun casts a golden hue on the water. In the neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, located midway up the Golden Horn, entire streets of ancient wooden houses, churches, and synagogues date back to Byzantine and Ottoman eras. The Orthodox Patriarchate is also located here in Fener. Further up, Eyup showcases Ottoman architectural style, with cemeteries dotted with dark cypress trees on the hillsides. Many pilgrims visit the tomb of Eyup, hoping their prayers will be answered. The Pierre Loti Cafe, perched on the hill overlooking the shrine, offers a serene spot to enjoy the view. Istanbul is a global hub for art and culture.
• Fener Rum Ortodoks Patrikhanesi Kutuphanesi - The center of world Orthodoxy and home to the 270th successor of the Apostle Andrew is a modest complex of buildings in the Fener neighborhood of the Golden Horn. The 17th-century Church of St. George features a magnificent gold-leaf altar with significant icons, and relics of major saints are housed in the cathedral’s narthex. Since the fall of the Ottomans, much of Istanbul’s Greek population has emigrated, making the church more of a symbolic center for the Ecumenical Patriarchate. However, Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians, continues to conduct services here, attracting Orthodox pilgrims from Greece and Eastern Europe. Visitors can relax in the charming garden, which is home to friendly cats.
• Vlaherna Meryem Ana Church - In 450, Empress Aelia Pulcheria initiated the construction of a church near a holy water fountain outside the walls of Theodosius II at the base of Constantinople’s sixth hill. After her passing in 453, her husband, Emperor Marcian, completed the shrine. Emperor Leo I added two more structures near the church: a parekklesion named Ayía Sorós, which housed the holy mantle and robe of the Virgin brought from Palestine in 473, and the ´Ayion Loúsma (“sacred bath”) building, which enclosed the fountain. The complex’s significance prompted Emperors to reside nearby and establish the nucleus of what would later become the imperial palace of Blachernae. In the early 6th century, Emperors Justin I and Justinian I restored and expanded the church. The name Blachernae may derive from the old name for Romanians (Vlach, Blac, etc.) and a small colony of Vlachs.
• Tekfur Sarayi - The Palace of the Porphyrogenitus, known in Turkish as the Tekfur Sarayı (“Palace of the Sovereign”), is a late 13th-century Byzantine palace in the northwestern part of old Constantinople (Istanbul). An extension of the larger Blachernae palace complex, it is the best-preserved of the three surviving Byzantine palaces in the city (alongside the ruins of the Boukoleon Palace and the Great Palace of Constantinople with its remaining substructures, mosaics, and standing Magnaura section), and one of the few relatively intact examples of late Byzantine secular architecture worldwide. The palace was built in the late 13th or early 14th centuries as part of the Blachernae palace complex, where the Theodosian Walls meet the later walls of the Blachernae suburb. The palace’s name appears to reference the 10th-century emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus.
• Chora Museum - (Exciting news! After extensive restoration, Chora is open again!)

Following the conquest of Istanbul, the church was converted into a mosque in the 16th century, and after several restorations, it became a museum in 1958. The Chora Museum, a former Orthodox church, boasts one of Istanbul’s most stunning interiors. The Chora Church is regarded as one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture and serves as a museum on the European side of Istanbul in the Edirnekapi district of Fatih. Today, in the charming neighborhood of Wood Hotels and cafes, this remarkable museum draws thousands of visitors.

• Hagia Sophia Mosque - The Basilica of St. Sophia, now known as the Ayasofya Museum, is undoubtedly one of the greatest buildings of all time. Originally built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, its vast dome rises 55 meters above the ground with a diameter of 31 meters. Visitors should take time to appreciate the building’s majestic serenity and admire the exquisite Byzantine mosaics. (Open daily except Monday).
• Walls of Constantinople (Istanbul City Walls) - A prime example of military architecture, the city walls of Theodosius II stretch 6,650 meters, with a second line of defenses added in 447. These city walls are one of the largest projects of the Ancient Period, located on the western edge of the Historic Peninsula, extending from the Golden Horn to the Marmara Sea in a north-south direction. The walls are notable for their scale, construction techniques, and materials. Their construction began in the early 5th century under Emperor Theodosius II. The Byzantine city walls encircled the acropolis of Byzantium with 22 kilometers of fortifications, including 96 towers and 9 main gates.

• Private transportation
• Bottled water
• On-board WiFi
• Snacks
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Surcharges on fuel
• Parking fees

• Gratuities

Join us today as we capture the essence of Istanbul’s Byzantium. We first head to the natural seaport of the Byzantines, known as “the Golden Horn,” so-called for its horn-like form and the golden shimmer of the waves in the sunlight when seen from elevated positions. We will be touring the Patriarchate at Fener, the center of Orthodox Christianity since Constantine The Great declared Christianity the faith of the Roman Empire. We will also visit the Church of Panagia of Blachernae, a renowned and revered shrine of the Holy Virgin Mary, known for its “Hagiasma” (holy water) and “Hagion Lousma” (holy bath). We’ll take a glance at the Anemas Dungeons from outside and admire The Tekfur Palace, the lone surviving Pavillion of the Blachernae Palace. Next, we’ll stop at the stunning Church of St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Museum), originally a Byzantine monastery renowned for its extraordinary mosaics and frescoes representing scenes from the Bible. Finally, we will include the Byzantine city walls on our journey. Come along with us!

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.