13 Days Istanbul, Bursa & Trabzon Tour Package

Itinerary: 13
13 Days Istanbul, Bursa & Trabzon Tour Package

Overview

Thirteen days gives the Istanbul, Bursa & Trabzon route room to breathe, with an extra day built in for Bursa's thermal baths and a Princes' Islands crossing added to the Istanbul stretch. The 13 Days Istanbul, Bursa & Trabzon Tour Package still covers the same three regions as the shorter version but spaces the sightseeing further apart, which suits families who would rather not fill every day with a full schedule. Haqqi Tours arranges the private transfers, hotels and guided days from arrival to departure, coordinating the desk by WhatsApp in Arabic or English so the extra time is planned rather than left open. The pace favours groups combining Istanbul's history with a slower stretch in Bursa before Trabzon's coast and monasteries close the trip.

Highlights

  • A ferry crossing to the Princes' Islands away from Istanbul's traffic
  • Dolmabahçe Palace's waterfront halls on the Bosphorus shore
  • An extra day at Bursa's thermal baths after the Uludağ cable car
  • The Ottoman village of Cumalıkızık and the Grand Mosque in Bursa
  • Sumela Monastery's cliffside chapels above a forested Trabzon valley
  • Uzungöl lake framed by pine hills in the eastern Black Sea
  • Private transfers scheduled between all three cities across thirteen days
  • A single guide and driver for the length of the trip

Full Description

Why Choose the Thirteen-Day Version

The 13 Days Istanbul, Bursa & Trabzon Tour Package covers the same three regions as the shorter route but adds a day, giving Bursa a second full day and Istanbul room for a Princes' Islands crossing that the twelve-day version does not include. The extra day is spread rather than added at the end, so no single city is rushed and the transition from Istanbul's pace to Bursa's quieter squares happens more gradually. Families who want the same three-city combination without back-to-back sightseeing days often choose this version, since it keeps the same route while leaving more room between the busier stops.

Istanbul, Including the Princes' Islands

Istanbul still opens the package with Sultanahmet's mosques and Topkapi Palace, and a Bosphorus day that can include Dolmabahçe Palace, but the extra day allows a ferry crossing to the Princes' Islands, a quieter stretch of the city reached by boat rather than road. Horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the usual way of getting around once there, giving the group a change of pace within Istanbul itself before the route continues toward Bursa. This island day sits alongside the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar time already built into the Istanbul stretch of the package.

A Second Day in Bursa

Bursa gains the most from the additional night, keeping the Uludağ cable car and Cumalıkızık on the usual schedule while inserting a further day purely for soaking in the region's mineral-rich waters at a relaxed pace. The Green Tomb and Grand Mosque remain part of the schedule, along with time in the covered silk market, but the additional day means the group is not moving through all of Bursa's sights in a single sitting. This slower Bursa stretch is one of the clearest differences between the thirteen and twelve-day versions of the package.

Trabzon's Monastery and Lake Country

Trabzon closes the thirteen days with the same core sites as the shorter package: the former Hagia Sophia church, Boztepe hill, and a day trip to Sumela Monastery paired with Uzungöl lake in the pine-covered hills further inland. The extra days spent earlier in Istanbul and Bursa mean the group arrives in Trabzon without the itinerary feeling compressed, and the Black Sea stretch functions as a distinct final chapter rather than a rushed add-on. Atatürk's former villa above the city is a further stop that fits into the Trabzon days on this longer version.

Who Chooses the Longer Route

This version suits families and groups who have a full two weeks free and would rather spread the same three cities over more days than compress them. It appeals to travellers who specifically want the Princes' Islands and Bursa's thermal baths alongside the core sightseeing, or who are travelling with grandparents and young children and prefer fewer back-to-back full days. Groups revisiting Turkey after a shorter first trip, now wanting a slower look at the same three regions, are another common reason for choosing the thirteen-day package over the standard version.

