ISTANBUL the jewel of the Bosphorus &visit BURSA, Capital of the Ottoman Empire

Let's go to my favourite city and what has become my 3rd home and let's take a trip to this wonder that is located at the junction between Orient and Occident. ISTANBUL Once called Constantinople, this marvel of culture, architecture and fantastic food was once capital of the Roman/Byzantine Empire and a stronghold of the Ottoman Empire, its beauty and rich culture will blow your mind. Its history, one of the richest on the planet, has shaped the city, a melting pot of different cultures and believes where the visitors will always feel welcome and where the sunsets from Galata Bridge are the most magical. And the food, gosh! This food! From Borek to mix platers, all the sorts of kebabs and fresh meat you can dream of, fish, sarma and Dolma, the delicious stuffed wine leaves, Kavhalti, the traditional Turkish breakfast and many, many more, carnivorus, vegetarian or vegan, you will find something to love. YOU WILL NOT RESIST ANY OF THOSE TREATS.😄 Travelling to only visit the Hagia Sophia, Saint Sophie, built as a cathedral under the Romans and transformed into a Mosque and the blue Mosque is already something in itself, but the amount of wonders to discover will transport you in different times. We will visit the Grand Bazard and the Egyptian spice market, Karakoy, Fatih, Taksim and Galata. You will walk cobalt streets and have a swim in the sea if you wish to. We might spot dolphins in the Bosphorus while trying Turkish tea or wine and we will listen to romantic Turkish music surrounded by the famous cats of Istanbul.

ITINERARY FRIDAY: Book your flight , the prices have doubled since before covid time so you should expect to pay around 150 to £250 return. But I would recommend to book in advance. You have 2 options: Either you book the same flight as mine and we meet at Stansted airport and travel together. Meeting at 09.00 am. I am booked on the 12 o'clock Pegasus airline flight from Stansted to Sabiha Goksen Airport. ( NOT ISTANBUL MAIN AIRPORT, THERE ARE 2 OF THEM) Or you meet us at Sabiha Goksen Airport at 6 pm. We will take the coach to Istanbul and check in into our hotel before we go for a meal and enjoy the nightlife of a city that never really sleeps.

SATURDAY: Saturday will be the day that we visit this marvellous city. We will make our way to the city centre and visit the Old Istanbul, from the blue mosque to the Grand Bazard and Egyptian Market, this is the heart of Istanbul, we will step into history and this is the place to buy souvenirs and wonderful spices. The evening FREEDOM TIME or possibility to head to a delicious restaurant that I know of... SUNDAY You will have 2 options to choose as a group: Day Trip to Bursa, the Capital of the Ottoman Empire and the Uludag Mountain with cable cars. Bursa - Wikipedia Day trip to Sile and Agva, coastal wonders of the black sea.

MONDAY We will leave our suitcases at the hotel and make our way to my favourite part of Istanbul, BEBEK (meaning the baby) , (unless you prefer to take some free time for a Turkish massage or a visit that I have not planned), We will walk along the Bosphorus and stop at all the gorgeous sites for some photos, grab some local food and if you wish, I will give you some time to visit Dolmabahce Palace (£25) Bebek, Beşiktaş - Wikipedia Dolmabahçe Palace - Wikipedia Book yourself on a late afternoon/evening, flight back to London, I will take you to the bus as I will be travelling to my partner's family in the Eastern part of the country so I will not be coming back to London with the group.

VISA: Depending on where you are from, you might need a visa to enter Turkey For Brits and Europeans, you do not need a visa unless you stay for more than 90 days. For others, you might need an online visa that takes 5 minutes to get, I can help with this.

PRICE: (flight not included) 3 nights £470 INCLUDED: - Guided trips - Arranged airport transfers by coach - 3 nights stay in a 4 stars hotel in the city centre(Triada Hotel Karakoy) - Breakfast (Buffet) If you have any dietary requirements please le me know and I will let the hotel know. - Coach to Bursa or Sile and Agva, depending of what has been chosen. - Visit of the Blue mosque and Hagia Sofia

NOT INCLUDED: - Flight - Food and drinks ( except for breakfast which is included) - Visit of Topkapi Palace - Some optional visits - Taxis if you wish to use it - anything not mentioned above

INSURANCE: PLEASE BOOK A TRAVEL INSURANCE ( Usually £20 ish pound) IN CASE YOU GET SICK AND CANNOT JOIN US. YOU MAY ONLY BE REFUNDED IF YOU CANCEL 1 MONTH BEFORE DEPARTURE AS I HAVE TO BOOK MOST THINGS IN ADVANCE, I WILL CONFIRM WITH YOU VIA PM so please