On the picturesque coasts of the Golden Horn

The Golden Horn is a narrow curved bay that flows into the Bosphorus Strait and is one of the most picturesque and natural harbors in the world. I invite you to a fascinating tour of the most interesting historical places located along the picturesque coast of the Golden Horn. We depart from Karakei pier by ferry and start our tour with a visit to the sultan pavilion Aynalikavak - a small pearl of the Golden Horn, a unique example of classical Ottoman architecture, the only pavilion left from the huge palace complex. After visiting this elegant pavilion on your way back, you can visit the Rahmi Koç Industrial Museum, a technical museum founded by Turkish millionaire and collector Rahmi M. Koç. In several buildings and in the open air, thousands of interesting exhibits are exhibited such as samples of equipment from different eras, from bicycles to cars, from steam turbines to ships, entire trains and aircraft, a huge collection of marine models and devices and much more. Then we take a ferry from there to the historical quarter of Eyup and visit the Eyyup Sultan Mosque – one of the main Muslim shrines of Turkey and the first Ottoman mosque in Istanbul, where the standard-bearer of the prophet Muhammed – Eyup al-Ansari, who died during the siege of Constantinople by the Arabs, is buried. After a short walk through the streets of this quarter, we climb to the observation deck of Pierre Loti on the cable car to admire the amazing panorama of the Golden Horn Bay. There we will visit the famous Ottoman coffee shop Pierre Loti, which was named after the French writer Pierre Loti and try there Turkish coffee brewed on coals. Then, moving along the bay by tram towards the Balat quarter, we will explore the ruins of the fortress walls of the legendary city of Constantinople and visit the Bulgarian Church of St. Stephen. This is the only Orthodox church that is entirely made of metal structures. Then we will have a walk through the colorful streets of the Balat quarter, which is famous for its cute multi-colored houses and its unique atmosphere. Walking through the streets of this quarter you will have a great opportunity to take instagram photos. Having visited this atmospheric quarter and the Patriarchal Church of St. George, where the relics of the Orthodox world are stored, we will conclude our excursion and return by ferry to Karaköy pier, enjoying the picturesque views of the Golden Horn.

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