Golden Horn&Chora Church and Boat Tour

Tour Information

Golden Horn (Halic) is inland sea at the starting point of Bosphorus on the South, separating the Eurpean Side of the city into 2 parts. Southern area of Golden Horn found within the Old City, whereas the Northern Part leading to Galata, Pera and Taksim

Golden Horn (Halic) an inland sea separating Old City from Galata distrcit. Golden Horn area by the Old City was taking an important place in the cultural, religious and social life of the city during Ottoman Empire. The tour visiting the important sites in Golden Horn area like City Walls, Chora Church Museum, Pierre Loti Hill and Suleymaniye Mosque. The tour also including a pleasant boat tour in Golden Horn. The tour provided with private tour guide and luxury van.

Your private tour guide will pick you up from your lodging in the morning with a luxury van.

The tour starts with  a drive along the city walls of Istanbul. The walls first started to built in the 4th. Century and renovations kept through Byzantine and Ottoman Periods. The types of walls, Sea Walls and Land Walls, sorrounding the Old City on four sides and regarded one of the most powerful of their time. Drive tour along City Walls taking about half an hour.

The first visit on the tour will be to Chora Church Museum. Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (Kariye Müzesi) built first in the 5th. Century, whereas most of the building visible today dating to the 11th. Century. Chora Church is unique with fascinating mosaic and frescoe works inside belonging to the 14th. Century and they are  the finest example of the Palaeologian Renaissance. The interior wall ornaments telling the Life of Christ with scenes taken from the Bible. They are well preserved as covered by mortar in the 16th. Century when it was converted to a mosque. The building today serving as a museum and her naighbourhood has a pleasent atmosphare. The tour in Chora Chuch takes about 1 hour.

Following the Church, you will drive up to Pierre Loti Hill, the best spot overlooking the Golden Horn. The hill and the tea garden here named after of French Poet Pierre Loti, a lover of Istanbul and spent most of his times here around 1900s. You will be offered a Turkish coffee here while watching the beauty of Golden Horn.

We will catch the public boat from Eyup making a tour in Golden Horn for about 45 minutes. You will see the Balat and Fener regions, Orthodox Patricate, Fatih Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosques and Golden Horn bridges during the boat tour and your guide will be with you on the yacht to give you information about the places you see on the tour.

Diembarking in Eminonu, you will be met by your luxury van and driver to visit Suleymaniye Mosque. Suleymaniye Mosque was built by Architect Sinan, The Master of Ottoman Architecture, by the order of Sultan Suleyman The Magnaficient at the end of the 16th. Century. This is the largest mosque complex in the city and was considered as the - Imperial Mosque - Suleymaniye Mosque located at the top of a hill overlooking Golden Horn and Bosphorus, thus Evliya Celebi, famous Ottoman historian and traveller, described it having the most beatiful view in the world. Suleymeniye Mosque recentely renovated and among the best examples of Architect Sinan. The visit to the mosque takes about 45 minutes.

You will be transferred back to your lodging at the end of the day with your private van again.
 

We offer a 5% discount for cash payments.

Please note that :
The tour is not operated on Wednesdays as Chora Church is closed.