Istanbul Small-Group City and Secret Streets Tour with Guide
Description
The former capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul is a vibrant city filled with magnificent architecture and a rich history as the bridge between east and west. Perfect for first-time visitors, this in-depth guided walking tour covers the main attractions while also venturing to hard-to-find secret spots. Leave the navigation to your guide, who also provides illuminating commentary. After meeting your guide at Sultanahmet Square, head off on a scenic stroll through one of the world’s most spectacular cities. Your guide will tell stories from the heyday of Byzantine and Ottoman rule as you wander the picturesque streets. This tour aims to give you an overview of the city, its historic attractions, museums, local arts and traditions etc.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This spacious Roman built cistern shows off impressive Roman engineering was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul has been backdrop for many movies over time. Its cavernous depths make a great retreat on hot summer days.
This is a small street with beautiful historic houses which are leaning against the wall of Topkapi Palace.
The Caferağa Medresseh is a former medrese and now recognised as an important centre of Turkish classical arts where traditional Turkish handicrafts such as calligraphy, ceramics, jewelry and so forth are taught, made and sold.
Began its life as a church in 532 AD, converted into a mosque after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and now a museum since 1935. By general consensus, it is the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments built under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage site in Istanbul and famous for its lofty interior, stunning surviving mosaics and the massive dome...
Imperial residence of Ottoman sultans is the subject of more colorful 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. About 24 sultans ruled from the Topkapı Palace for nearly four centuries during the Ottoman Empire's 600-year reign
"Sultan Ahmet Center", the heart of the "Old City" from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled
The Walled Obelisk or Masonry Obelisk (Turkish: Örme Dikilitaş) is a Roman monument in the form of an obelisk. It is situated at the southern end of the ancient chariot-racing track of Constantinople's central barrier, beside the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpentine Column.
Constructed as a present from German Emperor Wilhelm II in 1898, it represents one of the most beautiful monuments in Istanbul.
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...
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque by many tourists because of its bluish interior decoration( blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design), is the most important mosque of Istanbul standing next to the Byzantine Hippodrome in the old city center..
Also known as the Serpentine Column, Plataean Tripod or Delphi Tripod, is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known as Atmeydanı "Horse Square" in the Ottoman period). It is part of an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally in Delphi and relocated to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in 324.
This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
"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.
No visit to Istanbul is complete without stopping by the atmospheric Spice Bazaar with roots dating back to 1660, this is one Istanbul's most famous bazaars. Vividly coloured spices are displayed alongside jewel-like lokum (Turkish delight) at this Ottoman-era marketplace, providing eye candy for the thousands of tourists and locals who make their way here every day. Stalls also sell caviar, dried herbs, honey, nuts and dried fruits.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- There is a moderate amount of walking involved
Reviews(208)
Our guide was Errol and he was super friendly, open and very well informed As it says in the description you visit all the key sites, understand what they are and why they are there and then if you want to go back and enjoy in more detail you can. The tours also included a meander through a couple of markets and plenary of time for general chat about the city, customs and food with lots of tips. It’s about 3.5 hours so you might want to stop for a coffee half way. It’s a great intro to the city and Errol was an excellent host.
This was a small-group tour and it happened to just be 2 people on this walking tour and we have been to Istanbul 10 years ago. We got more specific and we appreciated how Tolga tailored it to our curiosities.
It was all walking and that wasnt expected. I wouldnt do it again. Our guide was nice and knowledgeable but too quiet so hard to hear and understand.
The entire place felt serene, as if time slowed down just for me. It’s the kind of spot where you can wander for hours and still feel like you’ve discovered something new. The experience was even more great with the help of my tour guide named, Tolga.
What a beautiful review! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and personal experience. We are thrilled to hear that the serene atmosphere of the location resonated with you so deeply, and that you felt like you could get lost in its history. We're especially proud to hear that Tolga enhanced your experience. We believe our guides are key to making a tour unforgettable, and we will be sure to pass on your kind words to him. Your feedback truly captures the magic we hope to share with all our guests.
Zeynep (aka Dimple) was amazing!! Super friendly, personable and very knowledgeable. Wonderful perspective of the city and the rich history.. Would highly recommend.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that your experience with Zeynep (also known as Dimple) was so amazing. It’s great to know that you found her to be super friendly, personable, and knowledgeable. We believe our guides are key to sharing the rich history and unique perspective of Istanbul, and it sounds like she did a fantastic job. Your high recommendation means a lot to us, and we'll be sure to pass on your kind words to her.
It was a great and detailed tour. The tour guide knew the information well. I was really late to my tour and the tour guide waited. I really appreciated that.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're so glad you had a great and detailed Istanbul tour and that your guide was so knowledgeable. We also appreciate you highlighting our guide's patience. We understand that unexpected delays happen, and we are proud that our guides go the extra mile to make sure our guests have a positive experience from start to finish. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to your guide.
This was a great tour providing extensive information about the sites and history of Istanbul Turkey. I learned so much in a short period of time. Our guide Erol was very enthusiastic, passionate and personable. I highly recommend him and the tour!
Thank you for this fantastic review! We are so glad to hear that you had a great experience on our Istanbul tour and that it provided you with so much information in a short period of time. We are incredibly proud of Erol, and it's wonderful to know that his enthusiasm, passion, and personable nature made such a positive impact on your tour. We will be sure to pass along your high recommendation to him.
Tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all of our many questions. We saw all the major highlights and felt he covered all topics well. He gave us recommendations plus took us to some place that we asked about but wasn’t part of the tour but made time for something we wanted to see without taking away from everything else on the tour. Well worth it!
Thank you for the fantastic review! We are so glad to hear that you had a great experience with our tour guide. It's wonderful that you felt he was so knowledgeable and that he covered all the major highlights and topics so well. We're especially proud that he went the extra mile to accommodate your specific request, showing you something you wanted to see that wasn't on the original itinerary. That kind of personal touch is what we aim for, and we agree—it makes the experience well worth it! We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him.
Excellent guide, extremely knowledgeable. Don't know how to spell his name something like Torg. Interesting
Thank you for your review! We're so glad you had such a great experience and found your guide to be excellent and extremely knowledgeable. It sounds like you're referring to **Tolga**, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. We're proud to have him on our team!
The vendor canceled the tour the night before because they didn’t have enough signed up. I hope I am not charged.??? Ok as long as my cc is not charged.
I am so sorry to hear that the tour you booked was canceled on such short notice. That's definitely not the experience we want for our customers. I can confirm that you will not be charged for a canceled tour. A full refund has been processed, and you should see it reflected on your credit card statement in the next 5-10 business days, depending on your bank's processing time. We understand your frustration and truly apologize for the inconvenience this caused. We hope you will give us another chance to show you the amazing experience our tours provide.
