Istanbul: Old Town, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome & Hagia Sophia
Description
Enjoy an Istanbul Half-day sightseeing tour and explore some of the traditional sites, historic monuments and more. This tour helps you save some money and see just the attractions you are most interested in. This tour allows you a more open schedule to plan the rest of your day in Istanbul.
Tour Options
Itinerary
German Fountain
Hippodrome
Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia, officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, is a mosque and a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. It was formerly a church (360–1453) and a museum (1935–2020). The last of three church buildings to be successively erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in AD 537, becoming the world's largest interior space and among the first to employ a fully pendentive dome. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". From its dedication in 360 until 1453 Hagia Sophia served as the cathedral of Constantinople in the Byzantine liturgical tradition, except for the period 1204–1261 when the Latin Crusaders installed their own hierarchy. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it served as a mosque, having its minarets added soon after. The site became a museum in 1935, and was redesignated as a mosque in 2020.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(78)
A very interesting tour which covers all the important parts of the old town of Istanbul. Can our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and great fun. He was happy to answer any questions and made sure everyone in the group was involved. The tour was very interactive and overall a great day!
Dear Guest, thank you for this fantastic review! 😊 Can's ability to keep everyone engaged and make the tour so interactive is something we're really proud of. Istanbul's old town has so many stories to tell and we're glad he brought them all to life. We'll pass on your kind words to him. Hope to see you back soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Good tour, explanation of the history, friendly guide.
Dear Guest, Thank you for the kind words! History, friendliness and a good tour all in one, glad we delivered! We hope to see you again soon! 😊 Kind regards 🧿Tourmania Team
Everything was fine. Our guide answered all our questions. We were in a small group (8 people). We learned a lot and at a good pace.
Bonjour, Merci pour ce beau retour! Un petit groupe, un bon rythme et toutes vos questions auxquelles on a répondu, c'est exactement ce qu'on vise! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez autant appris. Nous espérons vous revoir très bientôt! 😊 Cordialement 🧿Tourmania Équipe
Our guide Aca gave us detailed information of the different churches we visited, was thoughtful about bathroom visits and was very friendly with great English
Dear Guest, Thank you for this lovely and detailed review! It is great to hear that Aca made the visit so smooth and informative. The little things like being thoughtful about bathroom breaks really do make a difference on a long tour! We will pass your kind words on to him. Hope to see you again soon! 😊 Kind regards 🧿Tourmania Team
Excellent visit with very rich and very complete explanations. The Daphne guide was perfect, always very clear in her explanations and also very attentive to the well-being of visitors. 100% recommend this visit.
Bonjour, Merci beaucoup pour ce superbe avis ! Nous sommes ravis que Daphnée ait rendu cette visite si enrichissante et agréable pour vous. Nous lui transmettrons vos gentils mots avec plaisir ! Nous espérons vous revoir très bientôt ! 😊 Cordialement 🧿Tourmania Team
The tour was great. Thank you. Defne our guide is very friendly and so knowledgeable! We really enjoyed her guided tour and all facts and stories made it very interesting for us. We learned so much about AyaSofia and the Sultanahmet & Basilica cistern . The tour was well organised and enjoyable. No queuing for tickets. Fast track. Recommend Tourmania. Booked through Viator
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We are thrilled that Defne made the tour so engaging and that the stories and facts brought Aya Sofia, Sultanahmet and the Basilica Cistern to life for you. We will make sure to pass your kind words on to her! We hope to see you again soon! 😊 Kind regards 🧿Tourmania Team
The tour was amazing. The guide spoke English very well and was very kind.
Dear Guest, What a lovely thing to hear! It means a lot to know that our guide's kindness and communication made such a difference to your experience. We hope to see you again on your next adventure! 😊 Kind regards 🧿Tourmania Team
Had a great tour of the blue mosque, the Hagia Sofia and the basilica cistern. Great guide told us many stories that helped mold our understanding of these sights and their incredible histories.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Basilica Cistern. It’s fantastic that our guide’s stories helped bring the history of these incredible sites to life and made your experience so memorable. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable Tourmania adventure soon! Kind Regards 🧿Tourmania Team
Really great tour. Loved every bit of it. On time, lots of explanations and very knowledgeable across a broad range of subjects. Would highly recommend. The no waiting for tickets was ideal.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that you loved every part of your Istanbul Old Town tour. It’s wonderful that the on-time schedule, detailed explanations, and skip-the-line access made your experience smooth and enjoyable. Your recommendation truly means a lot to us! We hope to welcome you again for another memorable Tourmania adventure soon. Kind Regards 🧿Tourmania Team
our guide was great. Good English and an enthusiastic tour leader. Highly recommend
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour of Istanbul’s Old Town and found your guide enthusiastic and engaging, with excellent English. It’s wonderful that the experience left such a positive impression on you. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you again for another memorable Tourmania adventure in Istanbul! Kind Regards 🧿Tourmania Team
