shore excursions: istanbul port

Tour code: BOE-ISE-06
Tour: Dolmabahce Tour
Itinerary: Dolmabahce Palace, Istiklal Street, Galata Tower, Galata Bridge, Golden Horn
Duration: 5 hours

When your cruise ship docks your professional tour guide will be awaiting you with a board where your name is written at the arrival gate of the Port. Then you will join your guide to get to the van.


Firstly, you will stop in Dolmabahce Palace construction was ordered by the Ottoman Empire's 31st Sultan, Abdulmecid I, and was built between the years 1843 and 1856. Haci Said Aga was responsible for the construction works, while the project was realized by architects Garabet Balyan, his son Nigogayos Balyan and Evanis Kalfa (members of the Balyan family of Ottoman court architects.) The construction cost five million Ottoman mecidiye gold coins, the equivalent of 35 tonnes of gold. Fourteen tonnes of gold in the form of gold leaf were used to gild the ceilings of the 45,000 square metre monoblock palace, which stands on an area of 110,000 m². Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who is the founder of the Turkish Republic and or modern Turkey died here in 10th of november in 1938. It is still visited by enormous number of people everyday as one of the most attractive place of the city.


Taksim Square where is the major square of Istanbul located in European side of the city. The most important monument, Independence Monument can be seen at the beginning of Istiklal pedestrian street.


Then after the Istiklal Street where is one of the most popular street of Istanbul just next to Taksim square. This pedestrian street has many shops, cafes, bars, hotels, bookstores. It is regularly visited by the locals and tourists.


Galata Tower is a medieval stone tower built by Genoese colony in 14th century. It has great panoramic view of Istanbul.


Bridge connects Old City to New City and one of the symbols of Istanbul with its fishermen. Golden Horn is an ancient harbor used by Byzantines and it kept its importance during Ottoman times. After the tour you will be transferred back to port.


A Promise: We guarantee that you are not going to miss your cruise.


Please Note: Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Monday and Thursday. It is replaced with Ortaköy visit.



- Private Professional Licenced Guide;
- Transportation in comfortable air-conditioned and non-smoking vehicles;
- Private Professional Driver;
- Entrance fees to the sights mentioned above the itinerary;

- Any tips for Guide & Driver;
- Lunch
- Any kind of other personal expenses;


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