8-Hour Private Guided Tour in Istanbul

Operates: Daily
Departs: 9:00 am
Returns: approx. 5:00 pm

This is the most popular Istanbul tour, it allows you the time to visit St. Sophia Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar Istanbul, plus free time for you to enjoy a typical Turkish meal.

After meeting your driver and licensed guide, you drive along the old city walls and under the ancient Roman aqueduct on the way to view the best of Istanbul’s stunning architecture and attractions. The impressive Roman Hippodrome was once used for chariot races and today it is lined with parks, obelisks, and monuments.

After learning about the Hippodrome, you visit the beautiful Blue Mosque which is named for the vivid Iznik tiles lining its interior. With the full-day tour, you are certain to hear the calls to prayer as they echo throughout the city center five times a day. Please note that the Blue Mosque is not wheelchair accessible.

Next you will walk through the amazing Topkapi Palace. This large complex of buildings was the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans and includes courts, pavilions, mosques, fountains, and a treasury. In the Sultan’s chapel, you can hear the Imam reading continually from the Koran.

After a stop for lunch (meal not included) you visit the jewel in Turkey’s Byzantine crown, the Museum of St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia). This splendid Church of Divine Wisdom was originally built in the 4th century AD as a Christian Basilica and later was converted to a Mosque. It was lovingly restored in the 1900s, reflecting the true history of this glorious city astride two continents.

Next, you will walk through the Basilica Cistern, a huge underground cistern that once supplied fresh water to the city of Istanbul. It is one of the largest ancient cisterns in the world and is still in use today.

From there, you will walk to the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi), one of the world’s oldest and largest markets. Here you can find anything and everything for sale, from souvenirs to jewelry to rugs and carpets. Be sure to bargain for the best prices!

At the end of the day, you are brought back to the pier or your hotel in Istanbul.

INCLUDED in the Tour Price:

• Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
• Transport by private air-conditioned vehicle
• Private Licensed English-speaking guide during the tour
• Interior Visits – St. Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosques
• Museum Entrance Fees
• Local taxes and service charges

NOT INCLUDED:

• Visit to the Harem in Topkapi Palace is not included (own expense).
• Lunch.
• Any optional tours.
• Services not mentioned in the program.

IMPORTANT INFO:

• Note: Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday. If your tour is on Tuesday you will be taken to the Chora Museum Istanbul instead.
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday.