Highlights of Istanbul

Highlights of Istanbul

Dive into Istanbul’s Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history on a small-group 7-hour tour, and visit the city’s historical highlights. Travelling mostly by foot, hear revealing facts and historical anecdotes about the city, and visit must-sees such the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Learn about Istanbul’s remarkable past from your informative guide, and stop for lunch and a shopping session at the Grand Bazaar, home to a myriad of tempting stalls. Numbers are limited to 15 people on this small-group tour to ensure personalized attention from a guide.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Hagia Sophia Museum / Church (Ayasofya), Ayasofya Square, Sultanahmet, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

Hagia Sophia Museum, a one-time mosque converted from a 6th-century Christian basilica built by Emperor Justinian I. Marvel at the incredible building and admire the interior’s glimmering, handcrafted mosaics and rich decoration.


Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mah At Meydani Cad No 7, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque). Take in the immense, flat dome and famous minarets, and explore inside with your guide. Absorb the ocean of over 20,000 Iznik tiles that lend the mosque its name, and behold the magnificent, rich carpets and windows.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Hippodrome, Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet ParkI No:2, Istanbul Turkey

Hippodrome, the former sporting and social centre of Constantinople. See the remnants of this historical arena, and imagine how the long-ago locals felt when they came here to watch exciting horse and chariot races.


Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Grand Bazaar Jewelers, Alemdar Mah. Bab-I Ali Cad. Guran Han No:34 D. 4 Fatih, Istanbul 34110 Turkey

Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest covered markets. Scout around some of the 4,000 stalls and get haggling tips from your guide on buying everything from leatherware to perfumes, gold and spices.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Topkapi Palace, Cankurtaran Mahallesi Gulhane Park, Near Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman court from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Now a museum, this grandiose palace is a testament to the lavish lifestyles of the sultans. Stroll through the ornate chambers, courts and gardens, and behold some of the imperial treasures, ranging from precious Chinese porcelain to jewels and relics of the Prophet Mohammed. Your tour then concludes with a hotel drop-off.

Duration: 2 hours