From Byzantium to the Ottomans: A Journey Through History
Description
Discover Istanbul’s top highlights on a guided walking tour! Visit Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, and Grand Bazaar with an expert guide. A perfect mix of history, culture, and unforgettable moments!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The ancient Aya Sofya, often called Hagia Sophia in English and one of Istanbul’s most iconic and enduring monuments at nearly 15 centuries old, has been converted from a museum back into a mosque with a recent decree from Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The building has been classified as a museum since 1934 after a declaration from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first Turkish president and founder of the Republic of Turkey. The structure, considered a jewel of Byzantine architecture, was originally built as a cathedral in 537 CE by Roman Emperor Justinian I. Aya Sofya also had an almost five-century stint as a mosque when the Ottomans conquered Istanbul, then called Constantinople, in 1453 and converted the building into a religious space for Muslims.
İstanbul's most photogenic building was the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I (r 1603–17), whose tomb is located on the north side of the site facing Sultanahmet Park. The mosque's wonderfully curvaceous exterior features a cascade of domes and six slender minarets. Blue İznik tiles adorn the interior and give the building its unofficial but commonly used name.
The Byzantine emperors loved nothing more than an afternoon at the chariot races, and this rectangular arena alongside Sultanahmet Park was their venue of choice. In its heyday, it was decorated by obelisks and statues, some of which remain in place today. Re-landscaped in more recent years, it is one of the city's most popular meeting places and promenades.
Topkapı is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines and scheming eunuchs lived and worked here between the 15th and 19th centuries when it was the court of the Ottoman empire. A visit to the palace's opulent pavilions, jewel-filled Treasury and sprawling Harem gives a fascinating glimpse into their lives.
The colourful and chaotic Grand Bazaar is the heart of İstanbul's Old City and has been so for centuries. Starting as a small vaulted bedesten (warehouse) built by order of Mehmet the Conqueror in 1461, it grew to cover a vast area as lanes between the bedesten, neighbouring shops and hans (caravanserais) were roofed and the market assumed the sprawling, labyrinthine form that it retains today.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please let us know if your pick up place is not listed here.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
Unfortunately, this tour did not live up to expectations, especially considering the high cost. I actually learned more about Turkish culture and history on a food tour I took than on this one. Our guide rushed us through each stop, often speed walking without giving us time to truly take in the sites or snap photos. Despite knowing I was pregnant, he made no effort to adjust the pace. I often found myself 20–40 feet behind the group of 3 of us, and he never once checked in or acknowledged it. Lunch was another disappointing moment. Not only did he choose an expensive restaurant, but he also allowed us to cover his meal without offering to pay us back—or even saying thank you. Overall, the experience felt impersonal and awkward. We did our best to remain positive: we made small talk, bought him a drink, and my husband even insisted on leaving a tip. But in the end, it felt like our presence and experience didn’t matter to the guide at all. This was especially disheartening because every other part of our visit to Istanbul has been truly wonderful. Sadly, this tour was the one real letdown.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed review. We are truly sorry to hear that your tour did not meet your expectations, especially during such an important trip to Istanbul. Your feedback is very important to us, and we sincerely apologize for the shortcomings you experienced. We regret that the pacing of the tour was not adjusted to your needs, particularly knowing you were pregnant. Guest comfort is always our priority, and we understand how frustrating and exhausting it must have felt to be left behind. This is something we will immediately address with the guide to ensure greater awareness, flexibility, and attentiveness in the future. We are also very sorry to learn about your lunch experience. It is unacceptable for a guide to allow guests to cover their meal without acknowledgment, and we are taking this matter seriously. Our guides are expected to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and courtesy, and we will reinforce this expectation with our team. Your comments regarding the rushed pace, lack of personal connection, and overall impersonal feeling are invaluable. They highlight areas where we clearly need to improve in order to provide the warm, memorable, and engaging experiences that Istanbul deserves to showcase. Please know that this is not reflective of the service we aim to provide. We would love the chance to make it right for you—should you return to Istanbul, we would be more than happy to arrange a complimentary private tour tailored at your pace, so you can truly enjoy the history, culture, and atmosphere at a level of care and attention you deserve. Once again, thank you for your honest feedback. We wish you all the best for the rest of your travels and hope we have the opportunity to restore your confidence in our services.
Tour guide was late and creepy towards my female friend, made the time uncomfortable and the information provided went barely beyond placards near key areas. Would not book again or recommend would rather use the free audio tour materials provided at the pavilion.
We are deeply sorry to read about your experience and sincerely apologize for the discomfort and disappointment you faced during your tour. Professionalism, respect, and guest safety are our highest priorities, and it is unacceptable that your experience fell short in these essential areas. We take your comments very seriously. The behavior you described does not reflect our standards, and we have already started an internal review to address this matter with the guide in question. Every guest should feel safe, respected, and comfortable at all times, and we regret that this was not the case for you and your friend. Additionally, we apologize that the guiding did not go beyond the basic information you could have accessed independently. Our tours are meant to provide insightful context, engaging storytelling, and memorable moments—not just facts from placards. We clearly failed to deliver on this promise. We truly value your honest feedback as it highlights areas where we must improve. Please know that this is not representative of the service we aim to provide. We will take immediate steps to ensure stronger quality control and to reinforce professional standards across our team. Although we cannot change your experience, we would like the opportunity to regain your trust. Should you return to Istanbul, we would be happy to arrange a complimentary private tour with one of our senior guides to provide you with the professional, safe, and enriching experience you deserved from the beginning. Once again, our sincere apologies, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Great way to discover the most iconic places of Istanbul for a first timer. Very well organised tour and knowledgeable guide to help you falling in love with Istanbul 👍
Dear Ms. Olga, Thank you very much for your nice comments. We are very happy that we provided you with a nice experience. Best Regards
The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia were amazing! Our guide was 1 1/2 hour late on picking us up! I lost 2 hours of sleep!
Thank you for your nice comments... we actually updated the pick-up time to 10:00 and sent a message to your phone number in the system.. also, the reason we changed the time was because we arranged the tour specifically for you. for this reason, please accept our apologies.
Like most Viator tours I have done in foreign countries, the driver was late to pick up (30 minutes), but once we finally started, everything went smoothly. Beza is a friendly guide and informative. Full day tour, and I saw what I wanted to see.
Thank you very much for your valuable comment, you are right about being late and please accept our apologies. We will work harder to improve ourselves and minimize problems.
Istanbul is one of my favorite cities and this tour really shows off it’s top attractions. This is a must see tour when visiting Istanbul.
Dear Mr. John, Many thanks for your kind feedback. We are very happy to get above message from you.
