Duration
4 days
Type
Specific Tour
Group Size
Max 15 people
Languages
English
Considered one of the capitals of football, Istanbul is home of three giants in Turkey: Besiktas, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray. Football for them really is more than a sport, it is part of everyday Turkish life. Most newspapers devote an average of 4 pages daily to the subject, even during the summer when there are no more matches. It is just crazy!
Upon arrival in the city, you will soon realize that football has a more important place than religion in society, which affects all classes of the population. From the President to the taxi drivers, women, men and children; everyone has an opinion about football and knowing which team you support is such a big deal. The atmosphere, the madness at major games sometimes has no comparison to Europe and even the world. The songs of the supporters, flags, and choreographies provide a memorable show you will not forget.
This Istanbul Derby trip is led by an English Speaking Homefans Local Host and football fan, who will take care of the whole group at all times. You will visit the Old Town and walk through the main landmarks, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. He will be able to connect football with amazing stories from these specials places. Plus you will be sharing the whole experience with a small group of like minded sports fans.
And the match? One of the biggest Derby in the world, Besiktas x Galatasaray! They have a huge fan base, known as the “Çarşı”. It is one of the most well-known ultras groups in Europe, supporting the team home and away, being very loud and creating an electrical atmosphere during games, especially at the European cup games. RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner was forced to wear earplugs and also held his hands to his ears before he was taken off during a Champions League game, in a hostile atmosphere inside the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul. You will have the best pre-match experience with local supporters and watch this intense and huge game!
Also, you will have a stadium tour at Turk Telecom Arena, home of Galatasaray. Over there, experience football in Turkey through the main areas, such as dressing rooms, press conferences and of course, entering the pitch! In the end, you can stop by the club’s store to buy some merchandising.
Are you ready?
Today's all about getting together, as adventurous football fans from across the world arrive in Istanbul for derby day.
You'll meet your local host - who'll kick off the trip in style by taking you to a traditional Turkish food place for dinner.
So you can meet your fellow travelers and prepare for an incredible, jam-packed day of action tomorrow.
It's matchday! And what a day this is.
Today starts with a magnificent city tour and a look into this city's amazing history. You'll see the best of Istanbul with your local host and marvel at sights like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and the Grand Bazaar.
Then we'll visit the historic Besiktas area along the European shores of the Bosphorus strait. Where you can treat yourself to some tasty local food and enjoy one last moment of calm before your crazy matchday experience begins.
You'll meet up with Besiktas supporters groups to learn their chant and get immersed in their local fan culture before heading to the stadium together. Where you'll see one of the loudest and most insane football atmospheres on Earth!
After the game, your host will be happy to give you the best nightlife tips. Or help you get back to the hotel and recover after a truly crazy day!
Istanbul is a city of many stadiums and clubs...but we will head to Galatasaray Turk Telecom Area to have an amazing stadium tours behind the scenes.
If there's another good football game in town, our host will be happy to give you more insight and take you there.
Unfortunately, even the finest (and craziest) adventures must come to an end. But the new friends and fantastic memories you've made will last for a lifetime.
It's time to pack your bags, check-out, and say goodbye to the majestic city of Istanbul. But don't forget to stay in touch with your fellow travelers - you might meet them on another Homefans trip sooner than you think!
Homefans believe that stadiums will be open to fans, however we cannot at this stage confirm what the capacity will be. However our flexible booking policies mean that if the stadium will only accept 50% fans and you decide you only want to travel with 100% attendance you can swap to another venue or another date.
This will vary destination to destination and based on your nationality and age. Therefore Homefans are not able to advise on this. Please check the foreign ministry of your destination and home country and the stadium requirements. Again, if you find the requirements too much you can defer to later in the season/year when they relax further.
We believe so, we all need something to look forward to. But we understand that people may be apprehensive which is why we have created a flexible cancellation policy which means in the event that the event does not happen the amount paid simply becomes Homefans credit.
You can transfer this to a later date (with no time limit), transfer to another tour, or even give it to a friend. This flexibility also applies if you decide to cancel for any reason (as long as you give us 45 days notice)
No, you can secure your place with a deposit of just 30%, then pay the balance at least 4 weeks before your trip date depending on your destination.
If we know where you will be sitting we always mention this is in the inclusions section.
Unfortunately we are not always able to tell you that at the time of booking, however our destination managers work tirelessly to make sure you get the best seats. We always aim for the long side of the home supporters section.
The maximum number of people the host will allow is stated above. However this number may not always be met and it may even be possible that your party is on the tour on your own. Higher numbers make for a more sociable experience, lower numbers make for more personalised attention from your host. Look at it as a win/win!
If we can accept children there will be an option in the booking flow. However for many trips our local hosts take the decision, based on the content of the tour, to open this up to adults only. If you are looking to travel with under 18’s, please feel free to contact us and we can discuss your options.
Our local hosts will do everything they can to cater to travellers’ needs. It’s a good idea to share your requirements at the time of booking so that our host is able to make the required preparations
In order to keep the costs low we always offer prices based on 2 sharing. If you make a booking for an odd number of people you or another member of your party may be paired with another traveller of the same sex. If you wish you may pay a supplement for a guaranteed single room. Simply make your booking as normal and get in touch with us to arrange this.
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Kim
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