Small-Group Istanbul Old City Guided Tour
5.0
31 Ratings
Fatih
Discover Istanbul's hidden gems with a personalized, in-depth guided tour. Perfect for first-time visitors seeking a deeper understanding of the city's rich history and culture.
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • German Fountain - Our meeting point…
  • Hippodrome - The Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium, held 100,000 spectators and featured objects from all corners of the empire. Of these, an Egyptian obelisk and a bronze sculpture of three entwined serpents from Delphi have survived.

The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social center of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square named Sultanahmet Meydanı, internationaly referred to as the Sultan Ahmet Square and located in the heart of the historical peninsula of Istanbul.

  • Arasta Bazaar - Located on the side of the Blue Mosque, Arasta Bazaar was constructed as a part of the Blue Mosque complex in the 17th century. The primary purpose of the market was creating funds by the rents of the shops to upkeep the massive mosque complex. The majority of the mosques in Istanbul have a need that was initially financing the free services of the mosques up to the Republic Era. After the republic, most shops were bought by people and turned out to have no connection to the mosques. Arasta Bazaar has lots of shops focusing on different products and still serves its guests.
  • Blue Mosque - The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, also known by its official name, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii), is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I and remains a functioning mosque today.
  • Hagia Sophia Mosque - Only OUTER visit.

Due to the new regulations by the Ministerry of Tourism, tour guides are not allowed to give explanations inside of Hagia Sophia since 15th of January 2024. And additionally there is no skip the line for tour guides anymore. That’s why our visit to Hagia Sophia will be only outer explanation.

The Hagia Sophia Mosque is a true masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and a significant symbol of history and culture. It is known for its Grand Central Dome, intricate mosaics, and delicate stonework. Hagia Sophia’s history spans 1500 years. Once a Church, then a Museum, and now a Mosque, the monument has witnessed the rise and fall of several dynasties.

  • Caferaga Medresesi - A 300 hundreds years old muslim school. This is the place where we will have a tea break and talk about the prolific architect of Ottoman Era. The place serves as a centre for some Turkish handcraft arts where youı can see some good example of this arts.
  • Grand Bazaar - Grand Bazaar! A market with more than 500 years of history, 64 streets, 22 gates, and more than 4,000 shops. Not only a shopping mall but also a manufacturing center. A place where you can lose yourself in history and mystery. That is the most significant and oldest market in the world. (Closed on Sundays)
  • Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - Built in 1664, as part of the Yeni Camii (New Mosque) complex, it is known in Turkish as Mısır Çarşısı, and sometimes translated to “Egyptian Bazaar” or “Corn Market” (mısır means both Egypt and corn in Turkish)

Just about every spice you can imagine is on offer, heaped into vibrant domes. However, rather than go home with the familiar, it’s better to look out for some typically Turkish spices and products, so you can continue to enjoy your favorite Turkish tastes on your return.

  • Basilica Cistern - Skip the line. Entrance fee is 18 Eruos and is not included in the tour price.

A water storage dates back to the 6th century which has a spectacular sample of Roman architecture.

What's Included
  • Tea and coffee
Additional Information

This tour is mainly for first-time visitors of Istanbul, offering a comprehensive exploration of the city’s gems.

It serves as a great introduction to Istanbul, providing a deeper visit to significant historical attractions than the usual tourist routes.

You’ll experience a personalized tour where questions are welcome, and have the opportunity to discover hidden gems, gaining a better understanding of the city in this carefully tailored one-day experience.

As a licensed tour guide with seven years of experience, a language teacher, and a PhD candidate student of art philosophy, I’m here to accompany you on your Istanbul journey for a few hours.

Exploring a new place goes beyond merely visiting historical monuments; gaining a profound understanding of the destination’s sociological and cultural facets enhances the experience. I am committed to crafting a tour that not only showcases landmarks but also enriches through meaningful connections.

