Constantinople to Istanbul - Full-Day Small Group Guided Tour
5.0
5 Ratings
Fatih
Explore the transformation of Constantinople into Istanbul on a full-day small group guided tour. Visit historic sites, enjoy commentary by a local guide, and indulge in an authentic Turkish lunch.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople (Greek: Ἱππόδρομος τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, romanized: Hippódromos tēs Kōnstantinoupóleōs) was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square named Sultanahmet Meydanı (Sultan Ahmet Square) in the Turkish city of Istanbul, with a few fragments of the original structure surviving.

The word hippodrome comes from the Greek hippos (ἵππος), horse, and dromos (δρόμος), path or way. For this reason, it is sometimes also called Atmeydanı (“Horse Square”) in Turkish. Horse racing and chariot racing were popular pastimes in the ancient world and hippodromes were common features of Greek cities in the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine eras.

  • German Fountain - The German Fountain (Turkish: Alman Çeşmesi German: Deutscher Brunnen) is a gazebo styled fountain in the northern end of old hippodrome (Sultanahmet Square), Istanbul, Turkey and across from the Mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I. It was constructed to commemorate the second anniversary of German Emperor Wilhelm II’s visit to Istanbul in 1898. It was built in Germany, then transported piece by piece and assembled in its current site in 1900. The neo-Byzantine style fountain’s octagonal dome has eight marble columns, and dome’s interior is covered with golden mosaics.
  • Blue Mosque - Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii), also known as the Blue Mosque, is an Ottoman-era mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A functioning mosque, it also attracts large numbers of tourist visitors. It was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains Ahmed’s tomb, a madrasah and a hospice. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It sits next to the Hagia Sophia, the principal mosque of Istanbul until the Blue Mosque’s construction and another popular tourist site.
  • Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia (/ˈhɑːɡiə soʊˈfiːə/; from Koinē Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, romanized: Hagía Sophía; Latin: Sancta Sophia, lit. ‘Holy Wisdom’), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Turkish: Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii Şerifi)[2] and formerly the Church of Hagia Sophia,[3] is a Late Antique place of worship in Istanbul. Built in 537 as the patriarchal cathedral of the imperial capital of Constantinople, it was the largest Christian church of the eastern Roman Empire (the Byzantine Empire) and the Eastern Orthodox Church, except during the Latin Empire from 1204 to 1261, when it became the city’s Roman Catholic cathedral. In 1453, after the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire, it was converted into a mosque. In 1935 the secular Turkish Republic established it as a museum. In 2020, it re-opened as a mosque.
  • Topkapi Palace - 1453 was the year, twenty-year-old Mehmet II (later named the Conquerer) commanded his armies to take the lands of Constantinople from the Eastern Roman Empire and converted to a new Ottoman Capital. This important footstep towards to the history resulted with a new-born empire, reforged from the foundation of a small-tribe-state.

After a six-year construction by a very special and selected stone masons and cutters, Saray-i Cedid-i Amire (the New Palace) was completed in 1465 and opened to use of the House of Osman and its cabinet.

The palace’s itself contains many symbolic meanings with regards to social degrees, in its architecture and the Palaceitselfstill remains as one of the most attractive places to pay a visit even today.

  • Grand Bazaar - The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Market’; also Büyük Çarşı, meaning ‘Grand Market’) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m2, attracting 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.
What's Included
  • Insights from experts on Topkapi Palace.
  • Skip-the-line entry to attractions.
  • Guided by English-speaking professionals.
What's Not Included
  • Lunch & Beverages
  • Gratuities
  • Admission Fees to Musuems.
Additional Information

Visit some of the most famous and historic sites in Istanbul while enjoying full commentary by a local guide who will take you on a tour of the city from the time it was Constantinople during the Roman/Byzantine period to the present day. From the Hippodrome, which was a major entertainment center in old Constantinople, to the Grand Bazaar, which remains a vibrant market to this day, you will get a firsthand look at the rich history and culture of Istanbul through the ages. Other stops include Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. The tour also includes an authentic Turkish lunch along the way.

  • Operating Mosques are required their visitors to wear accordingly to the Mosque Etiquette and can be visited between the praying times.
Location
Hereke Carpets
Nuru Osmaniye Caddesi
Meeting Point: Hereke Halı (Hereke Carpets) Meeting Point Coordinates (Latitude & Longitude): 41.010233027453424, 28.972806646594854
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(5 Ratings)
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Getaway456000
Aug 11, 2022
3000 Years in one tour - We had the best guide we’ve ever had, she is a walking historic google! We learned a lot about Istanbul in one single day! Totally recommend the guided tour with Sevinçh
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Olivera_p
Nov 22, 2021
Excellent tour - Great tour, great guide (Miss Sevinc)! Definitely worth to go! I recommend to everyone who wants to learn something about history of the city.
Review provided by Viator
Hakanku1107ep
Jun 5, 2020
The best tour everrrr... - The travel guide Imran from the company Travelium knows how to do his job. He is courteous and responds to requests. The trip has become unforgettable through this tour. Every time I am in Istanbul, I will book this tour with the same guide. Thank you for a great time Imran. And once again you have shown me how kind the people in Turkey are. Thank you... thank you... thank you very much.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samhelmy12
Jan 8, 2020
Great tour of Istanbul - Had a very enjoyable and interesting tour with our guide Hakan Erkinay. I highly recommend him to take you around the city and learn about it's history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Albert
Jul 27, 2019
Istanbul - Cenk is the best tour guide I have ever had he looked after me amd my wife so well he is incredibly knowledgeable we are so happy the Kempinski recommended him we will always come back to Istambul and use him
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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