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Small Group Tour of Istanbul's Top Sites: A Deep Dive into Islamic, Turkish, Roman and Greek History
4.9
103 Ratings
Fatih
You will visit the most important museums of Istanbul in 4 hours with your experienced tour guide. You will understand Islam better, hear the story of Turkish, Roman and Greek history in Istanbul
You will visit the most important museums of Istanbul in 4 hours with your experienced tour guide. You will understand Islam better, hear the story of Turkish, Roman and Greek history in Istanbul
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- German Fountain - We will see the German fountain and understand the historical connection Turks with Germany - Blue Mosque - we will walk in the garden of the Blue mosque and talk about the Islam. Blue mosque is under restoration and we will cover another mosque instead. - Hagia Sophia Mosque - We will enter Hagia Sophia and will…
- German Fountain - We will see the German fountain and understand the historical connection Turks with Germany
- Blue Mosque - we will walk in the garden of the Blue mosque and talk about the Islam. Blue mosque is under restoration and we will cover another mosque instead.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - We will enter Hagia Sophia and will understand how it was constructed by the Greeks as a church and how it was converted into a mosque.
starting 15th January 2024, Hagia Sophia entrance fee will be 25 Euros apply all foreginers.
- Basilica Cistern - We will cover the Basilica Cistern and your guide will skip the lines and it require an entry fee ( 450 TL, please have it in cash so your guide can buy the ticket without waiting at the line )
- Kapali Carsi - We will smell the spices, see secret streets of Grand Bazaar.
- Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi - We will see an old madrasah turned into a coffeehouse and we will finish our tour with a Turkish cofffee.
What's Included
- Tea or Turkish Coffee
- Skip the line at the ticket gate of Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia
- Licensed Guiding Service
- Tea or Turkish Coffee
- Skip the line at the ticket gate of Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia
- Licensed Guiding Service
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Gratuities to the guide
- Entry Fee of Basilica Cistern ( 900 TL per person )
- Entry fee to Hagia Sophia, 25 Euros per person.
- Lunch
- Gratuities to the guide
- Entry Fee of Basilica Cistern ( 900 TL per person )
- Entry fee to Hagia Sophia, 25 Euros per person.
Additional Information
- Please note entry fee of Basilica Cistern is 900 TL per person, 25 Euros for Hagia Sophia and you can pay to your guide so he can get ticket for you without waiting.
- Please note entry fee of Basilica Cistern is 900 TL per person, 25 Euros for Hagia Sophia and you can pay to your guide so he can get ticket for you without waiting.
Location
Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant
Divan Yolu Caddesi
Meeting Poing is Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant. The restaurant is located on the street where the tram lines run through Sultanahmet, an approximately 1-minute walk from the Sultanahmet tram stop. We will be at the meeting point with yellow umbrella
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
(103 Ratings)
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Jessicacq1121pe
Sep 30, 2024
Great for first time visitors - We really enjoyed our tour today. It is a great starting point for getting to know the city. The guide was very knowledgeable and gave honest local advice. Highlights included learning about Islam and being provided a holistic overview of the Ottoman Empire. Do it !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I1528fomonikaz
Sep 24, 2024
Amazing views, even better storytelling - Yunus was super friendly and knowledgeable as a tour guide, and took us to truly amazing spots with even better stories. We saw the best views in all of istanbul, and took great photos too!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Simonl4477
Sep 18, 2024
Entertaining and informative! - What an informative and "real" tour!
Yunus was humorous and knowledgeable.
We enjoyed it very much!
Sadly our stay was too short to participate in another tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
O6089gf_
Aug 28, 2024
Great tour! Love it - We took the Alternative Istanbul Walking Tour. Unfortunately, I can't recall our tour guide's name, but he was great—respectful, very kind, caring, and humorous. He did everything he could to make us feel comfortable, even though it was hot (+33 degrees Celsius). He was able to answer all of our questions, shared different stories, explained Turkish customs, gave insights into the current situation in Istanbul, and provided local perspectives. He also gave us plenty of time to take photos.
I definitely recommend these guys—they created wonderful memories of Istanbul for us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
964benw
Aug 15, 2024
Well worth the suggested tip - Informative and approachable tour guide, covering the history of Turkey, giving background and context to the subject.
We arrived an hour early (for fear of being late!) to see the guide already at the designated meeting place. He waited an extra five minutes after designated starting time to allow for late comers before commencing the tour.
Well worth the suggested tip of 10 euros per person.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jempap2017
Aug 12, 2024
CIVITATIS with NACHI - We have done the free tour of Istanbul with a Guide called Nachi through Civitatis. He explains it very well and I love everything, especially going with 2 teenagers. After 3 hours with him, and only having 1 1/2 hours to rest and eat, we signed up for the boat cruise with him again (15 €/pax), he explained again everything and with many options, reaching the Asian part. Fully recommended, quite a Pro. Thank you Nachi
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tina_m
Jun 30, 2024
Best Guide EVER - Salih was an amazing guide, the best I've had in multiple countries! He was waiting for me at the meeting spot and even though it ended up being just the two of us he gave me the whole experience. Every site he had history, pictorial guides, and examples, which all helped make the past come alive. He spoke excellent English and Spanish as well, so there was no issue understanding the information he was giving me. He knew exactly when to go to each monument so that we would have the shortest wait times possible. The amount of knowledge he imparted, both historical and practical, was invaluable.
I felt like I got the best of each site in the tour, and he made sure I had time to take photos (I am a photographer). Much appreciated was the rest in the cafe for a cold drink because I was hot as heck after the intense sun.
No pushy vendor tours in the Bazaar either, he instead told me how to get to the more affordable local bazaar and how I could find the yarn section of that market before we parted ways. I can't say enough about how fantastic, fun, and educational he is as a guide. Worth every penny and more!
Review provided by Viator
Tim_meadows
May 28, 2024
Alternative Istanbul Tour - This was the Free Tour of Alternative Istanbul which hit many of the lesser known highlights of Istanbul. It was a great cultural experience, and definitely hit places that we wouldn't have found on our own. The guide was quite informative, and while he intentionally did not make it so much of a historical tour, he did focus on the cultural components of what it means to be Turkish. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tinkertech
May 17, 2024
Must do walking tour!! - Our guide walked slow enough for me to keep up using my cane. He waited until everyone was around him before he started speaking and he was very knowledgeable. He also assisted us in making fun choices for the rest of our trip.
Free walking tours Istanbul is a great idea with multiple choices!! This is the career of the guides. They study many years to be certified for this position.
Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
618nithir
Jul 23, 2024
Overwhelming amount of information - Our tour guide was insanely knowledgeable. At each stop he shared an overwhelming amount of historical information. As a History teacher, this could have been simplified. Most tourists don’t require such a detailed explanation especially considering the hot, humid conditions of the city. You’ll definitely walk away informed if you can stay cool & focused!
Review provided by Tripadvisor