Day 4
Istanbul
Morning or Afternoon / Meet at the Hotel and continue for a half day tour;
Dolmabahce Palace: Built in 19 th century is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world. It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire with the last of Ottoman Sultans was residing there. After the foundation of the Turkish Republic in Ankara, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk transferred all government functions to the youthful capital but on his visits to Istanbul Ataturk occupied only a small room at Dolmabahce Palace as his own. He stayed, welcomed his foreign guests and made a practical center for national, historical and language congress and for international conferences.
Grand Bazaar: In addition to its historical importance, its a bazaar that will tempt even the nonshoppers with its rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewellery, leather and souvenirs.
After the tour you will be transferred back to your Cruise Ship.
Morning or Afternoon Optional (extra charge): Turkish Hammam.
We will pick you up from your Hotel. Upon entering the hammam, you will be given a key for a locker on a wristband for you. You will also be given a a cotton wrap-around sarong (pestemal), a pair of slippers or wooden clogs to wear around your feet. You go to a cubicle to change into just the “pestemal” (you can leave you swimwear if you like). You leave your clothes and valuable into the lockers and off we go.
You’re taken to a steamy,warm, humid room surrounded with marble-lined sitting, marble wash-basins running hot and cold water to mix to dowse yourself using traditional metal bowls. This is where you relax, enjoy the steam. Soft and relaxing light is diffused from the little round glass holes in the ceiling.
In the center of the Hamam (Turkish-bath) is a raised marble platform “gobektasi” (navel stone). This is a bearable hot platform for you to relax, sit, lay, work up a sweat, get your scrub and soap massages. You will get a brisk rub of your body with a coarse loofah mitt to remove layers of dead skin.
Then you will get a soap massage. Masseuse willcover you head to toe with rich white frothy bubbles, using a cloth bag . Then will massage all over your body with a gentle pressure on your bones. You will have eased muscles you never knew you had. You will love it. It is heaven!
Finally you will take a shower. You will be given a thick cotton towel to cover yourself and be left in a cool room for relaxation. you will be offered drinks of your choice here.
B