Full Day Istanbul Old City Tour With Expert Local Guide

A comfortable vehicle will pick you up from your hotel and drive you towards the meeting point. There, you will meet your assigned professional tour guide. The experienced guide will be responsible to provide interesting descriptions about the places of interest during this walking tour. Please remeber that Istanbul is a mega city and there can be big traffic jams which will cause certain delays.

The first stop of this walking tour will take place at the Hippodrome. This used to be the place where sporting events were taking place during the Byzantine period. The broader area features 4 monuments. During your time there you may observe and admire the Egyptian Obelisk, the Column of Constantine, the Serpentine Column and the German Fountain of Wilhelm II.

Then, you will walk towards Blue Mosque, which is listed among the most visited and most important mosques of the country. This active worship place is a true miracle of interior design. Inside, you may observe the blue tiles on the walls. The tour guide will explain everything you need to know about the history and the importance of this place.

The walking tour continues with a visit to Hagia Sophia. This emblematic monument will impress you due to its size. It was constructed during the 4th century by the Constantine the Great and reconstructed again during the 6th century. Nowadays, it forms one of the most visited monuments in Turkey.

Caferağa Madrasa was built by Mimar Sinan (Koca Sinan) in 1559 by Cafer Ağa, one of the Babüssaade aghas during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566). This building was restored in 1989 by the Turkish Culture Service Foundation. Today; It serves as an art center where Traditional Turkish Arts are taught, produced and exhibited and hosting local and foreign guests with its 15 different art workshops, large hall and peaceful courtyard.

The last stop of this tour will take place in one of the most important monument in Turkey. Topkali Palace used to be the residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 5 centuries. Today, visitors can visit the palace and walk around its various rooms. Moreover, the place hosts an impressive collection of Ottoman items such as jewelleries, precious stones and costumes.

A lunch break will then offered at a local restaurant in the nearby area. Relax and enjoy your tasty meal before proceeding with the rest of the tour.

After visiting these great monuments, you will continue walking towards the infamous Grand Bazaar. This will be the perfect opportunity to exercise your bargaining skills and to experience the real vibes of the city. With 4000 shops, located in narrow labyrinth-like paths, Grand Bazaar impresses visitors since the very first moments. There, you can find clothes, handcrafts of all kinds, street food and many other interesting souvenirs.

After the last stop, you will return to your hotel with a modern vehicle. This walking tour will be an interesting excursion and will offer you an unforgettable journey in time.