Full Day Private Istanbul Tours
Places to see “Duration : 7-8 hours (approx.) “ 
View similar tours & things to do
Topkapi Palace
Hagia Sophia
Underground Cistern
Blue Mosque
Hippodrome
Grand Bazaar
Highlights
- Full Day Private Istanbul Tours
- Visit one of the most magnificent museums in the world Hagia Sophia
- Visit the largest and oldest palace in the world Topkapi Palace
- See the superb Blue Mosque
- Visit the magnificent Underground Cistern and Hippodrome
- Shop in the largest covered markets in the world Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarşı)
- Entrance fees included
- Transport by Private De-Luxe Cars.
- Private Local Licensed Guide.
- No shopping stops along the way ! “ Without the hassle of being taken to various factory outlets or shopping “.
Schedule details
Unforgettable eight-hour tour at the oldest crossroads of the world ! Visit the outstanding, most important, and most famous the biggest mosques of İstanbul, Blue Mosque Visit one of the most magnificent museums in the world Hagia Sophia ,you will be captivated by the beauty ,of this ancient basilica, with its mosaics, nartex, galleries and incomparable architecture, built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th Century. Visit the Topkapi Palace, once the palace of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Topkapi is a vast treasury of Islamic culture, science and weaponry, visited by over 2 million people every year. It is one of the highlights of Turkey. Visit the Underground Cistern (Basilica Cistern),waterway was used as a reservoir for water storage for the Great Palace and other buildings. It is 132 m length, by 65m wide. There are 336 columns in the cistern. Most of the column capitals are either in Corinthian or Doric Style. It’s impressive. Visit the Hippodrome see the famous Obelisk from Egypt, a remarkable pink granite monument built 3,500 years ago The Byzantine Hippodrome, with the Obelisk of Theodosius, was brought from Heliopolis, Egypt, and the Serpentine Column from Delphi during the reign of Constantine. After leaving the Hippodrome, you will finally have the opportunity to do some haggling at the Grand Bazaar, the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is like any bazaar except that, as its explains, it is all within one huge building. Depending on how you measure it, the covered market here could be the largest shopping center in the world, numbering over 4,000 individual shops, you will find among masses of modern trash an approximation of youthful dreams of the glamorous oriental market.Inclusions
Pickup and drop off where the tour concludes. “Hotel or Cruise Ports”
Price Chart
Payment
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability.
- At time of booking, Cruise Ship passengers must provide the following details under Special Requirements: Ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time.
- Children 6-18 years must be accompanied by an adult
- Please enter your preferred pickup time in the Special Requirements box at the time of booking, and reconfirm 48 hours prior to the tour’s departure time.
- Istanbul requires walking long distances over uneven surfaces, comfortable clothing and closed toe, sensible walking shoes are recommended. Sunglasses and sunscreen are suggested.
- We will ensure your timely return to the Istanbul port for this activity. If you are not returned to the ship in time to board, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call.
Make the difference between a good trip and an outstanding one !
Hagia Sophia is a much earlier building than the adjoining Blue Mosque, inside there is a huge scaffold and restoration work seems like a permanent fixture. Nevertheless the scale of ambition of the Byzantine builders is breathtaking – this was the largest interior space in a building until comparatively recently. A Must See!
I loved the Blue mosque, with all the islamic calligraphy and very detailed artistic work all over. It is the only mosque with 6 minarets in Turkey or maybe just in Istanbul; not sure. It is always very crowded, some other mosques are less crowded and quite as beautiful. Fatih Camii is AMAZING especially at sunset.
If you walk through Sultanahmet, chances are you will be in/on the Hippodrome. Read about its history to have a better appreciation…
We visited Istanbul for 1 ½ days on board the Celebrity Reflection in August. I highly recommend this company and our guide Taylan for your Istanbul experience.
Hagia Sophia is stunning and awesome. A must see for any visit to Istanbul. Chock full of history from Byzantine to Ottoman. I would imagine at its historical peak the interior and the domes were covered with mosaics as sumptuous as those in the Chora church (also a must visit!!), but most have been destroyed over time or covered up.
Istanbul was the most amazing city…returned four weeks ago and sad to see the rioting there…if is all calms down, be SURE to go visit this amazing city…adventure of a lifetime…but NOT for the physically challenged…there is no handicap access anywhere that i saw….
I enjoyed visiting the Hagia Sophia but there was not as much information as i would have liked once inside.
After doing a tour of Turkey and seeing the palaces and mosques we decided that a must do was the Basilica Cistern.. wanted to see how water was stored and to expereince an underground world. It is close to the otehr major sites, mosques and easy to locate.
On entry you find yourself in anotehr world!
I love the grand bazaar but there are a few things you need to know before going in. Know where the gates are because they can be hard to find, know you need to bargain for everything (haggling is part of the fun), it can be overwhelming since the Grand Bazaar sees on average 300,000 people a day.
A trip to Istanbul without seeing Hagia Sophia would be a big mistake. This place is breathtakingly beautiful. Its shear size is difficult to fathom until you are right in the centre of it. Its intricate detail in every column, the mosaic work, and its marble work (which looks like a gigantic quilt with varying patterns) makes it one the most impressive places of worship I’ve visited.