Istanbul Highlights: Guided Tour with Turkish Tea or Coffee
Description
This exceptional small-group tour offers you the chance to explore the most iconic sites in the Old Town, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Basilica Cistern, all while skipping the ticket lines. Your expert tour guide will accompany you inside each site, providing fascinating insights to help you fully appreciate their beauty and cultural significance. Along the way, you’ll also enjoy a complimentary Turkish tea or coffee. For a more tailored experience, you can choose the private tour option.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Hagia Sophia was once the principal church for all Christians, and after the division in Christianity, it became the leading church for the Orthodox community. Following the conquest of Istanbul by the Turks, it was transformed into a mosque. Your guide will take you inside and provide in-depth information to help you appreciate its beauty even more. Please note that the entry fee is 25 Euros per person, and we will purchase the tickets for you to skip the line. Kindly have the amount ready in cash. starting 15th January 2024, Hagia Sophia entrance fee will be 25 Euros apply all foreginers.
We're going to explore the Basilica Cistern, an ancient water storage system designed to withstand long sieges. With its vast size and 336 columns, it's often referred to as the 'Underground Palace.' It's not only a remarkable historical site but also offers a unique and fascinating experience beneath the streets of Istanbul." Please note that the entry fee is 900 TL per person, and we will purchase the tickets for you to skip the line. Kindly have the amount ready in cash. ( officials share that it will be 1300 TL pp but date is not confirmed yet ).
We will visit the world-renowned Blue Mosque, officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Its stunning blue tiles and vibrant ceiling give it the nickname "Blue Mosque." Inside, your guide will explain Islam while you explore the breathtaking beauty of this architectural masterpiece.
The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire.
At a point during the tour, your guide will choose a stop where you can enjoy a complimentary Turkish coffee or tea.
Small Group Tours
Visit one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world - Istanbul's Grand Bazaar
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and will be replaced with Spice Bazaars
- On Religious Fests Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed and your guides can show alternative sites
- Meeting Time for the small group tours are 10 am ( 2 pm on fridays ) and if you book private option, meeting time is up to you.
- Tours Ends near Grand Bazaar
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- None has right the skip the lines in Blue Mosque
Reviews(280)
We were a small tour of 4 people plus our wonderful guide Fatiye. The tour took in the German fountain, Egyptian Column, the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sofia. Skipping the queues was definitely a plus but having such a knowledgeable guide was really the highlight. Fatiye was really entertaining and delivered all the things we wanted to know (and many other things we didn't know we even needed to know!) in a really easy to understand way. It was a great way to start exploring the city
What a Turkish Delight in so many ways. Our guide Fatih was delightful from the time he met us and his knowledge and passion for Istanbul was infectious. He took us to all the city highlights starting with the Blue Mosque. We really appreciated his history of the Turkish people and the Ottoman Empire. As well as his explanation of the different eras of architecture and ruins in Istanbul. Our highlight was the Cisterna Bascilica as well as the secret beer stop and the best lamb kebabs ever! Thank you Fatih for a wonderful day and making 8 Aussies fall In love with Istanbul.
It was a great experience for anyone who wants to truly feel the spirit of Istanbul! Our guide was very knowledgeable and extremely friendly. The attention to detail was truly impressive when describing the history of the city. Turkish tea and coffee at the end of the tour took the experience to a different point. It was especially special with the Turkish Tea Company’s tea, flavor, and presentation. The traditional flavor is served with a modern and elegant touch, making a real difference. Highly recommended for those who want a both cultural and sensory experience. It was a blast to be part of the story with a sip of tea while exploring Istanbul!
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Muhammed was great and spent so much time teaching, discussing the history of all the mosques-just had an amazing time and experience
AAA tour! Our guide was KC and his knowledge is superb. He took time to explain our day and made sure explaining the historical value of everything we toured. We felt at ease and comfortable with KC.
Muhammed was our guide and he was so engaging and knowledgeable! We had a wonderful morning and learned so much about Istanbul - its history, challenges and culture. Highly recommend!!!
We felt lucky to have Özge as a guide and we were the only ones who went on the guided tour that day. All the activities went very smoothly, we learned a lot new things. It was friendly and relaxed atmosphere and we very much appreciated Özge's commitment ❤️
Good tour but our tour guide was very long winded and irritable. Wish we would’ve done it on our own. We also ended up paying over $150 in tickets to each place. Too expensive.
Thank you for your review. We're sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations. However, we would kindly like to clarify a few points mentioned. As noted in the tour details at the time of booking, this was a group tour, and hotel pick-up was not included (As you asked to meet at your hotel ) We also clearly state that entrance fees are not included in the tour price. Specifically, the entrance to Hagia Sophia is €25 and the Basilica Cistern is 1500 TL per person (approximately €57 in total per person). For two guests, this comes to roughly €114, not $150 as mentioned for each site. We always encourage our guests to review the tour description carefully before booking to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all. We hope this helps clarify any misunderstandings, and we truly appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve. Best regards,
Highly recommend this tour. Our guide Muhammad was knowledgeable and engaging. He summarised complex history of Istanbul very well and was full of dad jokes! A couple of rest stops on the way as it was hot and we had refreshing lemon drink as part of the tour. Easy to find starting point.
