“Istanbul Through The Lens”
8 Days Istanbul Photography + Hiking Tour by Polo Travel
Imagine a city, crossed by a stray and is also surrounded by two seas at once; in a lovely location where the four
seasons show at its best, a unique city on two continents, the past to the Neolithic period ranges, and where two of
the major empires capital was founded. A Golden Gate between East and West, the melting point of cultures,
combined with the visions of the present from traditional to modern.
Dear photography friends;
Istanbul provides you with thousands of photo opportunities. With carefully prepared thematic focus, we will offer a
unique program; all the preliminary information, permits, fees etc. will be prepared and organized by us.
Day programs have been determined by the best sightseeing route, the specified topics in different orders will occur.
We will be able to see through the lens,
- Ottoman and Byzantine architecture
- The green-blue sea and nature around the city
- People, markets and bazaars
- Palace and its treasures
- Orient Express to Baghdad railway
- Archeology
- People between the Orient and Occident
We have prepared a week to view through the lens, but this can be changed according to your needs and requests.
Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul
We fly to Istanbul, our guide greets us at the airport and accompanies us to the hotel where we will stay for 7 nights.
Day 2: The muezzin calls!
Today we want to start early in the morning when the city is still calm and take pictures before the hustle and bustle
of the city starts. Within walking distance we walk over Galata Bridge, along the direction of anglers over the Golden
Horn, accompanied by seagulls and pigeons from Eminönü Square.
After an insight into the mosque, we will visit Rüstempasa and other prestigious buildings such as the Ottoman
central post office, the German Orient Bank and the central station where once the Orient Express arrived.
We will be passing the Sublime Porte, We will visit the Hagia Sophia, with its towering dome, the Blue Mosque with 6
minarets decorated with obelisks and the Hippodrome. We will proceed to Basilica Cistern to leave the lens out of
breath. We stop in a coffee break on a rooftop terrace with a panoramic view of the historic peninsula of
Constantinople. Lunch will be organized by the tour guide. After dinner a briefing about the day will take place.
Day 3: Old Town and the Golden Horn
With a walk in the Ottoman wooden houses, we reach the legendary Topkapi Palace with harem rooms and
fantastic location set on the Bosporus. You will be surprised with the diversity in the fish market.
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Polo Travel
Adres: Katip Mustafa Çelebi Mah. Abdullah Sok. Hurşitbey İşhanı No:4/1 34433 Beyoğlu-İstanbul
Tel: +90 212 249 83 74 / Faks: +90 212 249 37 31
E-posta: [email protected]
www.polotravel.org
“Istanbul Through The Lens”
8 Days Istanbul Photography + Hiking Tour by Polo Travel
It is now time to go the Golden Gate and "Yedikule” catacombs, fortifications known as the Ottoman prison, our
journey continues along the walls of Constantine land borders with short stop at the 1,500-year-old city
immortalized in pictures.
We will meet at the point where land and sea wall gets together to visit the palace of the Byzantine era. With a short
ride on the bank, we reach the most important Islamic shrine in Istanbul, the Eyüp Mosque, with a historic cemetery.
After we have seen this neighborhood, we will go Pierre Loti with a characteristic cable car with a panoramic position
overlooking the Golden Horn. Last we will have a short walk between the two sides of the banks of Golden Horn and
on the old Galata Bridge.
Day 4: Cruise along the Bosporus
With the first cable car in Europe we drive into the heart of Istanbul, İstiklal the pedestrian zone, our first target is
the Galata Tower, at 62 m height and its unique location; we will really understand the meaning of great panoramic
view of 360 degrees. We continue on foot to Art Nouveau of the 19th century church on the romantic French
streets. Arriving at the Taksim Square, we dive into the depths of the metro. After an insight into the sizes of the
Christian cemetery in Istanbul, we will have a walk through the fashionable Nisantasi area of Istanbul. It will be
followed by the summer palace of Sultan ''Ciragan'' which is now a classy hotel.
Arriving in Ortakoy on the Bosporus, we enjoy our coffee with a view to the suspension bridge stretched between
Europe and Asia. With the boat we will continue along the strait. On the way back, we pass the financial center of
Istanbul where skyscrapers rise.
Day 5: Old Asia and the Princes Islands
We start the day with Beyazit Square and walk from the University of Istanbul to Suleymaniye Mosque which is one
of the major works of Sinan, the famous architect.
Next, we take a bus via the Bosporus Bridge to the Asian side. We take a tea break at the most famous panoramic
hills of Istanbul ‘’Camlıca'', we will follow the gravestones in the cemetery ''Karacaahmet” from the Ottoman period
which offers an interesting presentations for photographing.
Arriving in Bostanci, we travel by boat to the Princes' Islands, where the coaches wait for us. On the way back to the
hotel, we stop in Haydarpasa, the Asian station and the first station of the Baghdad railway. To avoid the traffic we
drive back to the ferry in the old town.
Day 6: Bazaar and Old Town
We will be visiting the spice bazaar and the grand bazaar to understand the oriental flavor of Istanbul. We continue
by bus to the Chora Church, with unique mosaics from Byzantine times. After a photo stop at the Valens aqueduct,
we visit another Sinan construction, the Piyale Pasa Mosque with its 6 domes.
Day 7: On your own
Before dinner we meet again for some night shots at the Sultanahmet Square, followed by dinner in a nice
restaurant in Nevizade.
Day 8: Transfer to airport
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Polo Travel
Adres: Katip Mustafa Çelebi Mah. Abdullah Sok. Hurşitbey İşhanı No:4/1 34433 Beyoğlu-İstanbul
Tel: +90 212 249 83 74 / Faks: +90 212 249 37 31
E-posta: [email protected]
www.polotravel.org