Tour code: BOE-ISE-04
Tour: Jewish Heritage Tour and Grand Bazaar
Itinerary: Jewish Museums, St. Sophia, Grand Bazaar
Duration: 6 to 7 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.

Jewish Synagogues Visiting the Ahridda, Neve Shalom and Ashkenazi Synagogue and Jewish Museum in Istanbul is a cultural center established by the Quincentennial Foundation to inform the society of the traditions and history of Turkish Jewry. It was inaugurated on November 25, 2001. The Quincentennial Foundation was established in 1989 by 113 Turkish citizens, Jews and Muslims alike, to celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of Sephardim's arrival to the Ottoman Empire. The idea of a museum was proposed by Naim Guleryuz who is now its curator and the foundation was financed by the prominent Jewish Kamhi family. The museum building, formerly known as Zulfaris Synagogue, was restored and remodelled to suit a museum. There is evidence that this synagogue existed in 1671, and its foundations suggest that another structure was built during the colony of the Republic of Genoa. It was recorded as "Holy Sinavi (Synagogue) in Galata" or "Kal Kados Galata", it was called as "Zulfaris" which is thought to have derived from the Persian word "Zulf-u Arus", meaning "the fringe of a bride". However the actual building was re-erected over its original foundations presumably in the early 19th century, probably in 1823.

After than, we will visit to Hagia Sophia. Masterpiece of the town, was built by emperor justinian in 537 AD. It is one of the most visited museum in the World today. It was used as a church for 916 years then Fatih Sultan Mehmet the conquerer converted it into a mosque and was used as a mosque for 482 years. And after the foundation of turkish republic, with the order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and decision of the miniters, hagia sophia was converted into museum in 1935. The current hagia sophia is the third one with its specific, massice and magnificient architecture history and art. It had been called the 8th wonder of the ancient World by the east romans(byzantians).

Then visit Grand Bazaar where is one of the largest covered markets in the World with 4000 shops and 60 streets and welcomes between 300.000 and 500.000 visitors Daily. Bazaar is so well known for its painted ceramics, carpets, jewellery, spices, souvenirs and antique stores. It was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of 2.Mehmet the conquerer. It has four different main gate and its not hard to get lost thats why its important to keep the name of the gate where you came in and will met with your guide at the same gate. 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: On Mondays, the St. Sophia is closed and will be replaced by the Underground Basilica.
On Sundays and National holidays Grand Bazaar is closed and will be replaced by Spice Market.

- 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;
- Any kind of other personal expenses;
- Lunch

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