From an Istanbul arrival to Ottoman Bursa and Seljuk Konya, The History Travel Agency coordinates every vehicle, guide, dinner and meeting as one seamless program.
Bursa and Konya are not secondary stops tacked onto an Istanbul holiday — they are two of Turkey's most historically important metropolitan centres in their own right, and each once served as the seat of an empire. Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, chosen as the young sultanate's seat of power in 1326 under Orhan Gazi, decades before Edirne and later Istanbul took on that role, and its mosques, tombs and trading halls still carry that founding weight. Konya was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum for more than a century, the power that first carried Turkish rule and Islamic civilization deep into Anatolia, and it later became the spiritual home of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi. Cities of this stature are highly recommended for any serious Turkey itinerary, and both deserve to be visited properly rather than rushed.
Traveling to Bursa and Konya for business, diplomacy, culture, sport or celebration takes more than a car and a hotel. A properly managed VIP travel agency program joins transportation, timing, accommodation, guiding, meetings, dining and onward travel into one calm, coherent plan, so the historical weight of these two cities is matched by the quality of the experience around it.
The History Travel Agency, a TÜRSAB-licensed Istanbul tour operator, coordinates Bursa and Konya VIP tours for private travelers, executives, corporations, sporting organizations, institutions, official delegations and diplomatic missions. Whether it is an airport arrival in Istanbul, a private morning at Bursa's Ulu Cami, an executive meeting or an evening beneath Konya's Mevlana dome, one team stays with you from the first phone call to the final transfer.
Bursa gives you Ottoman elegance, silk and mountain air. Konya gives you Seljuk grandeur and the living memory of Mevlana. Together they trace the arc of Turkish civilization from its Seljuk foundations to its Ottoman infancy, a journey few visitors ever plan properly — and this is how ours is designed: private, discreet, flexible, tailor-made.
From the moment your aircraft lands, a private meet-and-assist team is waiting at the gate or arrivals hall, ready to help with luggage, customs formalities and a discreet transfer to your vehicle. Whether you are arriving from a long-haul flight or connecting from a domestic leg, your onward journey toward the hotel, a meeting or straight on to Bursa and Konya is coordinated in advance so nothing is left to chance. Departure transportation, flight monitoring and last-minute schedule changes are handled with the same level of care.
Every kilometre between Istanbul, Bursa and Konya is covered in a vehicle matched to your group: a discreet sedan for a single executive, a spacious van for a family, or a full coach for a delegation or sporting squad. Vehicle category, luggage capacity and driver language are confirmed before departure, and schedules are built with realistic drive times so meetings, sightseeing and rest are never rushed. Professional, licensed drivers accustomed to VIP, corporate and official passengers are assigned to every route.
Institutional and government-related programs bring their own rhythm of appointments and timing, and our role is to keep the tourism and logistics layer running quietly around them. Airport transfers, transportation between venues, private guiding for any available cultural windows and coordination with your own protocol team can all be arranged around a confirmed schedule. Public claims about specific officials or institutions served are never made without written authorization, keeping every program professionally discreet.
Embassies, consulates and visiting delegations travelling to or through Istanbul, Bursa and Konya can rely on carefully timed transportation, private guiding and cultural programming built around official appointments. We coordinate directly with the hosting institution or delegation office to align vehicle movements, arrival protocols and any cultural time available between engagements. Multilingual support and flexible scheduling keep even a tightly packed diplomatic itinerary comfortable and on time.
Executive travel succeeds or fails on the details: a driver waiting at the right door, a meeting reached with minutes to spare, an evening that turns a long day into a memorable one. Our corporate programs weave together airport transfers, hotel coordination, meeting and conference transportation, private guiding, team excursions and incentive-style dinners into a single itinerary managed by one point of contact. Whether you are bringing five executives or fifty delegates, the plan scales without losing its personal touch.
Football clubs, sporting federations and their travelling parties need transportation that can move players, coaching staff, equipment and guests together and on schedule, match day after match day. We coordinate airport and hotel transfers, training-ground and stadium runs, and the cultural excursions many clubs like to build into a longer Turkey trip. Vehicle capacity is planned around kit and equipment as much as passenger seats, so nothing is left behind.
For programs that include Istanbul or a suitable coastal stretch, a private boat or charter experience adds a memorable, relaxed chapter to an otherwise structured itinerary — ideal for an executive dinner, a private celebration or simply an evening on the water. Vessel category, route and duration are confirmed within your individual quotation, since availability changes with season and demand. This service is coordinated as part of a wider program rather than sold as a standalone excursion.
