Sultanahmet Old City Tour - Private
Description
Please also check my Trip Advisor page, "Ali's Protravel & Tours," where we have received 277 five-star ratings and reviews. . This cultural experience lasts about 6 hours and includes visits to major venues in Istanbul. The tour begins at 10 am in front of Ayasofya, starting with a visit to the Ayasofya Mosque. Next, we will explore the Topkapi Palace Museum. Fast-track entry tickets for the palace will be arranged. After the palace, we will visit the Blue Mosque, followed by a visit to the Roman Cistern. May be a short lunch break at a local restaurant. Finally, the tour will head to the Grand Bazaar for shopping, where you can find hand made rugs, leather products, ceramics, and more. The tour concludes in the Grand Bazaar area 6 hours later. Museum tickets, lunch, and gratuities are not included. The tour is available every day except Saturday, Tuesday, and Sunday. . https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293974-d3570940-Reviews-Ali_s_Protravel_Tours-Istanbul.html
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ayasofya, one of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks! Once a church, then a mosque, then a museum and now a mosque again, it’s a place full of history. You’ll see its stunning domes, mosaics, and calligraphy, each telling a story of centuries past. I’ll share fascinating tales about emperors, sultans, and the secrets hidden in its walls. Walking here feels like stepping back in time—you’ll definitely want your camera ready! Ladies do not forget to bring a scarf.. IMPORTANT : Please note that Ayasofya has been under major restoration since November 2025. It is open, but scaffolding limits the interior view. You may choose to visit only the exterior and replace it with the Blue Mosque. Please let us know your preference before the tour.
Visiting Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque
Welcome to Topkapi Palace, the home of the Ottoman sultans for over 400 years! As we explore, you’ll see amazing courtyards, beautiful tiles, and great views of the Bosphorus. We’ll visit the Harem, where the sultan’s family lived, and the Treasury, with its incredible jewels and famous Topkapi dagger. I’ll share stories about the sultans, point out hidden gems, and make sure you get a real feel for life in the palace. It’s not just a building—it’s a step back in time! Closed on Tuesdays.
Get ready to explore the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets! With over 4,000 shops, you’ll find everything from handmade rugs and leather goods to jewelry, ceramics, and souvenirs. I’ll guide you through the maze of colorful streets, share tips for bargaining like a pro, and point out hidden gems that many visitors miss. It’s not just shopping—it’s an experience full of sights, smells, and stories! IMPORTANT: The Historical Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and during religious holidays. The Spice Bazaar is open 7 days a week. Carpet shopping We can also do optional carpet shopping if you’re interested—no pressure, just a chance to see some beautiful handmade rugs and learn a bit about them. If not interested in carpet shopping..the tour ends at the Grand Bazaar
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- 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
Reviews(8)
Highly recommended! This was my second time in Istanbul, and second tour with Ali and his team - I will always contact them whenever I am in Istanbul. This man is one of the most well-connected and well-informed tour guides in the city; you can tell by the way the locals talk to him when they see him around. His tours pack a lot of information, and depending on how many hours you give for the tour, at the beginning of the tour he will help you prioritize what all to see and how much time to spend in each area. As a big foodie, his recommendations for places to try during/after his tours are always 10/10. One of the places he recommended was so good I went back three days in a row! And honestly the best part is how personable and relatable Ali is - he shared his personal life experiences and gave great life advice as well! Ali and his team are my forever family.
Hello Ajun, Thank you so much for your kind words and continued trust! It was truly a pleasure to see you again in Istanbul and spend time together once more. I’m very happy you enjoyed the tour, the food recommendations, and the overall experience. Looking forward to welcoming you back again in the future — your Istanbul family will always be here for you! Ali
Ali is a wonderful tour guide for Istanbul. He knows the sights really well and gives you a great visit to all of the major cultural sights. He also can give you very good tips for shopping for things such as carpets and ceramics.
Thank you for your kind words! It was a pleasure guiding you through Istanbul's cultural highlights. I'm glad you enjoyed the major sights and found the shopping tips helpful. If you ever return, I'd be happy to show you even more hidden gems or assist with your shopping needs, especially when it comes to authentic carpets and ceramics. Safe travels!
