Istanbul Old City - Half-Day Walking Tour

General information

Destination
Istanbul, Turkey

Program details

During a half-day morning tour, see Turkey’s Ottoman and Byzantine relics with an official guide.



• The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

• Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque)

• The Hippodrome & Unique Monuments

• Tombs of the Sultans

• Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III

• Grand Covered Bazaar



After meeting your guide at the departure point for a half-day morning tour, climb aboard your luxury coach and head to the Sultanahmet.

Then we continue to the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque: (Hagia Sophia Museum). It was built in the 6th century by the emperor Justinian as a Greek Orthodox Church also called the church of Divine Wisdom. It was converted into a mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet II The Conqueror and a museum by Ataturk in 1935. It was converted into a mosque in 2020 by Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It was the largest church in the world for 1000 years.



Afterward, we will go to the Blue Mosque: The Sultan Ahmet Mosque called it Blue Mosque because of its blue 20,000 Iznık Ceramic Tiles. It was built for Sultan Ahmet I by the architect Mehmet and has 6 towering minarets and the last great mosque of the Classical period.



Hippodrome: It was the sporting and social center of ancient Constantinople for 1000 years, with its monuments, the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, Bronze Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, and Column Constantine. Tombs of Sultans: Admire the final resting place of 5 Sultans and 142 members of the Ottoman dynasty. Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III: (photo stop) The fountain is located in front of the Imperial Gate of the great Topkapı Palace in Istanbul at the site of an older Byzantine fountain called Perryton. The fountain is a Turkish rococo structure. The fountain of Sultan Ahmed III was built in 1728 by Ottoman sultan Ahmed III.



Then the visit continues to the Grand Covered Bazaar, where you will get to know the world's oldest and biggest covered market and discover 65 streets and more than 4000 shops containing everything. Then, the group will have some free time shopping and visiting tourist shops.



Important information

The visit to the Blue Mosque and to the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque on Friday is only from outside because of the Friday prayer.

The Grand Bazaar is closed on religious holidays and Sundays.