Thanks to the policy of Turkish Airlines all the passangers who are having an overlay in Istanbul that lasts from 6 to 24 hours are entitled to get a tour of Istanbul - completely free of charge! And it comes with meals in a Turkish restaurant too.

I had a privellage of participating in this tour on my way back from Ghana to Poland. There were a few tours to choose from, depending on the time one has to be back on the airport. Mine was from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I was after a night flight, quite exhausted because as usual I had serious trouble with sleeping on the plane, but nevertheless the tour was well-organised and generally very enjoyable. An absolutely splendid way of spending your layover.

This was my first encounter with Turkey. I am more than certain that I want to get back and get a proper stay in Istanbul - it has a super rich history, it is located on the junction where Europe and Asia meet. I'm sure there is more to it than I have seen.

I wasn't in the perfect state to pay attention so I will not give a full description of every site. I have seen the Hipdrome, The German Fountain, The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. On our way back we passed Arasta Bazaar.