For those who prefer to escape from the trappings of a traditional Christmas, our new tour to Istanbul will transport you to the bridge between Europe and Asia, where the history and architecture fuse civilisations from the Roman and Byzantine Empires to the Ottomans and modern Turkey. We will visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace, each of which is staggering in their size and opulence, and at the Church of St. Saviour in Chora which dates from 1077, we see some of the finest mosaics and frescoes in Istanbul. There will also be a cruise on the Bosphorus, with the shores of two continents on opposite sides and we will wander through Istanbul’s fabled Grand Bazaar, an ideal place to shop for souvenirs including textiles, food, ceramics and spices.