Istanbul: Full-Day Guided Tour of the Old City
ID: GYG403152-731878
Category:
Country: Turkey
Duration:
06:00 hours
Description
Join a guided tour of Istanbul and spend a full day exploring the historic city center and its sights with a professional guide.
Visit Istanbul's must-see sights on a full-day tour with an expert guide. See the Hagia Sophia, explore the opulent Topkapi Palace, marvel at the blue Iznik tiles at the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, visit the Hippodrome and take in the colors and sights of the Grand Bazaar.
Start your sightseeing adventure with a convenient pickup from your hotel and head to your first stop, St. Sophia. An architectural marvel, this ancient basilica was built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century.
From here, your tour takes you to Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. View the exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain housed in the Palace Museum, along with the robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, and much more.
Your next stop on this city sightseeing tour is the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque. Learn about the history of this impressive structure and discover why it is also known as the Blue Mosque.
Follow your guide as you head to see the Hippodrome. This square was once a circus that served as the sporting and social center of Constantinople. See the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
End your tour on a high note as your guide takes you to visit the Grand Spice Bazaar. Stroll through the labyrinth of streets and passages lined with more than 4,000 stores. Discover merchants selling carpets, hand-painted ceramic plates, meerschaum pipes, hand-hewn copperware, and much more.
Highlights
- Spend a full day immersing yourself in Istanbul's rich history
- Visit the city's most iconic sights
- See the Hagia Sophia
- Explore the opulent Topkapi Palace
- Admire the blue Iznik tiles that adorn the interior walls of the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque
- Discover the hustle and bustle of the Grand Spice Bazaar
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday
Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque is closed on Friday
The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday
Please wait in your hotel lobby 5 minutes before the scheduled pickup time.
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 48 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 48 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.