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Old Istanbul Highlights: Top Sites Half-Day Tour
4.9
254 Ratings
Fatih
The best choice for any first timer, Top sites of Old Istanbul, is a half-day, small group tour. Discover what has made Istanbul such a majestic and historically significant city by hitting all of the hot spots and then some!
We will skip the ticket line at Cistern and Hagia Sophia
The best choice for any first timer, Top sites of Old Istanbul, is a half-day, small group tour. Discover what has made Istanbul such a majestic and historically significant city by hitting all of the hot spots and then some!
We will skip the ticket line at Cistern and Hagia Sophia
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Blue Mosque - The Blue Mosque will be closed for three months starting January 2, 2023, and visitors can instead explore the Nuri Osmaniye Mosque or Suleymaniye Mosque.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia stands as one of Istanbul’s most remarkable museums. Originally built as a Christian church, it was later transformed into a mosque and now…
- Blue Mosque - The Blue Mosque will be closed for three months starting January 2, 2023, and visitors can instead explore the Nuri Osmaniye Mosque or Suleymaniye Mosque.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia stands as one of Istanbul’s most remarkable museums. Originally built as a Christian church, it was later transformed into a mosque and now functions as a museum.
- Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a grand circus that served as the sporting and social hub of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
- Basilica Cistern - This underground marvel was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and completed in 532. As the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul, it was constructed with 336 columns, many of which were repurposed from ancient temples and boast intricately carved capitals.
The entry fee is 1300 TL starting February 2025 and is not included in tours.
- Grand Bazaar Jewelers - Explore one of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets, Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.
- Real Istanbul Tours - Enjoy small group tours.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Tea or Turkish Coffee
- Professional guide
- Tea or Turkish Coffee
What's Not Included
- Entry fee to Basilica Cistern ( 1300 TRY per person starting February 1st ) )
- Entry Fee of Hagia Sophia is 25 Euros per person.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Entry fee to Basilica Cistern ( 1300 TRY per person starting February 1st ) )
- Entry Fee of Hagia Sophia is 25 Euros per person.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Additional Information
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and will be replaced with Spice Bazaars
- On Religious Fests Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed and your guides can show alternative sites
- Meeting Time for the small group tours are 10 am ( 2 pm on fridays ) and if you book private option, meeting time is up to you.
- Tours Ends near Grand Bazaar
- Comfortable…
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and will be replaced with Spice Bazaars
- On Religious Fests Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed and your guides can show alternative sites
- Meeting Time for the small group tours are 10 am ( 2 pm on fridays ) and if you book private option, meeting time is up to you.
- Tours Ends near Grand Bazaar
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- None has right the skip the lines in Blue Mosque
- Entry fee of Basilica Cistern is 900 TL per person ( Starting February 2025, it will increase to 1300 TL pp ) and 25 Euros per person for Hagia Sophia not included with the tour price.
Location
Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant
Divan Yolu Caddesi
The restaurant is located on the street where the tram lines run through Sultanahmet, approximately 1-minute walk from the Sultanahmet tram stop.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(254 Ratings)
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Kshetijm
Dec 22, 2024
Tour was definitely worth it!!! - Guide Ozge Dag was very knowledgeable and showed us all major tourist places in Old City area. She knows the history of Istanbul and told exciting past times of rulers. Loved the experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adrienne_c
Nov 29, 2024
Excellent, informative tour - Jayson was an excellent tour guide—we ended up with a private tour because no one else had signed up, so we had a personalized experience. Jayson took the time to explain everything to us thoroughly, blending history with religion and culture. Great tour, and appreciated being able to skip lines to enter sites.
Review provided by Viator
Winggeet
Nov 16, 2024
Small group tour of turkey highlights! - Muhammad was very informative and funny! We really enjoyed our time with him! He took time to explain the history and culture. We visited the blue mosque, haggia Sofia and the basilica cistern. The itinerary was great with ample time to see everything a s take pictures. Would hugely recommend this tour and Muhammad as a guide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_m
Nov 2, 2024
Best way to see the sites - So good. Friendly and knowledgeable guide Yasin new his stuff and made already impressive sites even more so. Highly recommend
Review provided by Viator
Andreaad1577zb
Oct 24, 2024
Great experience - The tour was a great experience, the tour guide Muhammed was very knowledgeable and passionate when explaining the history of each site we visited. Truly enjoyable and would recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Liz_b
Oct 14, 2024
Great Guide!!! - Jason was an excellent guide. Very personable and engaged our entire group. We appreciated his vast knowledge on all of the sites we visited.
Review provided by Viator
Z8490hujamess
Oct 13, 2024
Great experience - The small tours are the way to go. Really maximizes your time. You get to see so much, Lots of information and skip the lines. Great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
907mauricew
Oct 12, 2024
Insights to Istanbul - If you’re interested in going a bit off the beaten path, we highly recommend Muhammad. From amazing street food to meeting local craftsmen to “express”
visits of the iconic sites of Istanbul, he answered all our questions about the Ottoman Empire and brought the history of this wonderful city to life. Thanks for the great tour brother!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fiona
Oct 11, 2024
Highlights of the Old City - Tour guide very knowledgeable. Visited the highlights in the Old City and avoided long queues at the Mosques and the Cistern. It would have been useful to know the additional charges and to bring a head scarf, our hats were not suitable to visit the Mosques.
Review provided by Viator
Alexandra_p
Oct 6, 2024
Great way to see the top sights - Many of the sights were really busy on the day of our tour and the guide was excellent at navigating our way into places without the queues. It would have taken so much longer to see all of these sights on our own so this trip is a great option if you are short on time in Istanbul.
Review provided by Viator
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