Istanbul:
discover the city from a different perspective
April, when the tulips bloom, the perfect time for Istanbul
The rooftop of the Grand Bazaar, reserved only for James Bond… and for you
300 clocks forever set at 9:05, one of the secrets of Dolmabahçe Palace
You have probably already travelled there and fallen under the spell of its palaces, mosques and distinctive neighbourhoods. You may even have visited more than once. If so, congratulations: you are about to discover the city from a whole new perspective.
Access places you would never imagine were even possible to reach. Stroll through colourful parks surrounded by tulips, so deeply rooted in the city’s identity. Step inside palaces and look at them through a different lens.
The city is the same. The experience is not.
This Signature journey offers a vision of Istanbul that few people know and no one ever forgets.
After all, is it easy to forget a walk across the rooftop —yes, the rooftop— of the Grand Bazaar, enjoying unique and exclusive views? A privilege rarely granted, usually reserved for film shoots or very, very special visits.
Wander through Dolmabahçe Palace while uncovering its secrets, such as the story behind its clocks frozen at 09:05.
Secrets, hidden treasures, and a deeper understanding of the city that makes you fall in love with it forever.
That is what this journey to Istanbul is all about.
NUMBER OFAVAILABLE SPOTS
14 pax
DATE
From 12 to 16 de april
PRICE
2.050€
NUMBER OF DAYS
5 days
Travel with our specialist
Travel alongside one of our expert travel artisans in a way you never imagined, making you feel like a true local.
Ferrer & Saret host and local guides
There are travellers, and then there are travellers like Roser Lloveras. Someone who falls deeply, passionately in love with certain places, and who is also refreshingly honest when another destination simply does not move her. Turkey, without a doubt, belongs to the former.
For Roser, Turkey is like a second homeland, and Istanbul is the living room of her home.
If you ask her how many times she has travelled there, she will not be able to give you an exact answer. It is simply impossible to count. She knows the country from north to south, east to west. But more than knowing it, she has lived it. She has blended in, becoming just another local when she walks through neighbourhoods and villages few travellers ever reach.
She understands its culture, knows its history, and moves through it with ease because she knows how to read Turkey. Because she loves it.
When asked about the beginning of her love affair with the country, she goes back to a cold January in 1990. Back then, she encountered a black-and-white Istanbul, with worn-down streets, a wooden Bosphorus bridge leading to the area around Galata Tower, a neighbourhood full of raw authenticity and contradictions. Shoeshiners, slender minarets, an effervescent daily life… all of it left an immediate and lasting mark on her.
Since that distant 1990, she has returned time and again, witnessing the city’s remarkable transformation. Better transport, restored buildings, a city that evolved without ever losing its essence or the value of its past.
If you change the question and ask her what she loves most about Istanbul, her answer comes with a pure, unmistakable Roser touch: wandering through neighbourhoods until she gets lost, then stepping into an old café to smoke a hookah. Even though she knows perfectly well that, for you, Istanbul will be the city of mosques, sunsets over the Bosphorus, palaces and bazaars.
She recommends visiting Istanbul in April, during tulip season, although truth be told, she would go in January, February, March, April, May… any time at all.
To conclude, she reminds us of a quote by Napoleon himself: “If the world were a single country, Istanbul would be its capital.”
April will come, as it does every year. Tulips will bloom across the city once again, and we will be there. Can you imagine a better companion for this journey?
Istanbul itinerary
You will explore the most impressive corners while discovering the most iconic sites.
Complete guide
Start discovering every detail of the place where your dream journey will take place, even before you board the plane, with this guide crafted by our expert travel artisans.
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DOWNLOAD PDFRecommendations from our expert
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Bibliography
- Kenizé Mourad (2017). De parte de la princesa muerta. Espasa (Fuente).
- Orham Pamuk (2022). Istambul. Literatura Random House
- Morte Usstarroz y Marc Aito (2023). Turquía secreta. Anaya
- Antonio Gala (1993). La pasión turca. Planeta
- Orham Pamuk (2008). El museo de la inocencia. Random House
- Elif Shafak (2010). La bastarda de Estambu. Lumen
Filmography
- Nuri Bilge Ceilan (2013). Winter Sleep. [PELÍCULA]
- Vicente Aranda (1994). La pasión turca. [PELÍCULA]
- VVAA (2019). Les joyaux de la Turquie. National Geographic [DOCUMENTAL]
- Christian Alvart (2016). Conexión Estambul. [PELÍCULA]
- San Mendes (2021). Skyfall. [PELÍCULA]
Dreams are unique, just like our journeys. That is why we design and plan them by hand, so that every detail transforms this adventure into the most incredible trip of your life.
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Dreams are unique, just like our journeys. That is why we design and plan them by hand, so that every detail transforms this adventure into the most incredible trip of your life.
