Istanbul Byzantine and Ottoman Tour: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar
Description
Admire the best of Byzantine and Ottoman Istanbul on this full-day tour of this endlessly absorbing city. Traveling in a luxury minivan with a knowledgeable guide, check out five top Istanbul attractions that recall these two all-powerful empires. Visit the extraordinary Hagia Sophia and beautiful Blue Mosque, marvel at the treasures of the Topkapi Palace, once the court of Ottoman sultans, and explore the atmospheric Grand Bazaar, whose roots date to the 15th century. With numbers limited to 12, this small-group tour ensures you get in-depth attention from your guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The former imperial residence from where the Great Ottoman Empire was ruled. Today a spectacular museum that has one of the largest collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain and the very famous treasury of the royal family.
The magnificent Byzantine Church of all times; one of the finest and largest architectural works of art in the world. It has been nominated to be the 8th wonder of the world by many historians.
The former center of sportive and political activities of Constantinople. During the visit you'll be able to see the Obelisk from Egypt, Serpentine Column from Delphi, and fountain of Wilhelm II.
One of the biggest mosques of Istanbul from 17th. century architecture is one of the principal adornments on the skyline of Istanbul. Also famous for its blue tiles and 6 minarets.
In addition to its historical importance, it's a bazaar that will tempt even the nonshoppers with its rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewellery, leather and souvenirs.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We provide pick up from designated pick up points
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
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Entrance Fees to Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace is excluded
Reviews(38)
We had a wonderful tour with Kamel. He is very knowledgeable and moved at the pace we preferred. Not only did we learn a lot about history ( which he is highly educated in) he helped with local shopping suggestions. He gave good advice on navigating the city on our own.
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We are very happy to hear that you had great time with our guide Mr. Kemal :)
Our tour of Istanbul was extaordinary. We were given an thorough explanation of each of the locations we visited and were given adequate time to take pictures and explore. Kemal our guide went above and beyond to ensure our experiences was outstanding. I would definitely recommend the our and the tour guide. He makes you feel like you are being guided by a long time friend.
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We are very happy to hear that you had great time with our guide Mr. Kemal:)
Could only see 30%Topkapi palace due to renovations. Couldn’t enter the blue mosque under after 230 due to it being Friday so the lines were MEGA long (our group opted to skip it) and it’s not even summer. Very disappointed that we were not informed of this in advance.
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience. At times, especially when cruise ships are in port, major sites in Istanbul can become very crowded. We do our best to manage this with timing and skip-the-line tickets where possible. As mentioned in the tour details, mosques are closed during prayer times, particularly on Fridays, when access can be more limited. Additionally, some sections of Topkapi Palace may be under renovation, which is beyond our control. We appreciate your understanding and your feedback.
Kemal Aslan was a great tour guide. Very insightful and gave a very well paced tour. He was able to give us all the historical facts behind the attraction.
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We all hope to see you in Turkey with a longer trip..
Wife and I just completed the Istanbul tour and it was outstanding. Our tour guide, Kemal was extremely knowledgeable on the history of Istanbul, had an enjoyable personality and was flexible to our interests. We maximized the day under his guidance and would highly recommend.
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We all hope to see you in Turkey with a longer trip..
A tour organized really well, you are picked up directly from the hotel and we had a guide KEMAL ASLANI who was really good, serious and available to any question.Top.
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We all hope to see you in Turkey with a longer trip..
It was okay. The day we went for the tour was so chaotic due to protest going on. The bus company let us stay in the stop with all the huge crowd making me nervous. They should rerouted their tours knowing the event for the safety of their customers. Staying in the bus for 1.5 hrs wasn't great for what to expect to happen next. We finally left after 1.5 hrs rerouting the bus which should have been done earlier. Over all the tour went well after that.
Thank you very much for choosing our services and your valuable feedback. There was a protest in Istanbul on that day, and the touring area was crazy crowded, it was out of our control. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Great way to learn about significant landmarks. Also being able to skip admission lines makes a big difference!
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We all hope to see you in Turkey with a longer trip..
A fantastic tour led by Baris, a great historian who made every site interesting, made sure we got the best views, took photos and went well above what was expected. The Top. Palace was closed and so he took me to the Basilica Cistern while the others went to the bazaar. His knowledge of history was so impressive but he also spoke beautiful English and was very kind and charming. I wish all tour guides were as good. I felt completely safe to ask any questions. He was also protective, which was nice for a solo female traveler.
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We all hope to see you in Turkey with a longer trip..
Okan was an excellent tour guide: Informative, suitably sociable, patient, responsive. The information was condensed yet thoughtful and full of interest. However, the tour organisation was not so helpful. The “pick up’ for the tour was supposed to begin in front of the Radisson hotel which was very close to our accommodation. In reality we were told to meet at the German Fountain monument which about 20 mins walk uphill (and meeting a half hour earlier) .This was manageable for us but for some people would have been an unpleasant or unworkable surprise. The tour was advertised as full day but be warned you will be walking for at least 5 or 6 hours with hardly a break. Then lunch at about 2 pm (met at 8.30am) and after that another half to one hour of walking again. Take water with you and make sure to chose the option you want (set menu or a la carte) for your lunch. The guide was excellent (I am a guide myself) but the tour might easily be better set up
Thank you very much for choosing our services. We all hope to see you in Turkey with a longer trip..
