October 12 -17, 2026 

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12

Arrive at Istanbul Airport on Turkish # 186 at 5:45AM from Chicago. Pass
through Immigration, collect your luggage and continue through Customs. Exit the Baggage
Claim & Customs area and proceed through Gate 9 to meet our Ya’lla Tours USA Turkey
representative, who will be holding a sign with your name. Then transfer to your hotel for check
in and overnight. Rooms have been booked from October 11 for early check-in.

In the afternoon you will be met by your private guide and embark on a local ferry which crosses Bosphorus, visiting both Europe and Asia. Sites to be seen along the way include the 15th century Rumeli Fortress, summer palaces and the unique wooden houses of the area, return to your hotel after the tour.

Our hotel, Marmara Taksim, is a 5-star property located one block from Taksim Square
pedestrian mall with great shopping and restaurants. From its higher floors, you have the best
panoramic view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. All 395 rooms have satellite TV, radio, air
conditioning, free Wi-Fi, minibar and hair dryer. Enjoy the Turkish bath, restaurants,
bars/lounges, pool, sauna, other facilities and services.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Visit the legendary Blue Mosque, named for the beautiful blue Iznik tiles that cover its walls.
Then stroll around the historical Hippodrome where chariot races were held.

Continue to Hagia Sophia, originally a Chrihagstian Basilica built by Justinian in the 6th century,
then converted to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. After nearly a century as a museum,
Hagia Sophia became a mosque again in 2020.

Lunch en route. Then to the underground Cistern which is thought to have been built after the Nika revolt in 532 AD. It was known as the Basilica Cistern during the Roman period. After the conquest of the city by the Ottoman Turks, it was forgotten, and nobody knew that it existed. Re-discovered in 1545, it was used to water the gardens of Topkapi Palace. Today it has a rather eerie and mystical ambiance. Clever spotlighting makes the water shimmer with colored dancing lights and the water ripples from an occasional fish swishing its tail in exuberance.

Enjoy free time to explore the exhilarating Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.

Return to your hotel for overnight.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

Visit Topkapi Palace, legendary residence of the Ottoman sultans. Next visit to the Egyptian
Bazaar, used as the spice market since 1665. Lunch en route.

Later on drive to Asian side of the city, visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of
Ottoman Sultans with original furniture and magnificent gardens.

End the day with some time to explore the Kadikoy Market. Return to your hotel for overnight.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

Afternoon you will be transferred for your Hammam experience. Price includes foam bath,
scrubbing and massage. After the treatment you will be transferred back to the hotel for
overnight.

Optional: (morning cooking class at Deraliye Restaurant, the aim is to introduce people to delicious Turkish food and teach them how to cook the food. The actual classes will take place in the venue’s kitchen, with the best quality ingredients, within a clean environment. You will cook and then enjoy the amazing Turkish food, the variety of Turkish dishes, the flavors and tastes will appeal to all and be a most unforgettable memory of the visit to Turkey, cost is: $260 per person).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

Today is a day at your leisure for walking around Taksim, lunch & shopping.
Breakfast and overnight are provided.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

We will be transferred to the airport for our Egyptair # 738 to Cairo leaving at 2:00PM.

TOUR INCLUDES:

• • 6 nights of accommodations with buffet breakfast daily.
  • All private transfers, one group transfer is provided.
  • 2 days of private tours in Istanbul in an air-conditioned van with a licensed, English-
  • Speaking guide with 2 lunches during tours.
  • Bosphorus cruise and transfers.
  • Hammam experience with massage and transfers.
  • Entrance fees as per itinerary.
  • Service fees and local taxes.

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• • Travel Insurance, highly recommended.
  • Airfare.
  • Visa to Turkey (not required for U.S. citizens as of January 2024, subject to change at
    any time).
  • Meals except as specified.
  • Drinks.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Tips to guide and driver, $60 per traveler recommended.
    (2/3 to guide and 1/3 to driver).
  • Tips for airport transfer people, $5 per person per transfer recommended.
  • Tips to bellman, ($1 per piece of luggage handled in every hotel).

IMPORTANT:

• • You must have a valid U.S. passport to enter Istanbul. (Passport must be
    valid for up to 6 months after your return to the U.S.).
  • Tour operator reserves the right to change the hotels to others of similar
    quality if needed
  • Due to unforeseen circumstances, the sequence of sightseeing may vary.