Day trip

Istanbul: Guided City Highlights Day Trip

4.5 / 5

45 reviews

Activity provider: Booking Guide Turkey
Day trip

Istanbul: Guided City Highlights Day Trip

Activity provider: Booking Guide Turkey

From US$ 59.23 per person

Discover Istanbul and visit the most attractive locations including Sultanahmet Square, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 8 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Live tour guide
English
Pickup included
Your hotel in Sultanahmet, Taksim, or Mecidiyekoy. A pick-up and drop-off service from 20 km around Sultanahmet Square is provided.
Wheelchair accessible

Experience

Highlights
  • Explore the Hagia Sophia, the largest ancient Church and former Mosque
  • Visit the Topkapi Palace, an Ottoman Imperial house which has housed 25 Sultans for 400 years
  • Discover the Hipodrome a location for social activity in Roman times
  • See the Blue Mosque a symbol of Istanbul with unique Ottoman architecture
  • Stroll through the Grand Bazaar, the largest shopping mall of its time
Full description

Explore the ancient city of Istanbul on a day guided trip in a spacious and airconditioned van. Visit religious sights like the famed Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. See how royalty lived at sights like the Topkapi and feel the thrill of bartering for goods at the Grand Bazaar.

After being picked up from your hotel, meet your guide and embark on a full day tour of Istanbul's main landmarks and historical sites. Start with a trip to the Hagia Sophia Museum. Discover how for many centuries, the Hagia Sophia was the largest church in the world, and still boasts the 4th largest dome in the world as one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Next, head over to the Topkapi Palace Museum, a relic of the glory days of the great Ottoman Empire. Discover how the former palace boasted a population of about 4,000 people at its peak and was home to 25 sultans over a period of 400 years. Located on a promontory overlooking the Golden Horn, it sits in tranquil gardens that provide shade from the blazing heat of the summer. Pop into the museum to see the gorgeous Iznik tiles and the ornate stateroom of the harem, among other attractions. Continue the tour with a visit to the Hippodrome, a former circus built in 203 AD by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus. Witness the 3 remaining monuments from the original building, including the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpentine Column, and the Constantine Column. Pause to look at the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, made from 8 marble columns. After this, make a stop at the Blue Mosque, more officially known as the Sultanahmet Mosque. Admire the striking blue tiles which give the mosque its more common name and make it one of Istanbul’s most iconic attractions. Located close to Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque was considered the Supreme Imperial Mosque in Istanbul. Finally, take a stroll through the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. With hundreds of small handicraft shops selling everything from handmade carpets to Turkish coffee, the atmosphere is electric, and it's a great place to try out your bargaining skills.

Includes
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off within Taksim, Sultanahmet, or Mecidiyekoy
  • Professional licensed guide
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach
  • Drinks
  • Tips
  • Entry fees
  • Lunch

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Comfortable clothes

Not allowed

  • Pets
  • Professional cameras

Know before you go

  • All sites are within walking distance from each other
  • Please be ready 10 minutes before the meeting time
  • The Hagia Sophia Museum is closed on Mondays to be replaced with Underground Cistern
  • The Topkapi Palace Museum is closed on Tuesdays to be replaced with a tour of the Islamic Art Museum
  • The Grand Bazaar is closed on Tuesday to be replaced with the Spice Bazaar
  • The Blue Mosque is closed on Friday for Friday prayers but a visit will take place from the outside
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 45 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.7/5
  • Transportation
    4.6/5
  • Value for money
    4.1/5
  • Safety
    4.5/5

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Star rating:

Musa exceeded our expectations. He genuinely knows his job and took us to the important tourist spots in Istanbul. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the Ottoman empire. We did not feel rushed. We walked for long hours and we did not hear any complaints from him. You can tell he is very passionate about what he is doing and he is very welcoming. Thank you so much Musa for showing us Istanbul. It made our trip memorable.

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April 22, 2022

Our guide, Coskun, was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. He shared incredible stories and gave us a thorough look into the history of Istanbul, so full 5 stars to him. Having said that, the tour itself did not seem value for the money. Most of the sights are free for entry. Additionally, the included lunch was not very good nor representative of Turkish food. There was no option in the tour booking to exclude lunch, so you have no choice of the food you want to try. We did various other guided tours and the food was far superior. I would recommend this solely for our guide Coskun, who made the day worthwhile.

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February 22, 2022

Almost 100$ for the private tour which included blue mosque and entrance fees to sites. 1. Blue Mosque is closed until March 2022 2. None of the activities actually cost money (free entrance) 3. Tour stated 8 hours. Tour was actually 4 hours Either way our guide was Berkan and he was nice and informative. He answered all questions and was casual to be around which made us comfortable.

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September 12, 2021

Product ID: 221511