Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour
This is the ultimate tour for first-time visitors to Istanbul. Visit the fascinating sights of Istanbul in this specially curated one or two-day tour that provides the perfect introduction to Istanbul.
This tour takes in Istanbul’s highlights and goes beyond them to show you the bustling energy of the city’s bazaars, streets and hidden spots.
Itinerary: Hagia Sophia-Basilica Cistern-Blue Mosque-Hippodrome-Grand Bazaar
• Customize the itinerary according to your personal interests and preferences
• Enjoy the private tour flexibility with a dedicated licensed tour guide
Options
Private Guided Tour in English
Old City Tour: Hagia Sophia-Basilica Cistern-Blue Mosque-Hippodrome-Grand Bazaar
What's included in Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
The Hagia Sophia with its innovative architecture, rich history, religious significance and extraordinary characteristics has been fighting against time for centuries. Constructed three times in the same location, it is the world’s oldest and fastest-completed cathedral. With its breathtaking domes that look like hanging in the air, monolithic marble columns and unparalleled mosaics are one of the wonders of the world’s architectural history. The sheer dazzling beauty of the mosque with its magnificent play on space, light, and color provokes worship in the believer. *Reminding that as it's not a museum anymore, tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority. You may need to wait in the security line up to 1 hour.
Basilica Cistern
There are hundreds of ancient cisterns hidden underneath the streets and houses of Istanbul. Of the two that are open to the public, the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) is the largest and Istanbul’s most unusual tourist attraction. Built-in 532 by Emperor Justinian, it was constructed using 336 columns, many of which were salvaged from ruined temples and feature finely carved capitals. Its symmetry and sheer grandeur of conception are quite breathtaking, and its cavernous depths make a great retreat on summer days.
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Inclusions
- Pick-up by guide from central hotels or Galataport (on foot)
- Licensed Professional Tour Guide
- Gratuities
- Museum entrance fees
- Lunch
- Transportation from/back to hotel and between sites
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with Spice Market.
- This is a private tour. Your group will be the only one with the guide for all day.
- Guests can customize the itinerary according to their personel interest.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You can choose to be picked up from a list of locations, or alternatively, have the choice to make your own way to the meeting points
Please arrive at the pick up point 30 minutes before departure time.
Additional Information
-Your guide will meet with you at your hotel which is located on the European side city center (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Karaköy, Galata, Taksim) or Galataport. If your hotel is not located in the mentioned area above, the meeting point is in front of the Cagaloglu Hamam. -Your guide will pick you up at city center hotels on foot and will help to arrange to find a taxi or public transport to Old Town.
Meeting Points
- In front of the Cagaloglu Hamam.
