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Istanbul · Turkey
SKIP THE LINE: Istanbul City Highlights SMALL GROUP Tour w/LUNCH
Starting From
From $58.36 per person
Current Project Expedition rate
Experience inventory, live availability and secure booking provided by
Project Expedition
The Experience
What your day looks like
Enjoy a full-day tour of the UNESCO site of Sultanahmet Old Istanbul with an extensive guided tour. You`ll enjoy the magical Istanbul and its signature sights: the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome of Constantinople, and Grand Bazaar.
Highlights
Why travelers choose this experience
- This is a customized fullday smallgroup tour with an expert local guide.
- Visit Topkapi Palace; It housed the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years.
- Experience shopping with locals in the worldfamous Grand Bazaar
- Walk through the Hippodrome and see German Fountains and magnificent Blue Mosque
- Visit Hagia Sophia with its breathtaking mosaics
- Learn history from your expert local guide about Byzantines, Ottomans, and modern Turks
- SkipTheLine tickets provided
Your Itinerary
Your day, step by step
Day 1
Istanbul
Sightseeing at Hagia Sophia. Meaning Divine Wisdom, Hagia Sophia was the largest building on earth barring the Egyptian Pyramids or the Great Wall of China. Today's Hagia Sophia was built by the Emperor Justinian in 537AD. It was the religious center of the city during the Byzantine period. It was used as a church for 916 years and as a mosque for 481 years, In 1934, by the order of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it was converted into a museum and has since been open to the visitors.
Continued
Istanbul
Sightseeing at Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Built by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I in the year 1616, it is located opposite the Hagia Sophia. Blue mosque today is one of the most famous landmarks of the old city with its famous six minarets and magnificent dome. Although it is officially named Sultanahmet Mosque, the (nıck) name Blue Mosque was given to it by the visitors because of the amazing blue tiles decorating the interior walls.
Continued
Istanbul
Sightseeing at Hippodrome Of Constantinople. Built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203AD, during the Roman period hippodrome was the civil center for the people of the city where once 100,000 spectators could be held. Located in the heart of Sultanahmet surrounded by Blue mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi palace, today it is home to The Egyptian Obelisk (Dikilitaş), The Serpentine Column(Burma sütun), The Constantine Column and German Fountain.
Continued
Istanbul
Sightseeing at Topkapı Palace. As well as being the imperial residence of the Sultan, the palace was also the seat of government for the ottoman empire. It housed the ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years until the Dolmabahçe palace was built. In 1924 it was converted into a museum. Today it is famous with harem, royal treasury, and holy relics sections
Continued
Istanbul
Sightseeing at Grand Bazaar, Istanbul. With 18 entrances and more than 4000 shops it is one of the greatest bazaars in the world. It was built between 1455-1461 by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Today, shops selling the same kind of merchandise tend to be congregated in their own streets or inns as it was the original Ottoman system
Planning Details
Before you go
Included
Professional English Speaking Tour guide All sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary Pick-up/drop off from city center hotels&Istanbul Port (Sultan Ahmet and Taksim hotels) Land transportation by air-conditioned non-smoking vehicle
Not Included
Entry tickets to historical sites Tips to the guide & driver (optional) Beverages&Meals at tour
What to Bring
-Pick up tıme will be arranged according to your cruıse arrival tıme. -We guarantee your timely return to the port -Please reconfırm your meeting ınstructıons with the local provider via email&whatsapp.
Restrictions
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Basilica Cistern Cistern will be visited instead
Meeting & Pickup
Hotel: Pick-up/drop off from city center hotels (Sultan Ahmet and Taksim hotels) Port: Pick Up/Drop Off from Istanbul Port
Planning Notes
Hotel pickup offered: Yes Confirmation: Manual By Business
Traveler Impressions
What travelers are saying
2024-05-29
5.00 / 5
Our guide was knowledgeable about all things Turkish. The stops at the “Blue Mosque”, Hagia Sophia, and Basilica Cistern were all well worth the trip. Lunch was quite good as well. Only critique was that we did not actually receive Skip the Line tickets. We had to wait in line for the Hagia Sophia. Not the worst, but I did want to point that out, Istanbul is a fascinating city. Absolutely worth exploring.
2023-10-25
5.00 / 5
Great excursion. Guide was full of knowledge and took time to answer all questions. We were extremely pleased to learn of the history of Istanbul.
2023-10-19
5.00 / 5
Clients had a great time on this tour and said their tour guide Ali was amazing however it was a little more strenuous than they expected. It was long day of lots of walking with no benches along the way to stop and rest for the first 3 hours of their tour. The first bench the group came across they said everyone sat immediately (young and old) because they were all so tired. Again they thoroughly enjoyed the tour just want others to be aware there were not a lot of places to stop to rest along the way during this 7 hour tour.
2023-10-08
5.00 / 5
Fatih was a wonderful guide. We saw so many things during our tour and he explained so many things to us. I highly recommend that anyone that can walk and stand quite a lot spend a day with him.
2022-10-07
5.00 / 5
Ali our tour guide was awesome! Great service
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