Istanbul Teambuilding activities

Published: 10.01.12

On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday there will be outings to some of Istanbul’s most popular attractions. Read more about the activities we have planned and extras you can sign up for.

Sunday 29 April

Trip to Asia

We begin the teambuilding with our first outing to Asia. We will be transported by bus over the first bridge to the Asian part of the city, crossing the Bosphorus strait. We make our first stop at Camlica Hill, one of the city’s highest points. From the Camlica Hill park we will enjoy a grand view over the European part of the city.

We will then move on to Beylerbeyi Palace, a palace built as a summer residence for Sultan Abdülaziz in the Ottoman Empire. Returning to the city, we will cross a second bridge over the Bosphorus strait.

Later on Sunday you can choose between one of two outings: A visit to the cathedral Santa Sophia or a tour in the Basilica Cistern:

Visit to Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia.

The cathedral is one of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks, and is considered an architectural masterpiece. The church was built in the 530s, and became a mosque in 1453. Since 1934 the cathedral has been used as a museum. With its beautiful decorations and unique construction the old church is one of the most impressive byzantine monuments.

Please note that Hagia Sophia is closed Mondays. You will therefore not be able to visit the cathedral the day after.

Sightseeing in Basilica Cistern

Basilica Cistern is the largest of the many hundred old cisterns in Istanbul, built in the sixth century. The amazing halls underground draw thousands of tourists every year.

Monday 30 April

Outings to the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace

Buses and guides will pick us up at the hotel to take us on a guided tour of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque. Sultan Ahmet’s mosque was built in 1612, and is called the Blue mosque because of the twenty thousand blue tiles characterizing the interior. When visiting the mosque, you must leave your shoes at the entrance, and wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Women must cover their hair.

For 350 years, Topkapi Palace was the center of the Ottoman empire, an empire stretching from Vienna to Algeria and the Indian Ocean. The decorated halls characterize the buildings, and include unique collections of the emperor’s clothes, silver, gold, diamonds and necklaces.

Visit to Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar.

Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s oldest "shopping centers", dating back to the 1400s. The Bazaar has more than
5 000 shops. If you were to visit every shop for three minutes you would have to use two weeks to see the entire bazaar. Daily, hundreds of thousand of visitors walk the 60 streets in the bazaar area. Wares on offer include skins, leather, gold, silver, material, shoes, lamps, carpets and bags. Please be aware that there are many pickpockets at the bazaar, so hold on to your wallet or purse.

Tuesday 1 May

Boat trip on the Bosphorus strait

Our final teambuilding outing will be a sightseeing boat trip and on the Bosphorus strait. The trip will head north towards the Black Sea at first, before turning south. The trip will last approximately two hours.