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Top Sites Of Istanbul: Half Day Small-Group tour
4.9
225 Ratings
Fatih
The best choice for any first timer, Top sites of Old Istanbul, is a half-day, small group tour. Discover what has made Istanbul such a majestic and historically significant city by hitting all of the hot spots and then some!
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Blue Mosque - Blue Mosque is closed for 3 months starting from 2nd January 2023 and will be replaced with Nuri Osmaniye Mosque or Suleymaniye Mosque.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia is one of the most impressive museums of Istanbul; built as a Christian church, then converted into a mosque, now serving as a museum.
- Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire.
-
Basilica Cistern - This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in
stanbul, it was constructed using 336 columns, many of which were salvaged from ruined temples and feature fine carved capitals
Entry fee is 300 and not included in the small group tours.
- Real Istanbul Tours - Small Group Tours
- Grand Bazaar Jewelers - Visit one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world - Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Tea or Turkish Coffee
What's Not Included
- Entry fee to Basilica Cistern ( 800 TRY per person )
- Entry Fee of Hagia Sophia is 25 Euros per person.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Additional Information
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and will be replaced with Spice Bazaars
- On Religious Fests Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed and your guides can show alternative sites
- Meeting Time for the small group tours are 10 am ( 2 pm on fridays ) and if you book private option, meeting time is up to you.
- Tours Ends near Grand Bazaar
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- None has right the skip the lines in Blue Mosque
- Entry fee of Basilica Cistern is 800 TL per person and 25 Euros per person for Hagia Sophia not included with the tour price.
Location
Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant
Divan Yolu Caddesi
The restaurant is located on the street where the tram lines run through Sultanahmet, approximately 1-minute walk from the Sultanahmet tram stop.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(225 Ratings)
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Chris_j
Jun 20, 2024
Good value tour - Very informative and good value, guide has a good knowledge of attractions and the pace set was quite relaxed. Would recommend
Review provided by Viator
David_t
Jun 20, 2024
Informative & worthwhile - We loved all of it but especially amazed by the magnitude of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. The cisterns are incredible as well. A very worthwhile tour. Definitely a huge advantage to skip the line. Our tour guide ‘Ozzie’ was excellent. Very knowledgeable & we did not feel rushed. Thanks Ozzie for a great day.
Review provided by Viator
Genas620
Jun 18, 2024
Thumbs up! - Our tour guide CUMALI was great! Funny, knowledgeable, entertaining… we had fun on his tour, learned a lot, and saw a TON in a short period of time. Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deborah_s
Jun 18, 2024
Walking into the past, appreciating the present - Walking with the guide, learning the early history of the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, and imagining what it would have been like in those early days set the stage for the wonder and awe of the Sultanahmet Mosque and Hagia Sophia. While it was hot, our guide cared for our comfort, attended to our needs to rest a bit after flying all night, and at the same time never short-changed our tour. He was funny and knowledgeable, reverent and witty.
Review provided by Viator
Elizabeth_r
Jun 15, 2024
Couldn't have done better! Great Tour! - Yasin was our tour guide, he was very knowledgeable, and was very helpful about teaching us the culture and even gave tips about how to get around istanbul the best way. We loved the tour, with plenty of time and a small group of people at each of the sights. The cost was very good for the quality of the tour. Highly recommend this tour to all people, even coming from cruise ship. Yasin will customize for your time.
Review provided by Viator
Graham_w
Jun 11, 2024
Just superb experiance and tour all round would definitely recermend - An excellent tour with very knowlegeable guide who was friendly and more than happy to take questions
Review provided by Viator
Rob
Jun 11, 2024
A fantastic tour. Highly recommended. - A fantastic tour around the sites of Istanbul. Our guide, Jamal was friendly, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samantha
Jun 10, 2024
This is a MUST when visiting Istanbul - Wow! Salih was incredible. So informative and friendly. He got us through lines extremely fast and knew how to plan the day for the best experience. We received guidance for shopping, so much history and he could answer any question we threw at him. If you are visiting Istanbul I highly recommend this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Traveler829511
Jun 2, 2024
short visit to blue mosque and aya sophia and hippodrome - fascinating tour with Salih (sorry if spelling wrong). Loads of interesting detail and background on the sights and the history. would highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle_w
Jun 3, 2024
Solid tour, bring TL cash for entrance - Overall, a good tour with a knowledgeable guide. Remember to bring cash TL to cover cost of entrance to Hagia Sophia and Cistern.
Review provided by Viator
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