11
Day package including air from JFK Discover historic Istanbul - Constantinople
- Sofia on 11 day tour that leaves every week on Fridays.
DAY
1 - JFK - FRI
Board your comfortable wide body jet at JFK International Airport. (Olympic
Airways, British Airways, or Air France, yet we keep the right to use
any IATA accredited airline.) Dinner served on board. Overnight across
the Atlantic.
DAY
2- ISTANBUL - Sat
Our representative will meet you at the airport, and escort you to your
hotel in the bustling city center.
DAY
3 -- ISTANBUL - Sun (BLD)
We dive right into this fascinating city with visits to its top sights:
Topkapi, the palace of the Sultans for centuries; Hagia Sophia, the
greatest church in Christendom for a thousand years; the Blue Mosque,
with its exquisite blue tiles; the Byzantine Hippodrome, scene of chariot
races and gladiator combat; and the eerie Sunken Palace cistern beneath
it. Then a drive through modern neighborhoods brings us to the ancient
city walls and the Kariye Museum (Chora Church), filled with brilliant
Byzantine mosaics. Finally, we penetrate the labyrinth of the Grand
Bazaar for a shopping spree.
DAY
4 -- ISTANBUL Mon (BL)
After breakfast we board a ferryboat and cruise northward along the
Bosphorus, the strait which separates Europe and Asia. Sipping Turkish
coffee or tea. Disembarking at a fishing village, we enjoy a seafood
lunch at a local restaurant, then drive south to go on a shopping spree
at the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar.
DAY
5 -- ISTANBUL - TUE (B)
Full day at leisure, maybe for shopping in the legendary Grand Bazaar.
DAY
6 - SOFIA - WED (BD)
Transfer to the Airport, fly to Sofia, the Bulgarian capital city. Guide
meets you at the airport and escorts you to the hotel. Accommodation.
Sightseeing city tour including visit the impressive Alexander Nevsky
Memorial Cathedral with the richest icon collection on the Balkan peninsula,
the Rotunda of St. George - the oldest fully preserved building from
the 4th C., the National Museum of History, the National Art Gallery.
DAY
7- Rila Monastery - THU (BD)
After breakfast departure to the Rila Monastery, included in the UNESCO
List of World Cultural Heritage. It is Bulgaria's largest monastery,
dating back to the 10th C.A.D. Tour of the monastery complex, church
and museum. The large Assumption church has murals by Zahari Zograph,
Stanislav Dospevski and other famous National Revival artists. Drive
back to Sofia for a dinner at a folk-style spot with folklore show.
Overnight.
DAY
8 - Plovdiv - FRI (BD)
After breakfast departure to Plovdiv - the second largest Bulgarian
City, picturesquely located along the Maritsa River. The Old Plovdiv
is an original living museum, an architectural phenomenon. Every single
house here, each more beautiful than the next, holds its own allure
and fascination. Visit of the Ethnographic Museum, art galleries, churches,
Roman and Thracian excavation sites. Departure to the 11th century Batchkovo
monastery. This is the second largest Bulgarian monastery, well known
by its original collection of old icons, coins and church plates. Drive
back to Sofia. Overnight.
DAY
9 SOFIA - SAT (B)
Full day at leisure in Sofia or take one of our optional tours.
DAY
10 ISTANBUL - SUN (BD)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for Istanbul-flight.
Evening dinner and take in a folklore show.
Day
11 DEPARTURE - MON (B)
We escort you to the airport for your flight home.
Rates and
packages are based on fine, first-class, 4 stars hotels. .
For most West Coast Cities: Air
Add-on : $350
Air Add on from: Chicago or Dulles /DC: $200
Air fare supplement for Jun
15 - Aug 17 : Please add $350 to any of the above listed rates.
This supplement doesn't apply when you handle your own air fare.
This tour departs every month on
the first Friday from New York (please contact us for add-on
fares from your nearest airport).