A destination is only as good as the person explaining it, and our licensed guides bring genuine depth to Bursa's Ottoman heritage and Konya's Seljuk and Mevlevi history rather than a recited script. English-speaking guiding is available as standard across Istanbul, Bursa, Konya, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale, with Spanish-speaking guides available subject to availability for your chosen dates. Guides are matched to the nature of your visit, whether a fast-paced executive stop or an unhurried cultural deep-dive.
Bursa and Konya sit at two very different moments in Turkish history — the birth of an empire and the flowering of Seljuk Anatolia — and a well-built historical tour treats them as chapters of one continuous story rather than two disconnected stops. Ottoman mosques, silk-trade caravanserais, Seljuk madrasas and the Mevlana Museum are woven into a single narrative, ideally paired with Istanbul at one end of the journey. The result is a program that educates as much as it impresses.
Weddings, anniversaries, graduations, circumcision ceremonies, championship parties and private galas all call for a different rhythm of transportation, timing and hospitality than a standard sightseeing day. We coordinate guest transfers, venue-to-venue logistics, dinner arrangements and any sightseeing woven around the celebration itself, so hosts can focus on their guests rather than the schedule. Every celebration is planned individually, matched to the occasion's tone and the size of the party.
Regional cuisine is one of the most memorable parts of any Turkey journey, and private dining lets you experience it properly: a traditional Bursa İskender lunch, a Konya-style dinner featuring etli ekmek and fırın kebabı, or a celebratory table with live music where available. Restaurants are selected for both quality and suitability to the group, whether an intimate couple's dinner or a full delegation. Dietary requirements and seating preferences are confirmed in advance.
Beyond Bursa and Konya, a tailor-made Turkey itinerary can extend to Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale and destinations across Turkey, combining flights, hotels, guides and tickets into one coordinated program. Multi-day plans are built around your available time and interests rather than a fixed template, whether a five-day executive circuit or a two-week family exploration of historical Turkey. One dedicated coordinator manages the entire program from first inquiry to final departure.
VIP and official travel services are available for eligible government, diplomatic, institutional and corporate travel requirements, subject to the requested itinerary and service arrangements.
Bursa carries the unmistakable weight of history as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, established as the young sultanate's seat of power in 1326 under Orhan Gazi, decades before Edirne and eventually Istanbul took on that role. Its mosques, tombs, caravanserais and mountain backdrop still reflect the confidence of an empire finding its architectural voice. Konya carries an equally significant, if different, imperial legacy: for more than a century it served as the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, the power that first brought Turkish rule and Islamic civilization deep into Anatolia, and it later became forever associated with the mystic poet Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi and the whirling dervish tradition he inspired.
Visiting both cities on one private itinerary means tracing the arc of Turkish civilization from its Seljuk foundations in Konya to its Ottoman infancy in Bursa — a journey of genuine historical substance, not simply sightseeing. Nine carefully selected places across both cities, each introduced by a knowledgeable private guide, tell that story in full.
BursaTwenty domes rise over a single hall, and inside, the calligraphy is the show. Ulu Cami is where the story of the first Ottoman capital becomes physical: scale, silence and letterforms that reward a guide who knows how to read them. Your private guide sets it inside the wider tale of Bursa before you walk in.
BursaKoza Han is a two-storey courtyard caravanserai built for silk, and it still trades it. Sit for tea beside the central mescit, and you'll understand how Bursa's merchants shaped an empire's taste. A relaxed stop for executives, families and delegations alike.
BursaThe Yeşil complex is Ottoman decorative art at its most intimate: turquoise tilework, carved portals and a tomb whose blue-green glow gave the district its name. Book early-morning slots and ask your guide about the master craftsmen who worked here.
BursaStone-and-timber houses lean over cobbled lanes in one of the best-preserved Ottoman village settings near Bursa. Quiet, photogenic and unhurried, it suits a relaxed lunch or a private family stop.
BursaAbove the city, Uludağ shifts the program from history to fresh air: forest, viewpoints and, in winter, ski slopes. It suits incentive groups, family programs and executives wanting a change of pace. Season and weather decide the plan, and your coordinator will advise.
KonyaUnder its ribbed turquoise dome, the mausoleum of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi draws visitors from across the world. A private visit lets you take in the calligraphy, the dervish artifacts and the calm atmosphere with proper context and time to reflect.
KonyaThe hill was the political and spiritual centre of Seljuk Konya. Standing here, the guide can lay out the city's long development, from ancient settlement to sultanate capital, in a single sweep.
KonyaIts dome is covered in blue-and-turquoise tile geometry that many visitors rank among the finest Seljuk work. Compact, atmospheric and ideal for architecture and art lovers.
KonyaA short drive brings you to a historic settlement with rock-cut dwellings and a distinctive religious heritage, adding depth to a private Konya program when the schedule allows.
This is a sample program, not a fixed departure. Every component adjusts to dates, meetings, transport, accommodation and traveler needs.