We feel like we made a new friend. Ali was kind, friendly, accommodating, and very knowledgable. We ended up spending more time with him than we budgeted, but only because he knew there was more that we were interested in seeing. The trip to his favorite baklava place, alone, was worth it. Everyone seemed to know him, and we felt completely safe and cared for in his company.
Thank you so much for your heartwarming review! It was truly a pleasure spending extra time with you, and I’m glad we could explore even more of the city together. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the stop at my favorite baklava spot—it's always a treat to share! Making my guests feel comfortable, safe, and cared for is something I take pride in, and I’m so happy you felt that way. I feel like I’ve made new friends as well, and I hope our paths cross again in the future!
Ali is a wonderful tour guide. Our family of 2 Adults and 3 teenagers spent 6 hours with him and loved the experience. He is knowledgeable, engaging and professional. He not only provided great insights to the history of the place, he made it personal with stories of the people who built and lived there. He also provided great tips and advice for other activities we should consider trying while in town. Would definitely use him again for future tours.
Thank you for booking again and such a nice review!..It was a pleasure to meet you and your wonderful family again ..
Best walking tour we have ever had. If you are in Istanbul and want to see the sights at your own pace with a total history you have to book with Ali. We contacted Ali prior to our visit, all very easy and straightforward, outlined what we wanted to see and do no problem. He even offered advise on other booking we wanted to make. On the day he arrived promptly at our hotel to start our private tour. Confirmed the plan for the day discussing best ways to move around the city. Everything was done at a pace of our choosing. We opted to walk to the old city along the way Ali was able to provide details of the city it’s landmarks and their history and how things have changed over time. At the spice bazaar advised of what to get and what to avoid, prices that we should expect to pay. Wonderful detailed history at the Hagia Sophia, Blue mosque and Topkapi palace. Really bringing the places to life! He took us to an excellent authentic Turkish restaurant, delicious food very reasonably priced. Over lunch we discussed life in Istanbul other areas and restaurants worth exploring. Ali was truly fantastic, we honestly felt like it was a day out discovering new things with an old friend.
Dear Kamran and Samia.. Thank you for your nice review..and thank you again for booking. Wish you two best.
Better than good. Excellent is the appropriate descriptor. Brilliantly paced. Excellent descriptions and information provided. Strongly recommended.
Thank you Michael for posting a good review with 5 star rating. Appreciate your support!
We hired Ali for 2 days private tour in Istanbul. We had very limited time and wanted to see everything! Ali took us to what wanted to see and made suggestions what we would like to do. He was flexible to stay longer at some places and go quickly through others. He was so knowledgeable about the city and the history of each landmark. I really enjoyed the stories he told us. His English is great. The first day we walked around Sultanahmet and he was able to help us bypass long lines! He took us to a local kebap place that was not touristy. On the second day we had a van for transport that was cool with aircon for a hot day. We walked around Balat and he didn’t mind as we shopped and even showed us a great children’s charity house that we loved. He took us to his friends stand at the spice market who treated us Worh tastes of Turkish delight, spices,teas, and goodies. I didn’t feel pressured and knew we were getting quality products because I trusted Ali. Then he took us to another local joint for lunch of white beans, rice and veal. I never would have had a traditional delicious lunch without Ali as our guide. Did you know Ali wrote a book about buying Oriental carpets in Turkey? So, he took us to his friends’ place that does wholesale. We bought some amazing authentic and beautiful rugs to take home and have for a lifetime. With all the knockoffs and pushy salesmen in the grand bazaar I was so happy to have this experience. We drank tea in the air con laughed and chatted with the store men. I trust that Ali gave us great advice, the man literally wrote the book on it!! Ali hooked us up with his friends for tours on our next stop in Cappadocia and set up airport transfers for us there. Ali is the best decision we made on our quick trip to Istanbul!
Thank you Dana for such a nice review and rating ! Highly apprecaited...and definietly one of the best ! It was a pleasure for me too to tour with you.. Enjoy the rugs !
<p>Ali is not only a great guide and a knowledgeable professional; he is an amazing person, as well. My girlfriend and I felt like we were touring Istanbul with a good old friend of ours. <br/> Thanks Ali for such a great experience! </p> <p>Alfredo and Cris! New York, NY</p>
