Discover the Old City (Regular)
What is the best way to discover Istanbul?
Route
The Hippodrome
The Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia Mosque
Grand Bazaar
Package Details
Istanbul is a world city that attracts attention with its magnificent beauty and historical riches. Located at the intersection of East and West, this fascinating city has hosted various civilizations throughout history and carried these riches to the present day. Istanbul, famous for its Bosphorus, also attracts attention with its bridges that connect two continents. Istanbul, with its magnificent palaces, dazzling mosques, fascinating churches and magnificent mosaics, is also a great attraction with its cultural heritage.
Tour Route
- 1
The Hippodrome
The Hippodrome had been a center for sports and entertainment in the old Constantinople, the Eastern Roman Capital, and an important center for politics since sports and politics were closely knit in these times. The Hippodrome was the scene of games and riots throughout the centuries. The most famous of these was the Nika riots of 532, during the reign of Justinian I. The Hippodrome was the center of Constantinople's social life for 500 years; but of all the monuments that once decorated it, only three remain: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
- 2
The Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, is among the most famous monuments of the world. It is the only mosque in Istanbul with six minarets. The mosque takes its name from the 20,000 blue Iznik tiles that decorate its interior. The Blue Mosque is the last great mosque of the classical period. The architect, Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, synthesized the ideas of his master, the great Ottoman architect Sinan, aiming for overwhelming size, majesty and splendor. The result was a perfect architectural balance, and a truly magnificent building.
- 3
Hagia Sophia Mosque
The Hagia Sophia, one of the most important structures ever built, has been constructed three times in the same location. The first Hagia Sophia was built by Emperor Constantine the Great in 325 AD. It was destroyed by fire in 404 AD and rebuilt by Emperor Theodosius II. The second Hagia Sophia stood for almost 1000 years until it was destroyed by fire in 532. The third and current Hagia Sophia was built by Emperor Justinian I between 532 and 537. It was the largest building in the world for over 1000 years until the Seville Cathedral was built in 1520. The Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It was converted into a museum in 1935.
- 4
Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world. The Grand Bazaar is located inside the walled city of Istanbul, in the district of Fatih and in the neighbourhood (mahalle) bearing the same name (Kapalıçarşı).
The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia Mosque cannot be visited on Fridays.
Included in the Package
- Fully escorted by an English speaking tour guide.
Regular
Not Included in the Package
- Drinks and all personal expenses.
- Admission fees.
Important Information
- Cancellation can be done a night before for half day morning and full day tours in Istanbul and 4 hours prior to afternoon tour avoid penalty, otherwise full tour rate will be charged.
- Children 11 and younger receive 50% discount.
- The tour will be canceled in the event that the minimum attendance requirement, or quorum, is not met. Please feel free to reach out to us if a tour is canceled for this reason, and we will be happy to assist you in rescheduling for alternative dates.