We depart from the hotel after breakfast at 8:30am for your guided Istanbul city tour.
Visit to TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque: The mosque, built between 1609 and 1616, is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. With its six minarets and a great cascade of domes, the mosque is a worthy sibling to Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia). Pope Benedict XVI visited the Sultan Ahmed Mosque on 30th November 2006 during his visit to Turkey. It marks only the second papal visit in history to a Muslim place of worship.
Hippodrome: Today the area is officially called Sultan Ahmet Square, and is carefully maintained by the Turkish authorities. The course of the old racetrack has been indicated with paving, although the actual track is some 2 m below the present surface. The surviving monuments of the Spina, the two obelisks and the Serpentine Column, now sit in holes in a landscaped garden. The German Fountain, an octagonal domed fountain in neo-Byzantine style, which was constructed by the German government in 1900 to mark the German Emperor Wilhelm II''s visit to Istanbul in 1898, is located at the northern entrance to the Hippodrome area, right in front of the Blue Mosque.
Spice Bazaar: The Spice Bazaar, or Egyptian Bazaar is one of the oldest bazaars in the city. Located in Eminonu, it is the second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice.
After your Istanbul city tour there is an option to experience a Bosphorus boat cruise, enjoy the magnificent views of the Bosphorus straight which is connecting Asia to Europe, the best way of seeing the Bosphorus in all its beauty. With the shores rising to heights up to 200m, lined with palaces, ruins, villages, and gardens, this is one of the most beautiful stretches of scenery in Turkey.
At 6:00pm we will start our conference about ANZAC Dawn Service and Turkey (Duration approx 1 hour). The conference is held by ANZAC experts from Australia and New Zealand and by our professional Turkish ANZAC tour guides. Welcome cocktail, coffee, tea and snacks are included. You will meet your fellow ANZAC Day Gallipoli tour members.
Overnight at Dosso Dossi DownTown Hotel in Istanbul.