Private airport meet-and-assist and transfer to your hotel. The evening stays free for rest, or becomes a private dinner, Bosphorus experience or travel briefing. Overnight: Istanbul.
Private departure toward Bursa for a full guided day across the city's Ottoman highlights, with a private lunch worked into the schedule. Overnight: Bursa.
Twenty domes and a hall filled with monumental calligraphy make Ulu Cami one of the defining images of early Ottoman religious architecture.
A working silk caravanserai since the 15th century, its courtyard and arcades reveal how Bursa's merchants once shaped an empire's trade.
Turquoise Iznik tilework and finely carved portals make the Yeşil complex one of the most photographed corners of Ottoman Bursa.
A living Ottoman-era village of stone-and-timber houses and cobbled lanes, largely unchanged for centuries.
Bursa's mountain backdrop, reached by private vehicle, adds fresh air and sweeping views to the day when time and season allow.
After breakfast, depart by the arrangement you selected. Check in at Konya, take a private orientation and enjoy a regional dinner, with a cultural evening where available. Overnight: Konya.
A full guided day through Konya's Seljuk and Mevlevi heritage. Shorten, extend or reorder around meetings. Overnight: Konya.
The mausoleum of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi beneath its ribbed turquoise dome is Konya's most important cultural landmark and the spiritual home of the Mevlevi order.
The political and spiritual heart of Seljuk Konya, offering a natural vantage point for understanding the city's long development.
A domed masterpiece of Seljuk tilework, considered one of the finest surviving examples of 13th-century Anatolian craftsmanship.
A short drive from central Konya, this historic valley settlement adds rock-cut dwellings and a distinct heritage layer to the day, schedule permitting.
Private departure from Konya, continuing to Istanbul by domestic flight or agreed transport, then airport or hotel transfer, an onward Turkish destination or your international departure.
These are approximate planning ranges, not a fixed price. Your quotation depends on dates, travelers, hotel and vehicle category, guide language, domestic flights, service hours, meetings, events, dining and boat charter.
Practical suggestions to sharpen your itinerary.
Istanbul → Bursa → Konya links a cosmopolitan capital, the first Ottoman centre and Seljuk Mevlevi Konya in one arc.
Avoid heavy sightseeing right before key meetings; put priority appointments earlier and culture later.
If the aim is cultural, Bursa deserves more than a rushed stop.
Cultural blocks that can be shortened or extended around appointments.
For multi-venue, time-sensitive schedules, one dedicated vehicle beats juggling.
Uludağ, Cumalıkızık and prayer times change what works best; ask us before fixing dates.
Transport, hotels, guiding, meetings, dining and events under one team.
An Istanbul-based agency operating under license No. 7377.
Guests repeatedly mention constant, personal communication throughout their trip.
33 reviews on TripAdvisor. Summaries below are paraphrased from real guest reviews of The History Travel.
Read all reviews on TripAdvisorFamily trip planned end to end: domestic bookings, transfers and guides organised, with the owner in touch throughout.
A 7-day Cappadocia package that felt like real hospitality; the team’s service was called absolutely amazing.
A 10-day family tour described as friendly, knowledgeable and very well organised.
A full Istanbul day with a great lunch, the main mosques and Topkapı; fair price and hosts rather than just guides.
A personalised itinerary, prompt communication, knowledgeable English-speaking guides and top-quality transport and hotels.
A meticulously planned custom itinerary, adjusted quickly for a family member’s rest without losing any sights.
Private transportation, professional guides, historical and cultural tours, corporate travel, meetings, events, excursions, domestic travel arrangements and customized Turkey itineraries can be coordinated around your requested program.
Yes. Bursa can be built around the Grand Mosque, Koza Han, the Green Mosque and Tomb, Cumalıkızık and Uludağ. Konya can include the Mevlana Museum, Alaeddin Hill, Karatay Madrasa and Sille.
The tourism and logistics side of appropriate official, institutional, diplomatic and corporate programs can be coordinated: transfers, venue movements, guides, dining and cultural time around your appointments.
Yes. Coaches, VIP vehicles, match-day transfers, equipment capacity, dinners and cultural excursions can be planned around the sporting or event calendar.
English-speaking guides are standard. Spanish-speaking and other languages can be requested subject to availability for your dates and destination.
Yes. Domestic flights, museum and attraction tickets can be included where specified in your written quotation.
No. VIP programs are quoted per itinerary. The indicative ranges on this page are planning guides only; your written quotation is the binding price.
Use the inquiry form, or call or WhatsApp +90 536 560 1038 with your dates, number of travelers, arrival airport and requirements.
Tell us about your journey and we will reply with a private proposal within a few hours.
Related services and pages on our website.