istanbul old city private walking tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Hippodrome was built by East Roman Empire at the 4th century AD., used for chariot races. nowadays only can be seen 3 obelisks. 1-Theodosius Obelisk (Egyptian Obelisk) 2-Serpent Column 3-Constantine Obelisk

   25 min

2. German Emperor II. Wilhelm sent the fountain he had built in Germany in 1901 to Istanbul as a gift to Sultan Abdulhamit. It is located in Sultanahmet Square. Its architecture is different from Ottoman architecture and European architecture. The purpose of the gift is written in the inscription on the fountain as a memory of gratitude.

   Passes by

3. Sultan Ahmed Mosque or known as Blue Mosque was built by Ottoman Turks in 1616. You will be glazed with more than 20.000 handmade blue colored tiles inside. With the ostrich eggs hanged on the chandelier.

   45 min

4. The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque / Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi, with its innovative architecture, rich history, religious significance and extraordinary characteristics has been fighting against time for centuries, was the largest Eastern Roman Church in İstanbul. Constructed three times in the same location, it is the world’s oldest and fastest-completed cathedral. With its breathtaking domes that look like hanging in the air, monolithic marble columns and unparalleled mosaics, is one of the wonders of world’s architecture history. The sheer dazzling beauty of mosque with its magnificent play on space, light, and color provokes worship in the believer! Hagia Sophia pose on the ground of the first hill of İstanbul, precisely at the tip of the historic peninsula, surrounded by the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn on three sides.

   45 min

5. Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) and Harem are likely to have more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines and scheming eunuchs lived and worked here between the 15th and 19th centuries when it was the court of the Ottoman empire. A visit to the palace's opulent pavilions, jewel-filled Treasury and sprawling Harem gives a fascinating glimpse into their lives. Used by 25 different Sultan for 380 years.

   2.5 h

6. The biggest indoor bazaar of the world with more than 3000 shops in it. On the way to bazaar according to your time and WISH we can visit one of the carpet house which is more than a shop, telling the mystery of Turkish women.

   45 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 20 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Istanbul

• Its from-price is 95% above the median of the 530 city tours we list in Istanbul.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 140 of 530.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Istanbul

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, with Byzantine and Ottoman monuments, busy bazaars and ferries crossing between continents.

The historic peninsula holds the greatest landmarks. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome face each other in Sultanahmet, the Basilica Cistern lies beneath the streets, and Topkapı Palace spreads across the hill above the Golden Horn. A short walk away, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar have traded for centuries, and Süleymaniye Mosque, built by the great Ottoman architect Sinan, crowns one of the city's seven hills.

Top-ranked sights in Istanbul: Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi), Bosphorus, Bosphorus Bridge (Bogazici Koprusu).

See all 3649 experiences in Istanbul