Extracurriculars

Your Facilitator will organize two optional activities during your free afternoons or evenings. Details and costs for these Electives will be provided one month in advance, and if you choose to participate, we will handle the booking. For outings such as concerts, performances, or tastings, your Facilitator will accompany you to the event.

In addition to these optional advance bookings, your Facilitator and your Instructor will provide a wide variety of suggested activities and restaurants for during your Self-Guided Study and free time.

Extracurriculars for this course may include:

Turkish Wine Tasting: Long before Bordeaux or Tuscany, the lands of present-day Türkiye were home to some of the world’s earliest winemakers. The Hittites, Assyrians, and Hellenes cultivated vines here, shaping traditions that influenced Mediterranean viticulture. From Greek mythology to Byzantine rituals, wine held a sacred role in ceremonies and daily life. Discover Türkiye’s diverse terroir, the influence of ancient techniques, and its flourishing modern wine industry.

Live Music: Istanbul’s music scene is as diverse as its history, blending influences from Ottoman classical, Anatolian folk, jazz, rock, and contemporary global sounds. From intimate meyhanes to vibrant modern venues, live music pulses through the city in spaces that are as atmospheric as the performances themselves. Whether in a centuries-old setting or a cutting-edge club, an evening of live music in Istanbul offers a glimpse into the city’s ever-evolving cultural heartbeat.

Bosphorus Cruise: Istanbul’s unique position straddling Europe and Asia is best appreciated from the water. A cruise along the Bosphorus Strait offers a sweeping perspective of the city’s layered history, where Ottoman palaces, Byzantine fortresses, and modern skylines rise along the shores. As the strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, this journey reveals Istanbul as a city shaped by its geography—a meeting point of empires, cultures, and continents.

Guided Visit of Istanbul’s Bazaars & Antique Shops: Istanbul’s bazaars and antique shops are windows into the city’s past, where Ottoman, Byzantine, and Silk Road influences converge. The Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest covered markets, remains a hub of craftsmanship, while antique shops scattered through the city hold remnants of Istanbul’s layered history—old maps, calligraphy, textiles, and artifacts that reflect its place at the crossroads of empires. Explore bustling market halls and quiet backstreets, seeing how these spaces preserve the city’s long tradition of trade and artistry.