Turkey – Rise of the Ottomans with The Sunnah Guy

Welcome to Istanbul… a city straddling 2 continents that has been a melting pot for different people and cultures throughout history. We will be passing through the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Bridge crossing from Europe to Asia while witnessing many highlights of this unique city which served as an imperial capital for almost 16 Centuries during Roman, Byzantine and Ottomans periods.

Nicea (Iznik)

After approximately 2 hours drive, we will arrive in Nicaea, captured by Orhan I in 1331 and became the capital of expanding Ottomans for a short period.

Nicea is where the Roman Catholic religion was born.

Overnight in Nicea.

After breakfast check out of the hotel and visit the City Walls and Gates, Hagia Sophia Museum,  ancient tile workshops will be the highlights of the day…

After the tour the tour of Nicea (Iznik), we drive to Sogut (1hr 30mins)

Ertugrul Ghazi had established a principality centred at Sögüt. With Sögüt as their base, Osman and the Muslim frontier warriors (Ghazis) under his command waged a slow and stubborn conflict against the Byzantines, who sought to defend their territories in the hinterland of the Asiatic shore opposite Constantinople (now Istanbul). Osman gradually extended his control over several former Byzantine fortresses, including Yenişehir, which provided the Ottomans with a strong base to lay siege to Bursa and Nicaea (now İznik), in northwestern Anatolia. Osman was succeeded by his son Orhan, who captured Bursa on April 6, 1326. Ottoman tradition holds that Osman died just after the capture of Bursa, but some scholars have argued that his death should be placed in 1324, the year of Orhan’s accession..

In Sogut we will visit the tomb of Ertugrul Ghazi. Also buried here is his wife Halime Khatun and number of Ertugruls Alps and family members.

You will have the oppertunity to dress up as an Alp or a Khatun and buy souvenirs etc.

We will then make our way to Ertugrul Ghazi mosque. A masjid he originally set up in a tent along with a well, where the masjid was befittingly known among locals as the “masjid with a wel”. The well is still there.

Leaving Sogut behind we will journey to Bursa (2hrs) the first capital of the Ottomans. The great Byzantine city fell to the Orhan Ghazi, the son of Osman, in 1326 after 6 year siege.

According to some sources Osman, the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, died of natural causes just before the fall of the city, while others suggest that he lived long enough to hear about the victory on his death-bed and was buried in Bursa afterwards.

Check into hotel. Overnight.

After breakfast we will make our way to the top of the city to Bursa Castle & the tombs of Osman and his son Orhan Ghazi and take in some of the most amazing views of the city and surrounding area.

Then we will make our way to the Great Mosque which was built at the end of 14th C and has impressive examples of Islamic calligraphy. The Koza Han – Bursa’s Silk Market is the next point to visit. Then on to theGreen Mosque and Green Tomb all being the highlights of the day from Ottoman Era.

After lunch we will depart for Istanbul Stopping to visit the amazing new Yani Cami Mosque

Overnight Istanbul

After breakfast we will discover the sites of the period between the conquest and the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

Starting with Topkapi Palace (including The Holy Relics) which is an incomparably rich treasure-chest, brimming with items of historical importance.

Then we move onto the jewel in the crown that is the Hagia Sofia

Free time to explore Istanbul

Bosphorous cruise in the evening (optional)

Overnight Istanbul

After breakfast we will take a short walk to fountain of Wilhelm II. We will proceed to the Blue Mosque; across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet and known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.

Our last visit will be to the Grand Bazaar which is the oldest and the largest covered market place in the World with nearly 4.000 shops full of rich collections of carpets, jewellery, leather, and souvenirs.

Transfer to airport

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