All-inclusive Private Guided 3-day Tour of Istanbul

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival in Istanbul
1 stop
1
Bosphorus Strait
Enjoy a Bosphorus Cruise, where you will see all the diversity of Istanbul at the same time. Mosques, mansions, bridges, seagulls and more. Do not forget to have some simit with you; seagulls will beg you to have some and make circles around you.
4 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Old Town
4 stops
2
Blue Mosque
The official name of this big and gorgeous mosque is Sultanahmet mosque. It was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I and attracts large numbers of tourists every year. It is like a symbol of Istanbul and a must-see place.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
3
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
Hagia Sophia is one of the most amazing historical buildings in Istanbul. It was a basilica planned patriarchal cathedral built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinianus between the years 532-537 in the old city center of Istanbul and was converted into a mosque by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1453 after Constantinople was taken by the Ottomans. In 1935, Hagia Sophia became a museum. Recently, it was changed back into a mosque. Hagia Sophia is a domed basilica type that combines the basilica plan and the central plan in terms of architects and is considered as an important turning point in the history of architecture with its dome transition and bearing system features. This building, which has been standing for 15 centuries, is among the masterpieces of art history and the world of architecture and has become a symbol of Byzantine architecture with its large dome.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
4
Basilica Cistern
One of Istanbul's splendid historical buildings is the Basilica Cistern located in the southwest of Hagia Sophia. This large underground cistern built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565) was named as Yerebatan Palace among the people due to the seemingly countless marble columns rising from the water. It is also known as Basilica Cistern since there is a Basilica in the place where the cistern is located.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
5
Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is a massive historical covered market, which has about 4000 stores and more than 60 streets inside it. Both of these make your shopping easy and fun. Thousands of traditional items will satisfy you as gift options for you and your loved ones.
2 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
Topkapi Palace & Istanbul Archeological Museum
3 stops
6
TopkapI Palace
Construction of Topkapi Palace was started in 1460 and was completed in 1478. It was not built with all its additional structures at once, expanded with the additions until the 19th century. Topkapi Palace is one of the iconic structures of the city. I was the administration, education and art center of the empire for about four hundred years from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to the 31st Sultan, Sultan Abdülmecid. It was also the home of the Sultans. Topkapı Palace, which was turned into a museum on April 3, 1924, after the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, has the distinction of being the first museum of the Republic.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
7
Chora Museum
The first Chora Church was rebuilt by Justinianus (527-565) in place of this chapel. In the era of Komnenoi, it served as the court chapel for important religious ceremonies, thanks to its nearness to the Palace of Blachernae. Chora Church (Chora Kirke) was destroyed during the Latin invasion (1204-1261) and repaired in the reign of Andronikos II (1282-1328) by the Treasury Minister of the palace, Theodore Metochites (1313). It was expanded towards north, an exonarthex was added to its western side and a chapel (Parecclesion) to its southern side, and it was decorated with mosaics and frescoes. After continuing to serve as a church following the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the building was converted into a mosque in 1511 by Vizier Hadim Ali Pasha. It was converted into a museum in 1945, and during the restoration in 1948-1959 carried out by the Byzantine Institute of America, the mosaics and frescoes were uncovered and brought to daylight.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
8
Istanbul Archaeological Museum
The construction of the main building was started by Hamdi Bey in 1881, with its official opening held on June 13th, 1891. The architect was Alexander Vallaury (who also designed the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul). The facade of the building was inspired by the Alexander Sarcophagus and Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women, both housed inside the Museum. The inscription in Ottoman Turkish on the pediments of the gates at the entrance of the museum says “Asar-ı Atika Müzesi” (Museum of Antiquities). The tughra on the inscription belongs to Sultan Abdulhamid II. The building is considered by many as the preeminent example of neoclassical style architecture in Istanbul. Upon its 100th anniversary in 1991, the museum received the European Council Museum Award, particularly for the renovations made to the lower floor halls in the main building and the new displays in the other buildings.
2 hours • Admission ticket included

Additional info

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

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