Transfers Across the Longer Itinerary

The additional day does not change how the three cities connect: private transfers still link Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon, arranged and confirmed by Haqqi Tours ahead of the trip. A guide and driver remain with the group throughout, including on the added Princes' Islands and thermal bath days, so the extra time is still guided rather than left as unstructured free time. Hotel check-in, luggage handling between cities and the timing of each transfer are coordinated by the operations desk, which stays reachable on WhatsApp for the length of the trip.

Packing for Three Different Regions

Loose, comfortable clothing suits the thermal baths day in Bursa, and swimwear is worth packing for that stop specifically, alongside the walking shoes needed for Cumalıkızık and the paths up to Sumela Monastery. Because this longer itinerary adds a Princes' Islands crossing and a second Bursa day, pack for both cool sea air and warm thermal-bath humidity alongside the usual mosque-appropriate coverage for Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon. Since the Princes' Islands day involves a ferry crossing, a light layer for the water is also worth having on hand. A change of clothes for after the thermal baths is worth keeping separate in the same bag as the swimwear.

Booking the Thirteen-Day Package

As with the shorter version, this thirteen-day package is confirmed in writing by Haqqi Tours' operations desk before payment, covering hotels, transfers and every day tour listed, including the Princes' Islands and thermal bath additions. The desk communicates by WhatsApp in Arabic and English and can adjust hotel category or the order of cities within the same thirteen-day frame. Since the package is newly listed, current availability for the added days is confirmed directly with the desk rather than assumed in advance. Families comparing this version with the standard twelve-day route often ask the desk directly which one suits their pace better.

Itinerary

Day 1
Day 1: Touch down in Istanbul, where a private driver already has your hotel name and takes the group there directly, leaving the evening unplanned so everyone settles in before the programme begins next morning.
Day 2
Day 2: A full day in Sultanahmet on foot, taking in Hagia Sophia's domes, the Blue Mosque's courtyard and the underground chambers of the Basilica Cistern, with the guide setting a pace that allows time at each stop.
Day 3
Day 3: The morning is spent among Topkapi Palace's treasury rooms and courtyards, and after lunch the group crosses to the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, where browsing the covered stalls is left unhurried and open-ended.
Day 4
Day 4: The group boards a boat that traces the Bosphorus shoreline linking Istanbul's two continents, pausing at Dolmabahçe Palace's waterfront halls, before a private vehicle brings everyone back to the hotel by evening.
Day 5
Day 5: A short ferry ride carries the group to the Princes' Islands, where horse carriages and bicycles replace cars for a quieter, unhurried day, before an afternoon crossing returns everyone to central Istanbul.
Day 6
Day 6: With no fixed plan, this Istanbul day lets the group return to a favourite corner of the city, browse for gifts, or simply rest before an early transfer starts the road toward Bursa.
Day 7
Day 7: A private vehicle carries the group from Istanbul into Bursa, where the afternoon allows a look at the Grand Mosque's clustered domes and a stroll through the covered silk bazaar before checking into the hotel.
Day 8
Day 8: A cable car lifts the group high above Bursa toward Uludağ's slopes for sweeping views over the plain, then the afternoon continues to Cumalıkızık's Ottoman lanes and the Green Tomb nearer the city centre.
Day 9
Day 9: The schedule slows down for a soak in Bursa's mineral-rich thermal waters, a tradition the city has kept since Ottoman rule, and the remaining hours are left open before the road east to Trabzon begins.
Day 10
Day 10: The group travels on from Bursa toward Trabzon on the Black Sea shore, reaching the hotel by evening with enough daylight left for a first stroll along the seafront ahead of dinner.
Day 11
Day 11: A guided loop around Trabzon takes in the former Hagia Sophia church turned museum, the panorama from Boztepe hill and Atatürk's former villa, with the region's history explained stop by stop.
Day 12
Day 12: The whole day belongs to the mountains, starting with Sumela Monastery's cliffside chapels above a wooded valley, then continuing to Uzungöl lake among pine-covered slopes before the drive back to Trabzon for a last evening.
Day 13
Day 13: A private car brings the group to the airport for the flight home, bringing to a close a thirteen-day route that moved unhurriedly between Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon from start to finish.

