Volendam 2026, Istanbul, Turkey, Day 2...

Even though we overnighted in Istanbul, after a good night’s sleep, I was up and out taking photos. Our ship friends Prassad and Michelle accompanied us on our tour today. We met our guide Necdet and we headed to Dolmabahçe Palace. On entry to the Palace, we toured the lovely gardens leading to the structure…This Palace is huge!!!  By all accounts, the largest palace in Turkey…It is 600m long meters long and took 13 years to build. Dolmabahca Palace was completed in 1856 and served as the administrative center of the Ottaman Empire until 1922. It spans 45,000 square meters with 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 Turkish baths and 68 toilets. It is a lavish blend of European Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical styles combined with traditional Ottoman design. The Palace also features the world's largest Bohemian crystal chandelier (weighing 4.5 tons in the Ceremonial Hall) and the double-horseshoe Crystal Balusters Staircase. After we toured the Palace, we walked to the boat dock to get on our boat cruise. The Bosphorus cruise took us along the strait that separates European and Asian continents, offering views of Istanbul's iconic palaces, mosques, and bridges. We passed the sites such as: Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Galatasaray Island, Rumeli Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace, Ciragan Palace. The Maiden's Tower Lighthouse and the Volendam were in the distance as we sailed under the Bosphorus Bridge/15July Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise, a great opportunity to see the sites. Back on land we drove over the Bosphorus Bridge on the Asian side of Istanbul up to Camlica Hill. Camlica Hill is famous for its hilltop gardens and terraces offer 360° views of the Bosphorus, both bridges, the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara, and the Princes' Islands. There are wide panoramic views over the Bosphorus and Istanbul. It is also known as a peaceful recreation area and a popular photography spot. You also get a pretty good view of the Grand Çamlıca Mosque, opened in 2019 with four minarets and a capacity of about 63,000 and the Camlica Communication Tower. Back down on the European side we made our last stop at the Spice Bazaar. The Spice Bazaar is an explosion of aromas and colors. Originally established in the 17th century to support the New Mosque complex, this historic market is full of delicacies like teas, dried fruits, nuts, and all varieties of Turkish delight. Just outside the Spice market is the local Eminönü market. This was another great day in Istanbul…again the weather gods were with us…some light drizzle this morning but it cleared up nicely for the boat cruise, clouds moved in but no rain…it was blowing a cold wind. Tomorrow is a sea day and our next stop is Piraeus Greece.  Loving every day here on the Volendam!!!