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PRAGUE - ISTANBUL 2008
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Day
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Port
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Arr
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Dep
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Tour
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Wed
|
USA
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|
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Transatlantic flight
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Thu
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Prague
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O/n
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Arrive Prague Check-in hotel
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Fri
|
Prague
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O/n
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City Tour
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Sat
|
Prague
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|
O/n
|
|
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Sun
|
Prague
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|
0800
|
|
|
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Karlovy Vary
|
1000
|
1300
|
|
|
Sun
|
Nuremberg
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|
O/n
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Embark
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Mon
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Nuremberg
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0900
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City Tour. Transfer to Roth.
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|
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Roth
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1200
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1330
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Return to in Roth ship at 1330
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|
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Dietfurt
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2030
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2300
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Ent. Bavarian Band
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Tue
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Regensburg
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0930
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2230
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Walking Tour. Spitzwegquartet
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Wed
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Passau
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0800
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1300
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Walking Tour. Opt Salzburg
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|
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Linz
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1830
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O/n
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|
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Thu
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Linz
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0100
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|
|
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Melk
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0730
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1200
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Abbey visit
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Vienna
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1830
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O/n
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Opt. Concert
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Fri
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Vienna
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1800
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City tour.
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Sat
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Budapest
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1000
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O/n
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City tour. Opt.Tours. Ent Gypsies
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Sun
|
Budapest
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2130
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Putsza Tour.
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|
Mon
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Mohacs
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0730
|
2300
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Pecs Excursion & Vilány wine-tasting
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|
Tue
|
Vukovar
|
0500
|
1130
|
City tour
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|
|
Novi Sad
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1530
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0000
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Novi Sad Fortress
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Wed
|
Belgrade
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0600
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0000
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City tour
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Thu
|
Babaqui
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0800
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0800
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Enter Iron Gates
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|
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Kladovo
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1700
|
1700
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Exit Iron Gates
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|
|
Vidin
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2100
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O/n
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|
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Fri
|
Vidin
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1400
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City tour & Castle
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Sat
|
Giurgui
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0800
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1800
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Bucharest Excursion
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|
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Rousse
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1830
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O/n
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|
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Sun
|
Rousse
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0800
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Disembark
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Veliko Turnavo
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0930
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1330
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City Tour & visit to Tsarevets Hill w /lunch
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Nesebar Hotel
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1830
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O/n
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City tour & dinner
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Mon
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Nesebar
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0900
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City tour
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Istanbul hotel
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1830
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O/n
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Hotel Check-in
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Tue
|
Istanbul
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O/n
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City tour
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|
Wed
|
Istanbul
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O/n
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Visit Topkapi Palace
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Thu
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Istanbul-USA
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Return to the USA
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Nautical schedules are subject to water levels,
cruising conditions & subject to change without
notice
Day 1, Wed. DEPART USA.
Board your overnight flight.
Day 2, Thu. ARRIVE IN PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC.
Arrive in Prague and transfer to your hotel. The
balance of the day is free to start exploring this
beautiful city.
Day 3, Fri. PRAGUE.
This morning’s sightseeing reveals why Prague is
considered one of Europe’s most attractive cities.
Visit the thousand-year-old Hradcany Castle
courtyard, St. Vitus, and then walk over the Charles
Bridge to the Old Market Square. This afternoon, why
not join the optional tour to Terezin, the infamous
Nazi WWII labor camp, now a memorial to those who
perished. The evening is free to mix with the locals
at Wenceslas Square, shop for souvenirs or enjoy one
of the charming cafés or restaurants. (B)
Day 4, Sat. PRAGUE.
Today is free to stroll through a museum or gallery,
wander along the banks of the Vlatava River. (B)
Day 5, Sun. PRAGUE - CARLSBAD (KARLOVY VARY) -
NUREMBERG, GERMANY.
This morning, depart Prague after breakfast and stop
in Karlovy Vary, better known by its German name,
Carlsbad, and most famous for its Bohemian spa.
