Day 3 Tour Istanbul
Day 3 was very refreshing for S(after effect of watching belly dance show??!!$%$^). Got ready and started walking along the Blue Mosque, paid a visit it to for 2nd time, and boarded into the hop-on-hop-off bus for a day tour around Istanbul.
The first visit we made was to Dolmabahce palace (pronounced as Dolmabache), once a residence of Ottoman Empire, it sits on the shores of Bosphorus. Though this is the n'th palace we visited, we weren't bored with this one, for its grandeur in everything - huge red carpeted crystal staircase, the huge turkish carpets and rugs used inside, English chandeliers in all rooms, paintings gifted by some European kingdoms etc. The ceremonial hall was magnificent, with illusion paintings on the ceilings and domes, intricate carvings work on the walls, and large crystal chandelier. We took the guided tour inside which lasted for about 40-50 minutes. This palace showcased beautiful interiors, treasures, architectural marvels and the living style of ottoman Turks.
The first visit we made was to Dolmabahce palace (pronounced as Dolmabache), once a residence of Ottoman Empire, it sits on the shores of Bosphorus. Though this is the n'th palace we visited, we weren't bored with this one, for its grandeur in everything - huge red carpeted crystal staircase, the huge turkish carpets and rugs used inside, English chandeliers in all rooms, paintings gifted by some European kingdoms etc. The ceremonial hall was magnificent, with illusion paintings on the ceilings and domes, intricate carvings work on the walls, and large crystal chandelier. We took the guided tour inside which lasted for about 40-50 minutes. This palace showcased beautiful interiors, treasures, architectural marvels and the living style of ottoman Turks.
From here, the tour bus took us to Taskim Market, a commercial area. We did not spend much time here, and moved to the next stop Golden Horn. We saw this place from the boat, but the view from the road to the Bosphorus was a different outlook altogether. We walked along the road, noticed the local vendors,business people and school children. Then we stopped at X-Restaurant for our lunch. This is a classy hotel located on the 10th floor of a building, and gives the stunning view of the golden horn,its peninsula, Bosphorus and Istanbul as a whole. The restaurant served best Turkish and Mediterranean fusion cuisine. This is an excellent choice of hotel on a special evening to spend at. We ordered for Pumpkin soup, some greek vegetable salad, and a veggie main course. Ended the lunch with Baklava dessert.
After our rich lunch, we left the Golden Horn behind, and traveled to Edirnekapı. This is a urban district in early Istanbul. Known for its famous Walls of Constantinople which was built by Constantine the great in 4th Century, and even after 1000s of years, the wall did not lose its charm. There were numerous additions and modifications that were made to this wall to protect the city of Constantinople through centuries by different empires.
Then we visited Kariye Müzesi or Chora Church built duirng the byzantine kingdom. Later, this was converted into a mosque by ottoman rulers, and now into a museum. Then we just roamed around Edirnekapi, got lost, and found our way to Sultanahmet. We had our early dinner with some pilav and vegetables, and reached our hotel at 6.30 PM.
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