Istanbul's dazzling destiny was drawn when sea-water burst out of the Black Sea into a long valley during the Quaternary. This created one of the most beautiful straits in the world, the Bosphorus. The unique 27 kilometre long ribbon of water that connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, while separating Asia from Europe, is like a necklace adorning the city. The waterway and its shores are graced with extraordinary natural beauty, and have attracted emperors, sultans, kings and queens alike.

A city for all seasons, Istanbul has always been a strategic urban centre. Excavations near the site of ancient Chalcedon, today’s Kadiköy, tell us that human habitation was present as early as the 5th millennium BC The recorded history of Istanbul begins with Byzantium in the 7th century BC on the peninsula where Topkapi Sarayi now stands. Due to its strategic location, beauty and comfortable climate the city flourished and grew.

In the 4th century AD, the Roman emperor Constantine captured the city and rebuilt it in a larger and more magnificent form. In 326 he decided to make the city the new capital and eventually Byzantium became the capital of the Roman Empire. After Constantine's death the city was renamed Constantinopolis, meaning Constantine's city. When the Roman Empire was divided into two in 395, the city became the natural capital of the eastern half which survived the fall of the western half in 476 to become what we today call the Byzantine Empire. Captured by the Turks in 1453, the city became the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

If you wish to see the traces of the three empires in today's Istanbul, Setur offers selections of full and half day tours through the time tunnel that will take you back as early as Byzantine times. The more one learns about the city, the more attached one gets, discovering that Istanbul's beauty is incomparable.

Istanbul today is just as lively as ever, if not more so. The city offers infinite variety in the fields of art, culture, business, entertainment, and sport, attracting many visitors from all around the world. It is a perfect venue for meetings of all sizes. There is an abundance of 5 star hotels, conference facilities, trade fair centers, stadiums and concert halls, churches, synagogues and mosques, museums and palaces. In all the city offers the world a unique melting pot of cultures and civilisations blended with all the conveniences of modern day life.

Full Day İstanbul Historic City Tour
Aug 7, 2011 SUNDAY

Tour will be organized by SETUR (setur.com.tr)
8am Pick-up from Koc University Campus (Guests can also be picked up from other conference hotels)
(Those arriving directly from the airport or other hotels can join the tour at the Hippodrome).

Tour program will be as follows
07:30 Tour Bus and the Tour Guide will be waiting outside the small pond in the main campus (just outside the Rector’s Office Building)
08:00 Bus will depart
08:45 Arrive at the Hippodrome in front of Hagia Sophia (or Aya Sofya in Turkish). Ticket office will be the meeting point for those who want to join the tour at the Hippodrome. (Yes, you can leave your luggage in the bus and return with the group to campus at the end of the day)
ALL DAY: Sightseeing
Around 18:30-19:00 Return to Koç University Campus
19:00 Welcome Cocktail at the Pool side

Hippodrome; The former center of sportive and political activities of Constantinople. During the visit you’ll be able to see the Obelisk from Egypt Serpentine Column from Delpli and fountain of Willhelm II.

Blue Mosque; One of the largest mosques in İstanbul dating from the 17th century it is one of the principal adornments on he skyline of İstanbul. Also famous for its blue tiles and 6 minarets.

St.Sophia; The magnificent Byzantine Church; one of the finest architectural works in the world. It has been nomineted as the 8th wonder of the world by many historians.

Lunch at the Konyalı Rest. or Hamdi Rest.



Topkapı Palace; The former imperial residence from where the Great Ottoman Empire was ruled. Today a spectacular museum that has one of the largest collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain.

Basilica Cistern; Built by Emperor Justinian to accumulate water for the shortages in the 6th century, this extraordinary water cistern with its several hundreds columns could supply water to the city in case of siege.

Ortaköy ; is one of the nicest neighborhoods of Besiktas districts in the European side of Istanbul on the Bosphorus Strait right under the first Bosphorus bridge. In Turkish it means "middle village" because it was in the middle of the strait, and during the Ottoman period it was just a small fishing village and a resort for the Ottoman dignitaries because of its attractive location. After many years, the district is still a popular spot for local people and foreign visitors.