Share this tour
Offered languages
- English
Visit the historic ‘old town’ of bustling Istanbul on this tour. Photo opportunities await at Sultanahmet’s notable religious sites including the Underground Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque. Wander through aromatic spice markets after exploring the Byzantine heritage of the Hippodrome. Witness the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire influences in this part of Turkey's great metropolis.
⦿ Tour the historic reference points of the old town with an English speaking tour guide
⦿ Benefit from a smaller tour group that can be customised to your interests
⦿ Sample Turkish delights in the Grand Bazaar and visit a local carpet workshop
⦿ Enjoy the best scenery of Istanbul from Blue Mosque
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet your guide outside 'FOODIE-IST CAFE AND BRASSERIE,' just a 2-minute walk from the (T1) Sultanahmet tram stop. Your guide, easily identifiable by their tour guide badge, will be waiting for you at the cafe entrance.
Itinerary
-
1Basilica Cistern
Largest of several hundred ancient Byzantine cisterns built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565). Huge underground Roman water source held up with 336 marble columns covering 9,800 sq. meters.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included -
2Blue Mosque
A popular tourist site, sits next to the Hagia Sophia, and continues to function as a mosque today. The Blue Mosque, as it is popularly known, was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes with traditional Ottoman architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period.
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Hippodrome
The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social center of Constantinople. Today it is a square with a few fragments of the original structure surviving. Monuments decorating the Hippodrome include the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column...
20 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Sultanahmet Square
This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Pass by)
The Church of Divine Wisdom, a fifteen hundred years old splendid monument, is a must see in Istanbul, built to be the world’s largest place of worship by Emperor Justinian in 532 AD.
Admission ticket free -
5Grand Bazaar
Grand Covered Bazaar
15 minutes • Admission ticket free -
Historic Areas of Istanbul (Pass by)
The historical city of Istanbul, the only city in the world located on two continents, was the capital of three great empires; Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Sultanahmet Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee.
- It may be challenging to do the tour with a stroller, not recommended.
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday
Show 2 more
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Sultanahmet Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee.
- It may be challenging to do the tour with a stroller, not recommended.
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday
- It is a walking tour, so there is a moderate amount of walking involved
- IF ALL INCLUSIVE OPTION IS NOT SELECTED: Entrance to Basilica Cistern (900TL per person) is not included in the tour price. Once you pay your entrance fee to your tour guide, you will have the privilege of skipping the ticket queue. You can pay the tour guide preferably cash in TRY (or in equivalent to USD or EURO).
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Show more
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience
Top Searches
Get our app