Inclusions

  • Hotel stays with breakfast across Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon
  • Private inter-city and airport transfers for the full thirteen days
  • A guide accompanies every sightseeing day named in the thirteen-day itinerary
  • A Princes' Islands ferry crossing and a Bursa thermal baths day
  • The Trabzon leg pairs cliffside Sumela with an afternoon at Uzungöl lake
  • Bursa days include the Uludağ cable car climb and Cumalıkızık's cobbled lanes
  • WhatsApp contact with the operations desk throughout the package

Not included

  • Flights to and from Turkey
  • Lunches and dinners not included unless noted in the itinerary
  • Entrance fees for sites outside the listed day tours
  • Personal spending and souvenirs
  • Travel insurance
  • Gratuities for the guide and driver

Good to know

  • Pack swimwear specifically for the Bursa thermal baths day, separate from the walking clothes needed elsewhere.
  • Keep a light jacket handy for the Princes' Islands crossing, where the sea air is cooler than inland Istanbul.
  • Use the free Istanbul day to revisit a site at a slower pace rather than adding a new one.
  • Bring sun protection for the island day, since much of the time there is spent outdoors on foot or by bicycle.
  • Note down the Trabzon hotel's name in Arabic and English in case it is needed for local directions.
  • Keep valuables in the hotel safe on the thermal baths day rather than carrying them into the baths.
  • Ask the operations desk in advance about hotel category if the extra nights change your preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the extra day compared to the twelve-day package add?
The thirteen-day version adds a Princes' Islands ferry crossing in Istanbul and a second day in Bursa for the thermal baths, spreading the same three-city route over more time rather than adding a fourth destination.
Do we need swimwear for the Bursa thermal baths day?
Yes, swimwear is worth packing specifically for that day, along with a change of clothes, since the thermal baths are a separate stop from the sightseeing covered earlier in the Bursa stretch of the package.
How long is the ferry crossing to the Princes' Islands?
The crossing time is not fixed in the package details and is confirmed closer to the date, since ferry schedules can vary; the operations desk arranges tickets and timing as part of the day.
Is there room for luggage on transfer days between the three cities?
Yes, the private vehicle used for inter-city transfers is arranged with luggage space for the group's cases, so bags travel with you between Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon rather than separately.
What should older travellers expect from the pace of this package?
The thirteen-day length is designed with fewer back-to-back full days than the standard route, including a free day in Istanbul and a thermal baths day in Bursa built in specifically for rest.
Are the Grand Mosque and Hagia Sophia museum visits included, or optional?
Both are included as part of the guided day tours listed in the itinerary, so entrance and the guide's explanation are arranged rather than left for the group to organise separately.
What is the connection like between Bursa and Trabzon?
The transfer between Bursa and Trabzon is arranged as a private journey by Haqqi Tours, confirmed in advance along with hotel check-in timing at the Trabzon end of the route.
What happens if the weather affects the Sumela and Uzungöl day?
The guide and operations desk adjust the day's pace where needed, since Sumela's hillside paths and Uzungöl's lakeside setting are both weather-dependent, though the visit itself remains part of the included itinerary.
If travel dates for our thirteen-day Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon route need to shift, what is the process?
Date changes are handled by the operations desk once the booking is confirmed, with terms depending on how much notice is given before the scheduled departure from your home city.
Can the thirteen-day itinerary accommodate a larger family group?
Yes, group size for this thirteen-day route is discussed with the operations desk when booking, so vehicles, guiding and hotel rooms across Istanbul, Bursa and Trabzon can be arranged to match your party.