James Bond Life: An Istanbul Venetian Affair

By: FSWL team

Published:
2012-12-03

Istanbul Venetian Affair Skyfall to FRWL

Our friends at Theme Party People is back with another James Bond adventure, The Istanbul Venetian Affair: Skyfall to From Russia with Love (1963).

Itinary from the organisers, Richard and Leslie Skillman:

Day 1 – Saturday June 29th - Arrive Istanbul, Turkey:
Welcome to Istanbul! Your group transfer is included to your hotel. Take some time to rest before you meet your fellow agents for a welcome MI6 intelligence briefing and special event. Afterwards, we’ll stroll around the Grand Bazaar from SKYFALL and Topkapi Palace, site of the famous caper film of the same name. Tonight enjoy a welcome Karim Bey Gypsy Dinner celebrating the 50th Anniversary of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE featuring local Turkish specialties, Raki and belly dancers.

Day 2 – Sunday June 30th - Istanbul:
Explore Istanbul with your local guide featuring James Bond locations from From Russia with Love (1963), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Skyfall (2012). Visit the Mosques (Sophia/Blue), Cisterns, Sirkeci train station, Kucuksu Kasri, Kiz Kulezi (Elektra’s villa by boat) . The evening is on your own to explore, shop, dine and enjoy this exotic city.

Day 3 – Monday July 1st - Istanbul – Flight to Vienna, Austria:
In late morning, transfer as a group to the Airport S.Gokcen where you will board your flight to Vienna. Keep a sharp eye out for Red Grant; he may be in the parking lot. In the afternoon, start your sightseeing with Prater Park with its giant Ferris wheel as seen in The Living Daylights (1987) and THE THIRD MAN and a drive along the elegant Ringstrasse. Pass the impressive state opera house, the Jewish quarter, and stop at Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Austrian Imperial Family. Marvel at the impressive courtyards and famous Heldenplatz, and visit Strauss House. The rest of the day is on your own to tour other TLD film sites, such as Kara’s apartment, the street cars and also enjoy these historic cities museums, palaces. Don’t forget to have the world famous Sacher Torte dessert! We have as an option for the evening, the Opera House attending a Mozart Symphony, as Bond and Saunders do in TLD. You will never forget the music or the experience of listening to Mozart in his Hall, don’t miss this!

Day 4 – Tuesday July 2nd - Vienna:
Today you will start with an outside visit of Schoenbrunn Palace. Head to Gasometer where Koskov is jetted off to England after his ride through the pipeline. Then pass by the Sniper Book Shop where, at the start of film Bond arrives at the opera to meet Saunders where he informs Bond about General Georgi Koskov. End with the visit at the Volksoper where Bond meets Saunders. Tonight enjoy a typical Heurigen Austrian dinner in the pretty wine village of Grinzing.

Day 5 – Wednesday July 3rd -Vienna – Prague –Czech Republic:
This morning cross the Czech border, there is no need to use your cello case and enter Moravia. Drive through the rich farmlands of Moravia and Bohemia to Prague. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided sightseeing including a visit to Casino Royale (2006)’s (2006) Danube House where Bond has to kill Dryden to receive his 00 –Status. The Old Town of Prague is very recognizable from VAN HELSING, AMADEUS, XXX and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE A unique and exclusive visit has been included to the magnificent Library of Strahov Monastery and Church. Here M misses the Cold War in CASINO ROYALE and is seen in multiple films, including MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. The "Miami" interiors and exteriors of the BODY WORLD museum from CASINO ROYALE is also here in Prague. Tonight, with your trench coat pulled tight, we’ll explore on our own the back streets, cafes and restaurants of exotic Prague.

Day 6 – Thursday July 4th - Prague - Karlovy Vary:
This morning depart to Karlovy Vary, a spa town in central Europe and visit the Loket Castle where the shooting of CASINO ROYALE took place. For the Casino building the producers used one of the most beautiful buildings in Czech Republic, ‘Lazne I’ or Spa I, the former ‘Kaiserbad’. It lies a few minutes outside the heart of Karlovy Vary on Mírové nám?stí. Just like in the film, the building is situated a few hundred meters from The Grand Hotel Pupp, the hotel that doubled for Hotel Splendide. All the locations were used to represent "Montenegro" in the film.

We plan to secure the CASINO ROYALE site, the Grand Hotel Pupp, for our accomodations and will know as we book the tour. It is in the Hotel Pupp dining room that Bond and Vesper have their late evening dinner in CASINO ROYALE. We are also planning a CASINO ROYALE Texas Hold’ Em Tournament for those wishing to live like James Bond in this World Class locale. This will be a very special evening for Bond aficionados.

Day 7 –– Friday July 5th - Karlovy Vary – Munich, Germany:
Depart Karlovy Vary to Munich, where the Germany’s “Secret Capital” comes alive during an orientation, featuring the Olympic Stadium, 1,000-foot-high Television Tower, and Marienplatz in the historic heart of the city. In the afternoon enjoy a stein of beer at the World Famous Hofbrauhaus Restaurant for some German song and PROSIT!

Day 8 –– Saturday July 6th - Munich – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Venice, Italy:
This morning leave Germany to enter Austria and across the spectacular Brenner pass to Italy. Stop in Cortina d’Ampezzo popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges and scenery. One of the memorable James Bond stunt sequences in 1981's FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, gunners on spike-wheeled motorcycles chasing Roger Moore on skis, was filmed on its slopes, as were several scenes in the film CLIFFHANGER. The Hotel Miramonte was 007’s resort in For Your Eyes Only (1981) as well as featured prominently in THE PINK PANTHER and we plan to have our lunch there, enjoy a Vesper Martini and Bond’s view of Mt. Tofana.

Enter Venice in style by luxury private boat to your hotel. Spend your evening in St. Marks Square at Florians, just watch out for Chang falling from the bell tower from Moonraker (1979). You may choose to have your nightcap at world famous Harry’s Bar.

Day 9 ––Sunday July 7th - Venice:
Canal boat and walking tour of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, MOONRAKER, CASINO ROYALE, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE film locations. Walk to the Fish Market (Pescheria); next board a canal boat and travel to Ca’ Rezzonico followed by a visit to the courtyard of Palazzo Pisani featured in the finale of CASINO ROYALE .Continue on to St..Marks Square and the byzantine Basilaca, Venini Glass Shop, lavish Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. A highlight from our 2010 tour was a personal gondola ride with our own private opera singer; we will have this available for you again this year. Spend the rest of the day on your own. The evening ends with our farewell dinner at the Caravella as we, like 007 in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, wave goodbye to Venice.

Day 10 ––Monday July 8th - Venice:
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning and a group transfer to the Airport. Or you may choose to remain and enjoy Venice a bit longer, go visit Lake Como or Rome!

The tour package for three nights and all tours is $3,300 per person, double occupancy. Contact Theme Party People for more details, deposit and cancellation policies.

This is a limited exclusive tour, reserve early to insure your seat.

Other Theme Party People tours featured on From Sweden with Love:
>Report: Licence to Kill 20th Anniversary tour (July 2009)
>On the trails of Bond, Bourne and beyond (August-September 2010)
>Report: On the trails of Bond, Bourne and beyond (September 2010)
>James Bond villains and Voodoo tour (August 2011)
>Report: Villains and Voodoo tour (September 2011)
>Operation Nassau Reloaded (May 2012)

Visit Themepartypeople's website for the official travel report:

www.themepartypeople.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141%3Athe-istanbul-venetian-affair-skyfall-to-from-russia-with-love&catid=34%3Atravel-and-tours&Itemid=54

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James Bond Life: An Istanbul Venetian Affair

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