Turkish Bath
This programme treats the group to a traditional Turkish bath or hamam. The historical, 120-year-old Cagloglu hamam is privately rented for the group. A relaxing and rejuvenating experience, the Turkish bath begins once you have undressed in private changing rooms and have been given a large wrap-around garment.

During your bath, you are in a warm room where you are doused with warm water and lathered and massaged with a kese, a special rough bath glove. After your cleaning experience, refreshments are provided in the main lounge. Although there are separate baths for men and women, we use the men's section solely for the group. You can use either swimsuits or a wrap-around garment. The experience lasts for about two hours in total.

To make the experience even more interesting, we can add a surprise belly dancer show. This is a relaxing experience and a real treat, which couldn't be more fun. Belly dancing lessons, followed by a contest, are also available.

If requested, for the same cost, guests can first be taken to the Grand Bazaar and given 45 minutes' free time for shopping.

Golf
There are two golf courses near the centre of Istanbul: Klassis Golf Course and Kemer Country Golf Course. Klassis is 45 minutes from the hotel and Kemer is just 20 minutes away. Both are 18-hole European standard golf courses. In both areas there are also facilities for horse riding, swimming and biking. Different activities, including bungee-jumping, can also be organised.

Photo Orientation Game
This game is ideal for groups who want to have fun and also discover the highlights of Istanbul. Half of the team will play the activity around Sultanahmet Square while the other half of the team play the activity within and around the Topkapi Palace. The group is then divided into smaller teams. Each team is given a bag containing a camera, some Turkish lira to be used for entrance fees, a map of the Old City with photos and a bonus question.

The object is to follow the map and take photos as similar as possible to those provided on the back of the map. Those photos that are most like the guideline photos receive the most points. Each group must also take photographs of their group in front of each monument visited, for which they receive additional points. The game is played with a time limit, so the quicker the teams, the more points they earn. Finally, each group must answer the bonus question. On completion of the game, teams hand in their bags and the jury marks the teams' results.

Istanbul Safari Along the Bosphorus
This activity is available for an entire group. Each team has a minivan with a driver, and on leaving the hotel they are given a bag containing:

• A pre-printed brochure about the activity
• A map indicating the allocated route, plus information about the activity
• Money to perform certain tasks
• A clue card
• A disposable camera

Using the map, each team must find marked sites where they will find an MEP member of staff whom they must identify. This could be a street seller, a shoe-shiner or a couple sitting on a bench (this will be written on the clue card). All they have to do is get out of the van to make the identification as quickly as possible. When the team finds the person (without speaking to him / her), the team must take a photo of him / her. If they have identified the person correctly, he / she will give them another clue card. If not, the team loses a point and needs to depart as quickly as possible in order to gain their next point as they race against the time factor. Please note that clues for each team will be different; most of them will also follow a different route. Some start at the beginning of the Bosphorus and go towards the end; others will start at the end and head for the start.

Treasure Hunt in the Grand Bazaar
If you want to create a shopping experience to remember, we can organise a shopping competition for your group / client, all with the help of hostesses discreetly situated to help when needed. The game starts once teams of six to ten guests get to the main entrance of the Grand Bazaar, with only an hour and a half to complete the game.

As soon as teams arrive at the entrance, hostesses will record each team's starting time. Each team will be given a bag containing maps of the bazaar, an envelope with some Turkish lira and a clue card, some useful phrases in Turkish and the explanation of the game. Their task is to follow the maps and the cryptic clues to find six specific shops within the grand covered bazaar. The cryptic clues will lead the teams to the right shop and then to the right item. On the clue cards it either says 'Buy' or 'Find', and according to this message teams either buy or just locate the item. If teams need to buy the item, then they need to bargain as the less money they spend the more points they gain.

One thing to remember is that the shop assistants are briefed to not speak in English, therefore the teams need to use their phrase guide as much as possible to gain extra points. If the teams complete each given task in each shop within three minutes they receive a bonus question. The correct answer to this question results in extra bonus points. At the end of the game, the teams end up at the Sark Kahvesi where they hand in their bag with the bought items and are awarded a final score related to correct items and speed it took the team to accomplish the requested tasks.

Cruise and Quiz
Pre-allocated teams will board a deluxe boat at the pier, located within ten minutes from the hotel, after which cocktails, tea / coffee and cookies are served. Pad, pens and briefing notes are handed to each of the team members. While the teams have their drinks, a guide will give a full description of how the quiz works.

During the first part of the cruise, the professional guide provides information on all of Istanbul's major sights. Teams are encouraged to make notes at this point. The second part of the cruise is a quiz on the history and sights of Istanbul. Teams are asked individual questions, and each team is given a few seconds to answer the question. If the team does not know the answer, the question is opened to the floor and bonus points are offered. Only the group leader should provide the answer, having determined the answer from his / her team. Two points are awarded for a correct answer and three points for a correctly answered bonus question. An independent score-keeper assesses the scores. The winner is the team who accumulates the most points in the allocated time.

Excursions

Discover Istanbul Highlight Tour - Half Day
This sightseeing tour in the beautiful city of Istanbul starts with a visit to Hippodrome Square, built by the Roman Emperor Septimus, and to Sultan Ahmed Camii, also referred to as the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque is the most famous monument in both the Turkish and Islamic world and the only mosque built with six minarets. Only a short walk away stands the magnificent Hagia Sophia, built by Constantine the Great and considered a masterpiece of Byzantine art. Its first construction dates back to the second half of the 4th century. Hagia Sophia served 916 years as a church and 477 years as a mosque until, on Atatürk's orders, it was converted into a museum.