After lunch, drive through the pastoral countryside
to Nuremberg, the capital of Franconia. Tonight
gather on board for a Gala Welcome Dinner. The ship
will moor overnight in Nuremberg. (B,D)
Day 6, Mon. NUREMBERG - CONTINENTAL DIVIDE -
DIETFURT.
Enjoy a guided morning tour of this historic city
with its fabulous Gothic churches and elegant
impressive walls. At lunchtime, rejoin the ship
further along the Main-Danube Canal and continue to
the highest point of your cruise - 1,332 feet above
sea level - before descending through stair-step
locks to Dietfurt. (B,L,D)
Day 7, Tue. REGENSBURG.
This morning takes you through the final stretch of
the Main-Danube Canal to Regensburg. Regensburg is
one of Germany's best preserved medieval cities. A
guided tour will show you the city's architectural
highlights, including the Old Town Hall, and the
Porta Pretoria - gates to an ancient Roman fort
built in 179 AD. Marvel at beautiful churches and
one of the oldest bridges crossing the Danube The
afternoon is free for exploring, or perhaps why not
join the optional excursion to beautiful Weltenburg
Abbey in the Danube Gorge. In the evening enjoy a
music performance on board. (B,L,D)
Day 8, Wed. PASSAU - LINZ, AUSTRIA.
After breakfast, arrive in picturesque Passau.
During your walking tour, gaze at this fairy-tale
city founded more than 2,000 years ago. Or take an
optional full day tour to Salzburg. For those
staying on board, enjoy a scenic cruise from Passau
into Austria and on to Linz. After dinner, take a
walk through Linz, Austria's third largest city. (B,L,D)
Day 9, Thu. MELK - VIENNA.
Cruise through the narrow Strudengau and reach the
Wachau Valley early this morning. A tour takes you
to Melk's magnificent Benedictine Abbey. At
lunchtime, continue through the romantic Wachau
Valley. Late this afternoon arrive in Vienna, the
City of Music. Tonight, explore the vibrant Austrian
capital on your own, or come along for an optional
Mozart and Strauss concert. (B,L,D)
Day 10, Fri. VIENNA.
A tour of Vienna will show you the Hofburg Palace,
the Vienna Opera House, Ringstrasse, awe-inspiring
St. Stephen's Cathedral and also includes a visit to
the National Library. Then enjoy a free afternoon to
shop, explore or visit one of the cities many
museums or palaces. Continue cruising overnight to
Hungary and Budapest. (B,L,D)
Day 11, Sat. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY.
This morning is free. In the afternoon, enjoy a city
tour, from historic Buda Castle, a splendid view of
the twin cities of Buda and Pest spread over both
banks of the River. Your tour also features the
distinctive Fisherman’s Bastion, the marvelous Royal
Palace, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and much more.
Tonight, enjoy a Gala Dinner with Gypsy music. (B,L,D)
Day 12, Sun. BUDAPEST.
The Puszta is the region of Hungary widely known
throughout the world for its Hungarian cowboys who
still wear traditional garb and practice the skills
of their Magyar ancestors. Upon arrival, you will be
met by horse-herds and greeted with brandy and
scones. Take a ride in an Ox-cart, see a typical
Gypsy village and marvel at the equestrian skills of
the riders during the horse show. There will be a
lunch of Goulash, the national dish, before
returning to Budapest. (B,L,D)
Day 13, Mon. MOHACS - PECS - VUKOVAR, CROATIA.
This morning, the ship arrives in Mohacs, where you
depart for an interesting excursion to Pecs.
Charming Old Pecs will be brought alive by your
local guides during your walking tour. See the
Synagogue, Christian Basilica and visit the former
Turkish Mosque. After lunch onboard ship, enjoy a
wine-tasting excursion, where you will sample
aromatic, spicy white wines from the vineyards of
Vilány. (B,L,D)
Day 14, Tue. VUKOVAR - NOVI SAD, SERBIA.
This morning, a guided bus and walking tour of
Vukovar will show you the Franciscan Monastery of
St. John Capistrano, the Manorhouse Eltz and the
Churches St. James and St. Nicholas. During lunch,
continue your cruise to Novi Sad, Serbia, where you
will tour the Petrovaradin Fortress. (B,L,D)
Day 15, Wed. BELGRADE.
