Istanbul Old City Tour with Lunch and Hotel Pickup

Istanbul's UNESCO Old City in One Guided Day

This six hour guided tour gathers the monuments most visitors come to Istanbul for into a single well paced morning and early afternoon. Lunch and air-conditioned transport are included in the price so the day asks very little of you beyond showing up.

Hagia Sophia

The day opens at Hagia Sophia founded in the sixth century as a basilica under Emperor Justinian. For roughly a thousand years it was the largest cathedral in the world and it remains the defining work of Byzantine architecture.

Topkapi Palace

Next comes Topkapi Palace the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the centre of the empire for close to four hundred years. Its rooms hold collections of porcelain robes arms armour Ottoman miniatures and Islamic calligraphy.

Lunch and the Afternoon

After lunch you continue to the Blue Mosque facing Hagia Sophia across the square and known for its blue Iznik tiles and its six minarets. It is the last great imperial mosque of the classical period.

The Hippodrome follows. This was the centre of sporting and political life in the old city and the Obelisk of Theodosius the Serpent Column and the German Fountain all still stand here.

The Grand Bazaar

The final stop is the Grand Bazaar with more than sixty streets and over five thousand shops. Leather carpets antiques jewellery hand-woven textiles and souvenirs of every kind fill one of the largest covered markets in the world.

What the Price Covers

Your guide carries pre-paid skip-the-line tickets to avoid the long queues and you settle the used admissions in cash with the guide. Hotel pickup lunch and transport are already covered by the tour price.