Location
German Fountain
At Meydanı Caddesi
Our meeting point is GERMAN FOUNTAIN (Alman Çeşmesi in Turkish language) located in the heart of the main tourist area of Istanbul. It is just one minute away from Sultan Ahmet Tramway station.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(31 Ratings)
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Valerie_t
Aug 1, 2024
Outstanding Guide, Excellent Tour - The whole tour was memorable due, without doubt, to our excellent guide. His knowledge of the history of the places visited was impressive and interesting. His presentation and sense of humour were very much appreciated. A HUGE THANK YOU TO HIM.
Review provided by Viator
191tarav
Jul 16, 2024
Amazing small tour - Israfil was an amazing host. A seasoned tour guide who makes an effort to get to know everyone individually. His story telling is absolutely refreshing; incorporating his wit and charm to new topics that is outside of a typical textbook is ingenious. On my tour, he even gave us an ample amount of alone time to take pictures and digest all the information and sights. At the end of the tour, he even brought us to his favorite spice and nougat shop where locals go to. Highly recommend Israfil’s tour if you’re looking for a more intimate experience!!!!! This is also catered to all ages since he is a former educator and Israfil makes sure all children are always included and they understand his stories.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_h
Jul 7, 2024
My daughter and I started... - My daughter and I started our first day in Istanbul with a small group tour of the okd city highlights.. İsrafil is simply the best! He’s very informative and knowledgeable about historical sights. He guided us to the right places and he was so caring and even stayed advocated for my daughter and I when we needed help with some shopping adventures! Cant recommend him enough!!
Review provided by Viator
Miranda_v
Jul 7, 2024
Great guide, Comprehensive Tour, Value for money 😊 - Israfil is an amazing guide, with plenty of interesting stories about the main sites to be seen in Istanbul. Touring around with him enabled us to jump the queue, visit some special tucked away places we wouldn’t have seen otherwise and learn many interesting things about Istanbul. Money well spent 😊
Review provided by Viator
Trail636225
Jul 6, 2024
Great guide, all the highlights of old city of Istanbul in 4 hours - Israfil is an amazing guide, with plenty of interesting stories about the main sites to be seen in Istanbul. Touring around with him enabled us to jump the queue, visit some special tucked away places we wouldn’t have seen otherwise and overall, learnt many interesting things about Istanbul. Money well spent 😊
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melsandpoint_id
Jun 18, 2024
Booking a tour with Israfil will be the best decision of your entire holiday! - I met Israfil early on in his tour guiding career, and I'm so grateful that I did! From meeting me at the airport, even though my flight was delayed by more than an hour, to showing me the amazing sights of Istanbul, to connecting me with his friends and colleagues in other areas of Turkey who assisted me on my travels, this man is a true friend and kind soul. He has a deep love of his country and it shows through in his enthusiasm for introducing travelers to the incredible sights and experiences of his city. Israfil is considerate and respectful but also loads of fun, and as a solo female traveler I felt instantly at ease. I hope to make it back some day and when I do, I'll reach out to Israfil and request his excellent guiding services again. (Maybe to Cappadocia, huh, Israfil?? :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marmimare
Jun 13, 2024
The Pearls of the Old City! - I was traveling to Iran, and I purposely chose an 11-hour stopover in Istanbul to be able to visit a small piece of the city, since I was passing through there. I chose a private tour on the internet and was very lucky to find Israfil waiting for me to show me the wonders of the old city! It was an unforgettable day, he showed me and explained in an excellent way everything there is to know and discover about this splendid city and its wonders... and I don't exceed in English but he did with his smile, kindness and irony made me understand everything! He also let me try some local delicacies, we really saw the most we could in one day and I also managed to do some shopping, which us women always enjoy😜.. it was an unforgettable day.. it wasn't just a guide but he entered my heart as a person and I will return soon to visit him and visit much more. Thank you Israfil for making my experience wonderful even if short.. but truly intense 🙏 See you soon my friend ☺️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alessandra_b
Jun 3, 2024
A tour not to be missed! - We can not exspress enough how lucky we were to have Isarfil as our tour guide for our small group. Very knowledge about the history of all the places we visited. We were not rushed around places, but we had the right time to appreciate every moment of the tour. Highly recommended also for the tips and suggestions he gave us to enjoy our stay in Istanbul. We will book with him again when we will return to this beautiful city!
Review provided by Viator
Norma_a
May 22, 2024
The best small-group tour in Istanbul - This tour was perfect and exceded our expectations in many ways. It has the right combination of places to visit in the perfect amount of time. My kids enjoyed the experience and we all learned so much about the history, architecture and culture of Istanbul. Israfil is an excellent guide, he shared so much information and had interesting stories about each location. He was very attentive and made the point of talking with everyone in the group. I highly recommend this tour and will do it again next time I come to Istanbul.
Review provided by Viator
Melipe
May 22, 2024
Hidden gems of the city; great tour guide - I was traveling to Bali and had an extended layover in Istanbul. I wanted to use that opportunity to explore a bit of the city and so I booked this day tour with Israfil. I’m very happy I made this decision because he was an awesome tour guide that made me feel safe which was incredibly important as a solo, female traveler. The tour was great as we explored different parts of the city including the major mosques / attractions, as well as hidden gems such as eating Turkish pizza at a small diner where locals go. I would 100% recommend booking this tour. You will learn a lot about the culture and history of Istanbul with Israfil.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
August 2024
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