Hagia Sophia: Closed on Mondays.

Full-day Historical Tour with Lunch
The sightseeing starts with a visit to Hippodrome Square, built by the Roman Emperor Septimus, and to the Sultan Ahmed Camii, also referred to as the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque is the most famous monument in both the Turkish and Islamic world and the only mosque built with six minarets. Only a short walk away stands the magnificent Hagia Sofia, built by Constantine the Great and considered a masterpiece of Byzantine art. Its first construction dates back to the second half of the 4th century. Hagia Sofia served 916 years as a church and 477 years as a mosque and was later converted into a museum. Lunch will be served in the Darüziyafe restaurant, located at the back of the Suleymaniye Mosque. As this is a holy area, alcoholic drinks are not served here. After lunch there is free time to visit the Covered Bazaar followed by free time at the Spice Market.

Hagia Sofia: Closed on Mondays.

Topkapi Palace - Half Day Followed by Lunch at Zeyrekhane
During the guided visit to Topkapi Palace, the most famous palace in Istanbul, the life of the harem during the Ottoman era is explained to the group. The palace was the imperial residence of the Ottoman sultans from the 1460s to the 1800s and is the most extensive and fascinating monument of Turkish civil architecture in existence. In addition to its historical and architectural interest, the palace houses extraordinary collections of porcelain, armoury, fabrics, miniatures, calligraphy and many precious objects and works of art that belonged to the sultans and their court, including the Topkapi Dagger and Spoon Makers Diamond. Lunch will be served in Zeyrekhane followed by free time in the bazaar.

Topkapi Palace: Closed on Tuesdays.

Basilica Cistern and Chora Church - Half Day Followed by Lunch at Asitane Restaurant
Discover the grandiose nature of the past when touring through Istanbul's largest and most magnificent underground cistern. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century to supply water to the nearby palace complex, the cistern has a total of 336 decorated columns. The ceiling of this forest of beautifully decorated columns is cross-vaulted and made of bricks. During the restoration, two spectacular Medusa head carvings were discovered.

The tour is very impressive and includes a light show display of coloured lights playing off the columns and reflecting on the water. Next stop is St Savior in the Chora Museum, which dates back to the 11th century. This museum is famous for its fascinating mosaics and frescoes, many of which date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, and are by far the most important works of Byzantine pictorial art known today. Lunch is served in the Asitane restaurant, located in the Kariye Hotel next to the museum. It is very atmospheric and serves delicious Turkish specialities.

Chora Church: Closed on Tuesdays.
Basilica Cistern: Open seven days a week.

Modern Shopping Opportunities - Akmerkez Shopping Mall
The prize-winning Akmerkez Shopping Mall houses some of Istanbul's most elegant shops, which carry fashionable men and women's clothing, leather goods, exquisite costume jewellery and elegant furniture. Pubs and gourmet shops abound. During the visit, the group has an opportunity to compare the Oriental and modern sides of Turkey.

Open: Seven days a week from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Bazaars of Istanbul
The first visit is to the Spice Market. This market is one of Istanbul's great covered bazaars, with enticing aromas of herbs and spices. Cosier than the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Market offers herbs and spices, dried fruits and lokums. Up and down the many bustling aisles are thousands of sacks full of the world's most extraordinary herbs and spices.

You then continue to the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul's largest covered market, to explore its mysterious atmosphere. There are about 5000 shops in this fabulous shopping Mecca. In addition to the shopping at the Grand Bazaar, a special programme on Turkish carpets is also offered. Lunch can be arranged at any of the restaurants suggested in other tours.

Open: Everyday except Sunday.

Turkish Bath
This programme treats you to a traditional Turkish bath or hamam at the historical Cagloglu hamam. A relaxing and rejuvenating experience, the Turkish bath begins once you have undressed in private changing rooms and have been given a large, wrap-around garment. During your bath, you will be in a warm room where you will be doused with warm water and lathered and massaged with a kese, a special rough bath glove. After your cleaning experience, refreshments are provided in the main lounge. There are separate baths for men and women. If desired, the men's section can be rented for a private programme. It is a relaxing experience and a real treat.

Open: Seven days a week between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Historical Cruise - Europe Meets Asia on the Bosphorus and Beylerbeyi Palace
The group leaves the hotel by bus to visit the first destination, Beylerbeyi Palace. Travelling to this beautiful marble palace, the group crosses from the European side of Istanbul to the Asian side via the world's first suspension bridge.

The palace, which is made entirely of marble, is known for its beautiful works of art, including Oriental and European furniture, pictures and porcelain from the 19th century. At the palace, the group boards a private boat at the pier. On board, tea or coffee is served while cruising the mighty waterway and viewing the many examples of a bygone era that stand proudly on the shores of the Bosphorus. This serene journey is certain to enhance one's many adventures in Istanbul.

If requested, instead of ending the tour at the pier on the European side, the journey can end at Beykoz, a pier at the very end of the Asian side. From the pier, a three-minute bus journey takes the group to Hasir - a restaurant situated in the middle of the Beykoz Forest, famous for its grilled specialities.

Times: Cruise seven days a week.
Palace: Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.