Istanbul Sightseeing Walking Tour
Description
Ideal for travelers who want to experience Istanbul for the first time, this 3-hour city tour will take you on a journey through the landmarks and legends that have shaped modern Istanbul. You’ll stroll through Sultanahmet Square and Ancient Roman Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia and amble past Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Basilica Cistern, hidden areas and bustling streets of Grand Bazaar and Spice Market. Your guide will point out places to get the best local snacks and coffee, as well as show you the main points of interest along the way. Learn about art, food and architecture while discovering the city’s top rated sites from outside. Choose from morning or afternoon departure. • Spot Istanbul’s landmarks, including the Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern • Learn about the city’s history from your guide • Wander the city’s secret backstreets • Stop by Spice Market
Tour Options
Itinerary
Learn about Basilica Cistern and discover the mystery of Medusa heads from Greek mythology and recognize a scene in the James Bond movie From Russia with Love..
Admire the impressive dome one of the world's architectural masterpieces once was the world’s largest cathedral..
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.
The Caferağa Medresseh is a former medrese and now recognized as an important center of Turkish classical arts where traditional Turkish handicrafts such as calligraphy, ceramics, jewelry and so forth are taught, made and sold.
This is a small street with beautiful historic Ottoman era houses
Learn about the residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans and hear the glory of the past.
This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque by many tourists 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.
Go to the former Hippodrome of Byzantine chariot races, see the ruins and hear the stories behind the scene
Constructed as a present from German Emperor Wilhelm II in 1898, it represents one of the most beautiful monuments in Istanbul.
Also known as the Serpentine Column, Plataean Tripod or Delphi Tripod, is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
A Roman monument in the form of an obelisk. It is situated at the southern end of the ancient chariot-racing track of Constantinople
"Shop till you drop" in Tahtakale, a sub-district of Istanbul's Eminönü, where you can find anything and everything you are looking for, all for resonable prices.
Experience the bustle of the Spice Market and lose yourself among the spice, herbs, nuts and Turkish Delight stalls.
An area renowned for its restaurants, cafe culture and shops.
This bridge spans the Golden Horn, connecting the old city with Beyoglu, the modern district of Istanbul.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(35)
Great walking tour to do when trying to navigate around Istanbul Old Town for the first time. Erol was great in giving a good balance of showing you around the main landmarks with a little history on the way, and also tips for the rest of your stay. He was happy to answer questions and offer some of the local tips which makes the rest of your stay more enjoyable. Definitely worth doing on your first day!
Since I was the only one, I had a private tour. Erroll was my guide and we stopped at all the sites where he gave a wonderful history of Haggia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns, Blue Mosque, German Fountain, Hippodrome, Arasta Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. It is a lot of walking so be prepared. It took about 4 hours and was worth it.
I did a walking tour with Erol and it was enjoyable. He is very knowledgeable and I felt comfortable throughout the whole experience. He is well prepared and has plastic bags ready for you to put your shoes in when you are stepping into the mosques, a tiny touch of service which I truly appreciate! The tour was conducted at a good pace — never rushed, but always engaging — and I learned so many interesting things about the history and culture of this city. Truly appreciate how everything was clearly explained and it made my trip fun. I highly recommend this tour if you want to learn more about the history. Thank you for the good experience!
A single tour with lots of information through a friendly and pleasant guide. Because I was the only one we could change the program a little. I invited the guide to a traditional restaurant which he suggested. Was super delicious everything. Thank you!
We had a fantastic first morning in Istanbul with Erol Ütgün. He was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful for our first time in the city. He oriented us by showing us the Roman obelisk and explaining the history of the Basilica Cistern. We didn’t wait long to enter the Blue Mosque, where we were able to admire the beautiful stained glass and tiles while Erol explained the history and meaning behind them. He also described the Hippodrome and the Egyptian obelisk so clearly that we could really picture the ancient city. To reach the Spice Market, he led us through the uncrowded palace gardens, where workers were planting tulip bulbs for spring. Erol told us about the long history of tulips in Istanbul and that they are even part of the city’s logo — such a fun fact! All in all, Erol was an excellent guide and made our introduction to Istanbul memorable and meaningful. Highly recommended.
Gamze our guide was absolutely marvellous. Very knowledgeable and shared her insights with grace and good humour.
Very informative and a great way to get a quick overview and a good orientation to the city. Be aware it may not be 4 hours. Ours was over in 2 hours but maybe that was because there were only 2 of us.
Two stars because I had to reschedule and they were accommodating. My tour guide was Kim and it was the least informative tour I’ve taken, and I travel several times a year. From the moment I met her, she kept repeating the same sentences. I didn't leave the tour feeling like I’d learned much about Istanbul’s culture. She had an errand to run at a Hammam and I basically waited until she was finished, very strange. She tried to get me to sign up for Hammam and to pay for another tour (Basilica) which I’ve never experienced before. Usually my tours stick to the script and they don’t try to “sell” other products. I wouldn’t recommend this tour at all. Sorry.
The tour was well organized and Erol was a wonderful guide. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the area/sites we visited and also had recommendations for local restaurants and bakeries. A very enjoyable experience.
We thoroughly enjoyed this walking tour. Erol was a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable and friendly. He was happy to adapt the tour to our needs and also provided lots of practical information. We did this tour first thing on our arrival to Istanbul, so this was very useful. Definitely recommend.
