Length
5 days
Group
Up to 8 guests
Season
April–June and September–October
Pace
Steady, with hills
We meet
Front desk, Cat Mitty Hotel, 18:00 the evening before
Guide price
From 28,900 CZK per person
This is an approximate figure, with flights and the nights listed below. The manager confirms the final price when you request the tour, since it can move with dates, flights and the number of travellers.
Istanbul has more cats than any other stop on our list, and it handles them with a calm Litomyšl could learn from. This tour keeps to the heights and to the water: terraces at breakfast, ferry decks between two continents, and slow evenings in streets that tilt toward the Bosphorus.
The group sleeps in one small guesthouse in Galata for every night, so nobody repacks. Mornings begin at nine, afternoons are left open on purpose, and we gather again at dusk on a roof with a view of the whole shoreline.
The ribbon of days
1
Down to Galata
A morning flight from Prague, a minibus to the guesthouse and tea on the roof before the light turns gold. Our guide walks the group once around the block so that everyone can find the way back to a very good pastry shop.
2
Karakoy and the first ferry
Coffee in Karakoy, then a ferry across the strait to the Asian side, with a ring of sesame bread for the gulls. The upper deck is the best seat in town, and we take the same one both ways.
3
Kadikoy market morning
Kadikoy is where Istanbul shops for its own dinner. We wander through the fish stalls and pickle shops, stop for a second breakfast and meet the shop cats, who check every visitor and approve most.
4
Balat and its steep lanes
Painted houses climb the hill in Balat and so do we, slowly, with a stop at a stair that belongs to a family of tabbies. In the afternoon the guide lets everyone peel off for a nap, a bookshop or a third tea.
5
Suleymaniye and the last roof
One last climb to the terrace by the great mosque, a farewell lunch with a view of the Golden Horn and an evening flight to Prague. The minibus brings the group back to Litomyšl before midnight.
What is in
- Return flights from Prague
- Four nights in a small guesthouse in Galata
- Breakfasts and two shared dinners
- Ferry rides and local transport on the route
- Entrance fees for the places we visit
- A guide for the whole trip
What is not
- Lunches and the other dinners
- Travel insurance
- Passport or visa costs, if you need either
- Souvenirs, carpets and anything else that follows you home
What to bring
Flat shoes with grip, because the lanes are paved with polished stone and rain makes them slippery. A light scarf for mosque visits and for the ferry wind. The full list is on the packing page.
Request this tour
Send a request with the dates you have in mind and the number of travellers. A manager calls you within 48 hours to confirm the price and the details; nothing is charged on this site.