Bosphorus Cruise - Full Bosphorus Cruise and Short Bosphorus Tour

One of the things you must do in Istanbul is to take a Bosphorus Cruise. This unique experience will let you see both Asian and European shores of Bosphorus and Istanbul's magestic silhouette from a fantastic angel.

But which Bosphorus Cruise you should take. You will be flooded with many cruise operators in Istanbul. Most of these are private Bosphorus Cruises and they are usually disappointingly short, expensive tours on small boats. The best Bosphorus Cruise in Istanbul are those 2 tours operated by Istanbul's Sehir Hatlari: 4 Seasons Bosphorus Tours.

See more Bosphorus Cruise - Full Bosphorus Cruise and Short Bosphorus Tour.

Turkey’s Top Attractions at Off-Season Prices

With a history of thousands of years and a unique location that saw several big world empires Turkey is a cradle of civilizations. Add the current highly popular modern cities, night life, shopping options  it is a paradise for travelers, offering rich, cultural attractions, ancient sites and historic ruins that are among the most unique in the world.

Usual and most crowded tourist season for Turkey is summer during when tourists mostly from Europe, Russia and Middle East flow to Turkey's Turquoise Coast beach resorts. But what Turkey offers as a tourist destination is not limited to summer beach resort holiday.

With the summer crowds gone, Crossroads Tours International, which features a wide selection of escorted tours, cruise packages and FIT services, offers travelers the perfect opportunity to experience Turkey and discover its diverse treasures in an uncrowded atmosphere and at attractive, off-season prices.

“Istanbul & Cappadocia” 
This 6-day/5-night package features the must-see attractions of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and heart of the country’s economic, cultural and historical legacy. The tour begins here, inthe city where “East meets West,” and includes a visit to Cappadocia, the region renowned for its surreal landscape and remarkable Christian history. The stay in Istanbul includes an in-depth, full day tour focusing on the city’s Byzantine and Ottoman heritage and a half-day cruise on the Bosphorus, which rewards guests with spectacular views of the city’s Asian and European shorelines. Cappadocia highlights include views of the fabled Pasabag “Fairy Chimneys;” Goreme Open Air Museum, the rock cut churches of the “Red Valley,” and “Kaymakli Underground City.”

“Istanbul & Cappadocia” tours start daily in Istanbul and can be booked through a travel agent. Through October 31, 2013, the price is $690 per person, double occupancy. It is $610 per person throughout November. Round trip airfares from the U.S. and within Turkey are not included.

“Discover Turkey” 

Turkey’s history, diverse religious, cultural heritage, and natural wonders are center stage on Crossroads Tours’ best-selling “Discover Turkey” tour. This comprehensive 10-day/9-night tour features the most important examples of Istanbul’s Byzantine and Ottoman legacy, the historic battlefield of Gallipoli, the legendary cities of Troy and Pergamum, plus the remarkably well-preserved city of Ephesus, once the Roman Empire’s center of learning, as well as the nearby shrine of “Mother Mary,” where it is said the Mother of Jesus Christ spent the last years of her life. The tour’s itinerary also includes the renowned spa of Pamukkale, with it glistening “petrified waterfalls;” Konya, home of Turkey’s renowned “Whirling Dervishes;” and a visit to the region of Cappadocia, whose mountainous, fairy tale-like landscape, with its hidden valleys, villages, and caves, were once the refuge of the early Christians, who were hiding from Roman persecution.

The “Discover Turkey” tour starts in Istanbul every Saturday and is priced at $1,090 per person through October 31, 2013, and $1,000 per person throughout November. Round trip airfare from the U.S. is not included.

What the Tour Prices Include:
The prices of the “Istanbul & Cappadocia” and “Discover Turkey” tours include: airport transfers upon arrival and departure; accommodations at 4-Star hotels; meals as specified in the respective itineraries, transportation by air-conditioned, non-smoking mini or midi buses; services of an experienced, English-speaking escort/guide; entrance fees to all of the sites, museums, and other attractions visited while on tour; plus hotel taxes and service charges. All rates are based on double occupancy.

Customized Packages and FIT’s 
Both the “Istanbul & Cappadocia” and “Discover Turkey” tours can be modified to meet special departure and/or other requirements. The same applies to any of Crossroads Tours’ other escorted, special interest, or “Special Occasion” tours. Crossroads Tours will also be happy to assist agents in planning tailored-made FIT packages. 

Istanbul Vacation Package by Untours

In April 2013, Untours will welcome their new Istanbul vacation package, the Istanbul Untour. “It is an exciting new destination for us,” says Brian Taussig-Lux, Untours General Manager. “Istanbul strikes the perfect balance of exotic and safe, exciting but easy to navigate.”

The new program was announced at the end of January, and early sales have been brisk. “I am thrilled with our early response,” says Cathrin Baumbach, one of the program’s coordinators. “Clearly there was a lot of pent up demand, both from our regular clients and new ones.”

This huge response supports the beliefs of Fodor's and [The New York Times that Istanbul is one of the top 25 places to go in 2013.

“Our clients asked for Istanbul,” says Taussig-Lux. “And now they are responding! We were delighted to see bookings even before the program was officially announced on our website.”

The Istanbul vacation package includes a week or two in a hand-selected, staff-inspected apartment in the city, with central locations in the ancient Sultanahmet district and the trendy Galata neighborhood. “We loved the fantastic street life, churches and restaurants in the area near the Galata Tower,” says Baumbach. “But we knew we also wanted to offer something in the old city. Staying in Sultanahmet, you can walk to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia. You hear the call to prayer and live within the dramatic skyline of mosques and minarets.”

Untours staff meets guests on the Istanbul Untour upon their arrival at the airport. The Istanbul vacation package includes airport transfers and an Istanbul transit card. As with other Untour packages, the Untour in Istanbul allows guests to plan their own daily activities while giving them thorough local information, a cell phone to use on site, and the assistance of knowledgeable hosts.

Istanbul Vacation Package by Untours

Local Untours staffers help guests on the Istanbul Untour settle into the city and present an informational seminar the morning after their arrival. This covers the city’s transportation system, an overview of city sights, helpful pointers on safety, and useful information and background on the culture itself. “Our staff people, Hale and Levent, are top notch,” says Andi Cancelliere, another of the program’s coordinators. “When I met Hale for the first time, I felt I was reconnecting with an old friend.”

“Istanbul is a perfect marriage of old and new cultures,” explains Taussig-Lux. “All of our apartments have Wi-Fi and are newly renovated, with high end amenities. But to settle contracts for them, we had to spend a lot of time sitting with owners, face to face, drinking tea and talking.”

On the Istanbul vacation package, local Untours staff members focus their time not only on explaining practical matters, but translating more meaningful aspects of the culture. Beyond presenting Istanbul’s sophisticated tourist infrastructure, they share insight into the city’s rich Islamic tradition and deep rooted history. “On a guided tour of the Hagia Sofia or a cruise on the Bosphorus, they will help translate some of the most fascinating and compelling aspects of Turkish history and culture,” explains Taussig-Lux.

Untours has offered apartment-based, cultural immersion vacations since 1975, with programs all over Europe as well as in Quebec City and Buenos Aires. Visit untours.com for full offerings and for more details on the new Istanbul vacation package. Better yet, see Arthur Frommer’s coverage of the new program.