Explore Istanbul's rich history with a full-day tour, starting with the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia, the grand Basilica Cistern, and the opulent Topkapi Palace. Continue your journey through the ancient Hippodrome, marvel at the iconic Blue Mosque, and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar, one of the world's largest and oldest covered markets.
- Explore Historical Peninsula in a unique, personal way
- Be enchanted by the mosaics of Hagia Sophia
- See the priceless treasures of Topkapi palace including HAREM Section
- Visit biggest underground cistern of Constantinople.
- Experience shopping in the grand bazaar, which has been the center of shopping for centuries
- Walk along the historical hippodrome and see German Fountain and obelisk
- See the colorful mosaics of the Sultanahmet mosque
- Learn history about Byzantines, Ottomans and Modern Turks from your expert local guide
- Do not wait in the long queues with Skip-The-Line tickets provided for you
According to your tour pick-up time, meet with your guide and start your full-day tour.
Explore Hagia Sophia; meaning Divine Wisdom, Hagia Sophia was the largest building on earth barring the Egyptian Pyramids or the Great Wall of China. Today's Hagia Sophia was built by Emperor Justinian in 537 AD. It was the religious center of the city during the Byzantine period. It was used as a church for 916 years and as a mosque for 481 years. In 1934, by the order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, it was converted into a museum and has since been open to visitors.
Next, visit the Basilica Cistern; the size of a cathedral, it is 143m long and 65m wide and can hold up to 80,000 cubic meters (or 17.5 million gallons) of water. There are 336 giant columns (mostly Ionic or Corinthian in style) supporting the structure in 12 rows of 28 columns.
Next, visit Topkapi Palace. As well as being the imperial residence of the Sultan, the palace was also the seat of government for the Ottoman Empire. It housed the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years until the Dolmabahçe Palace was built. In 1924, it was converted into a museum. Today it is famous for its harem, royal treasury, and holy relics sections.
Continue to the Hippodrome; built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203 AD, during the Roman period, the Hippodrome was the civil center for the people of the city where once 100,000 spectators could be held. Located in the heart of Sultanahmet, surrounded by the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace, today it is home to The Egyptian Obelisk (Dikilitaş), The Serpentine Column (Burma sütun), The Constantine Column, and the German Fountain.
Next, visit the Blue Mosque; built by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I in the year 1616, it is located opposite Hagia Sophia. The Blue Mosque today is one of the most famous landmarks of the old city with its six minarets and magnificent dome. Although it is officially named Sultanahmet Mosque, the nickname Blue Mosque was given to it by visitors because of the amazing blue tiles decorating the interior walls.
Next, visit the Grand Bazaar; with 18 entrances and more than 4000 shops, it is one of the greatest bazaars in the world. It was built between 1455-1461 by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Today, shops selling the same kind of merchandise tend to be congregated in their own streets or inns as it was in the original Ottoman system.
Key Sights
- Hagia Sophia
- Topkapi Palace(Harem included)
- Basilica Cistern
- Hippodrome
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
Included
- Lunch in a local restaurant
- Professionel licensed tour Guide
- All sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary
- Transfer service from/to Hotels, Istanbul Port
- Land transportation by air-conditioned non-smoking vehicle
Excluded
- Admission fees to attractions
- Beverage during the tour
- Tips to the guide & driver (optional)
- Personal expences
Admission Fee(Per person) -Topkapi Palace Incl. Hagia Irene. Harem Section: 55 USD
-Hagia Sophia: 35 USD -Basilica Cistern: 17 USD
-Free entry for the childrens 8yr and below
Note: Your guide will have pre-paid skip-the-line tickets to avoid long ticket queues. The cost of used entry tickets can be paid to your guide in cash dollar, euro, Turkish lira
Important things to know before you visit
- Please take passport for children if any.
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
- Blue Mosque is closed on Fridays due to Friday prayer we wıll just visit from the garden.
How to get there
Tour bus will pick you up from places mentioned below:
- Hagia Sophia Museum
- Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus
- Pera Palace Hotel
- Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus
- Galata Port Istanbul
- Istanbul Port Hotel
- Nordstern Hotel Galata
- W Hotel
- InterContinental Istanbul
- Legacy Ottoman Hotel
- Grand Hyatt Istanbul
- Sofitel Istanbul Taksim
- Ciragan Palace Kempinski