This morning, arrive in Belgrade, the capital of
Serbia, where you have a chance to explore both the
old and the new town. Your guided tour features
Tito's memorial, the Town Hall, the Federal
Parliament Building, Terazije Street, Republic
Square and Mihajlova street, "Varos" Gate and the
mighty Kalemegdan Fortress. (B,L,D)
Day 16, Thu. CRUISING THROUGH THE IRON GATES –
VIDIN, BULGARIA.
Today, enjoy a full day of cruising through one of
Europe's most awe-inspiring natural wonders, the
Iron Gates. Here the Danube narrows, as it winds
through a range of magnificent gorges between the
southern Carpathian Mountains and the northwestern
foothills of the Balkan Mountains. Forming the
natural border between Serbia and Romania, today’s
passage will be an unforgettable highlight of your
Black Sea adventure. Late this evening, the ship
sails to Vidin. (B,L,D)
Day 17, Fri. VIDIN.
The "Bada Vida" Fortress sits guard over the Danube
at the Bulgarian frontier town of Vidin. The
14th-century castle has massive walls and dark
towers, which strongly contrast the natural park
which surrounds the castle. From here, take an
excursion to Belogradschik, a beautifully restored
6th-century castle, located in a fairytale landscape
of unusual rock formations. (B,L,D)
Day 18, Sat. GIURGIU - BUCHAREST, ROMANIA –
ROUSSE, BULGARIA.
Today, enjoy a full day excursion to Bucharest,
capital and largest city in Romania. The city is
famed for its Belle Epoque era buildings dating from
the 19th century. During the morning city tour, you
will see the Arch of Triumph, Soseaua Kiseleff, the
Athenaeum, the Library and visit the Parliament
Palace - the world's largest palace. Enjoy lunch in
a typical Romanian restaurant, then choose to shop,
explore on your own or visit the open air museum,
which was dedicated to the traditional architecture
and buildings of rural Romania. This evening, the
ship departs for Rousse. (B,L,D)
Day 19, Sun. ROUSSE - VELIKO TURNOVO - NESSEBAR,
BULGARIA.
This morning, disembark in Rousse and continue your
tour by motorcoach. Your first stop is the ancient
capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo. Here you will
tour Tsarevets Hill, the citadel of the city, the
old fortress walls, the Royal Palaces, the
Patriarchal church and Baldwin's Tower. Shoppers can
explore the traditional street market, Samovodska
Charshia. Enjoy a traditional Bulgarian lunch before
continuing onto the Black Sea resort town of
Nessebar. This evening, see the main highlights of
Nessebar Old Town, before dinner at a local
restaurant. (B,L,D)
Day 20, Mon. NESSEBAR - ISTANBUL, TURKEY.
After breakfast, continue on to magical Istanbul for
the grand three-night conclusion of your Black Sea
Voyage. (B)
Day 21, Tue. ISTANBUL.
This morning's comprehensive city tour will show you
the old city, with its numerous Roman, Byzantine and
Ottoman monuments of her historic past. Admire the
mighty defensive walls, the Roman aqueduct and the
hippodrome. See the Galata Tower and visit the
Suleymaniye Mosque and Blue Mosque. This evening,
you may wish to join some your fellow passengers for
the optional Istanbul By Night where you will enjoy
a belly dancing show with dinner. (B)
Day 22, Wed. ISTANBUL.
Today, your guided sightseeing tour will take you to
the Ottoman Sultans' Grand Palace of Topkapi, home
to every single Sultan from the 15th century until
the end of the 19th century. During your tour,
admire the private chambers of the Sultans, marvel
at the world famous Harem and also see the treasury,
home to the Topkapi Diamond. This afternoon, enjoy
an optional Bosporus cruise or use the remainder of
the day to shop for souvenirs or relax at one of the
charming tea houses or restaurants. This evening,
you may wish to join some your fellow passengers for
the optional Istanbul By Night where you will enjoy
a belly dancing show with dinner. (B)
Day 23, Thu. ISTANBUL - USA.
Transfer to the airport for your homebound flight.
(B)