Side to Istanbul

Side to Istanbul day tour, reviews of which are regularly found on websites, is very popular among foreigners vacationing in Turkey. This is a great opportunity to visit the very center of the country, museums, temples, mosques, feel the atmosphere of local bazaars, sit with a cup of aromatic coffee. The distance between the settlements is quite impressive, so you have to fly. But, if you are interested in how to get from Side on your own, you can choose other travel options - bus, train, private car, for example (how much to travel depends on the type of vehicle, as well as how much the tour costs).

Side Istanbul distance

Distance from Side to Istanbul: 770 kilometers, 11 hours 13 minutes drive and about 1 hour flight time

Excursion to Topkapi from Side

The first object to visit is Topkapi Palace or Cannon Gate, which for many years was the main residence of the sultans. It was built on the orders of Mehmed the Conqueror in the period from 1475 to 1478. In the middle of the sixteenth century, Suleiman I, at the request of Roksolana, built a harem here (you can visit it for a fee). The area of the majestic building is 700 square meters. A wall was erected around it, the length of which is 1400 m. A huge number of exhibits are collected here (only 12,000 pieces of kitchen porcelain).

Excursion to Hagia Sophia from Side

Further, the excursion to Istanbul from Side, the prices are low (the cost can be viewed on the website by opening the necessary tours) goes to the next location - to the Hagia Sophia Museum or Hagia Sophia, built back in 537. The building is surrounded by four minarets. It is also striking that on the walls of this building side by side, harmoniously complementing one another, the symbols of the Christian and Arab faiths. Despite the passage of centuries, the grandeur and richness of decoration have been preserved here. The temple became a museum in 1935 thanks to the order of Kemal Ataturk (the first Turkish president).

After visiting two striking sights, you can take a break and enjoy delicious dishes. Further along the route you will find the old district of the city - Hippodrome. Byzantine columns and obelisks will open to your eyes. Then the group will move to the Blue Mosque, which is located on the main square of Sultanahmet. Its construction began in 1609 and lasted for seven whole years. Rare marble and precious grades of stone acted as the material. A niche for prayers (mahrib) was carved from a huge solid block of marble. An unusual black stone was brought into it from Mecca. The painting of the mosque is made in white and blue colors. The light falling from the windows (there are more than 250 of them) makes the patterns shimmer and it seems that the mosque is actually blue.

An excursion from Side to the capital of the Ottoman Empire cannot be complete without visiting the Egyptian market or the Spice Bazaar. You will not find such a unique atmosphere anywhere else. If you speak Turkish, you can bargain with the sellers. In any case, everyone will be able to purchase unique spices and national sweets (their cooking recipes are original), buy jewelry and various goods quite inexpensively.

Bosphorus boat tour from Side

Finally, you will be offered a boat trip along the Bosphorus on a yacht in Istanbul, which will leave an unforgettable mark. After a hearty dinner, you will go to the airport, where your return journey awaits.

Excursion from Side to Istanbul

If you are tired of the same type of vacation and want to diversify it with a trip to the heart of the Ottoman Empire, but you still don’t know how to get there, an Excursion from Side to Istanbul from our company is what you need. There is no prepayment required at the time of booking. Contact the manager and you will be provided with detailed information about the trip.