Half-Day Golden Horn Tour: Chora, Eyup and Pierre Loti

Overview

Half-day Golden Horn tour in Istanbul: the Byzantine mosaics of Chora, the Eyup Sultan Mosque and tomb, and the hilltop Pierre Loti Cafe with its sweeping view.

This half-day tour follows the Golden Horn, Istanbul's historic inlet, to three of its most rewarding stops. You admire the Byzantine mosaics and frescoes of Chora, visit the Eyup Sultan Mosque, one of the holiest sites in the city, and finish with a view over the water from the hilltop Pierre Loti Cafe. It is a calm, spiritual counterpoint to the busier sights of Sultanahmet.

Chora (today the Kariye Mosque): a beautiful example of the beginning of the Byzantine renaissance, with its mosaics and frescoes depicting scenes from the lives of the Mother of God and Christ. Eyup Mosque, the holiest mosque of Istanbul, dedicated to the memory of the Prophet Muhammad's standard-bearer Eyup Ensari; behind the mosque is the tomb of the standard-bearer, with the most beautiful samples of Iznik tiles. Visit the Cafe Pierre Loti with its wonderful view of the Golden Horn and Istanbul; the famous French author Pierre Loti (1850-1923) came to this place and wrote many poems about Istanbul, the Golden Horn and life in the harem.

Price: 35 USD per person. Children aged 0-3 join free of charge and children aged 4-12 receive a 25% discount.