Full-Day Istanbul Ottoman and Byzantine Historical Sites Tour
You will follow the traces of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires in Istanbul. Have the opportunity to visit all the historic sites of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.
Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, and Little Hagia Sophia Mosque are the most popular historical places. You will visit these historic sites on the guided tour and information about their history. Entrance fee and Lunch Included.
Tour Options
Full-Day Istanbul Old City Tour
Pickup included
Itinerary
Admission included420 min
This tour is the best way to discover Byzantine and Ottoman Traces. These are Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Obelisks, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, and Little Hagia Sophia Mosque.
Admission included45 min
Visit Hagia Sophia :
Hagia Sophia, Turkish Ayasofya, also called Church of the Holy Wisdom or Church of the Divine Wisdom, cathedral built at Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) in the 6th century CE (532–537) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. By general consensus, it is the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments.
Admission included45 min
Visit the Blue Mosque :
The Mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles surrounding the wall's interior design. Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 years, during the rule of Ahmed I. Just like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasa, and a hospice. Besides still being used as a mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque has also become a popular attraction in Istanbul.
Admission included60 min
Visit Hippodrome and Obelisks :
The Hippodrome (At Meydani) was an of course a horse-racing track, what's in the name. But during the Byzantine Empire, the hippodrome was not only used for chariot races. Court ceremonies, coronations, and parades also took place at the hippodrome, making it the sporting and social center of Byzantine life for over 1000 years. The reason why some refer to it as the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
60 min
Grand Bazaar (Covered Bazaar) :
As the Ottoman Empire grew larger, the Grand Bazaar also kept up with the development of the capital. The Bazaar that initially was comprised of two Bedestens now occupies an area of about 47 thousand square meters. Today there are around 400 shops in the Grand Bazaar. You will have a shopping opportunity for carpets, rugs, ceramics, hookah, etc.
Admission included1 min
Visit Topkapi Palace :
The Topkapi Palace is located in Turkey Istanbul, which was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years of their 600-year reign, from 1456 to 1856. Today containing the holiest relics of the Muslim world such as the prophet Muhammed's cloak and sword. Topkapi Palace is among those monuments belonging to the "Historic Areas of Istanbul" which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. It is the best example of ensembles of palaces of the Ottoman period.
Highlights
Lunch
English speaking tour guide
Pick up and Drop off from the hotels (by air-conditioned mini buses)
Entrance fees.
What's included
Included
Lunch
English speaking tour guide
Pick up and Drop off from the hotels (by air-conditioned mini buses)
Entrance fees.
Not included
Personal expenses
Tips
Beverages
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up from Centrally located hotels in Istanbul. Sultanahmet, Kabatas, Taksim, Şişhane, Karaköy, Sirkeci, Yenikapı, Laleli, Pera, Şişli, Nişantaşı, Aksaray, Eninönü, Cemberlitaş, Beyazıt, Harbiye, Beyoğl
Traveller Ratings
4.8
13 reviews
5
11
4
1
3
1
2
0
1
0
Important Information
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Frequently asked questions
How long does Full-Day Istanbul Old City Tour take?
Full-Day Istanbul Old City Tour lasts about 7 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
How much does Full-Day Istanbul Old City Tour cost?
Prices start at $207 per person for this Istanbul experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Full-Day Istanbul Old City Tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. We pick up from Centrally located hotels in Istanbul. Sultanahmet, Kabatas, Taksim, Şişhane, Karaköy, Sirkeci, Yenikapı, Laleli, Pera, Şişli, Nişantaşı, Aksaray, Eninönü, Cemberlitaş, Beyazıt, Harbiye, Beyoğl Pickup points include CONTACT_SUPPLIER_LATER, LOC-6eKJ+or5y8o99Qw0C8xWyEImGbFa+5CBKbpmTZC40Eg=, LOC-6eKJ+or5y8o99Qw0C8xWyFumi+9arnlDHac1ZDI6cR0=.
What languages is Full-Day Istanbul Old City Tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 25 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(13)
F
flyerkris
October 13, 2024
An excellent experience in Istanbul
Acetes Travel provided me with an excellent experience in Istanbul, with detailed explanations of the city's history from the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia to the Topkapi Palace Museum and the Bosphorus cruise. The tour guide and drivers were fantastic, and 100% I would suggest their services!!!
Operator response
Thank you for your nice comment. Thank you for choosing us. We wish you a nice day. See
you next time!
A
andrewbL7610BZ
April 17, 2024
Quite literally the highlight of my entire life
Best tour in Istanbul. We had such a a great time. Knowledgable hosts. Great food. Amazing experience. I would love to do it again
Operator response
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time and enjoyed the knowledgeable hosts and delicious food. We look forward to having you join us again for another amazing experience!
R
Rebecca A
April 17, 2024
Great tour of the Old City
Great tour! Very knowledgeable and extensive. Enjoyed all the sights and history. Make sure you have good walking shoes :)
Operator response
Thank you for the great review! We're glad you enjoyed the tour and the sights. Good walking shoes are definitely a must! Looking forward to seeing you again!
A
ADAMCARSLEN
August 16, 2022
nice trip organization
very nice trip organization for Istanbul it's great city I've enjoyed my stay staffs were very friendly and helpful.
Operator response
Hello,
Thank you for your nice comment, we wish you a good day.
4
407emelu
August 15, 2022
Very good
We had a very nice full day with my family. Professional understanding and service. Thank you for everything! My recommendation for those happy to consider.
Operator response
Bizi tercih ettiğiniz için biz de teşekkür ederiz. Umarız bir daha ailenizle sizi teknemizde ağırlarız. İyi günler dileriz.
U
U993OSyusufs
August 13, 2022
A throat tour
Amazing enjoyable and fine-dive tour I would definitely recommend Recommendation best of the best
Operator response
Merhabalar,
Güzel yorumunuz için teşekkür ederiz. Sizi bir daha ağırlamaktan onur duyarız. İyi günler dileriz.
V
Victor T
June 7, 2022
Marvelous Istanbul
Really hospitable and easily reachable staff, especially Mahir, who took over the responsibility to book all our trips, and doing us a favour by booking seats for for the Hodja Pasha Whirling Dervishes Show. Here are some of my remarks:
City Tour: There was some confusion with the transportation, in the morning we changed several vehicles. Something for which perhaps nothing could be done is that almost 30 minutes we've been in the bus for passing by and picking up other tourists in the same area, which is a bit annoying. If they manage to do it in another more efficient way (perhaps all the tourists in the same area to walk 5 minutes to a gathering place, instead of 30-40 minutes of time wasted for picking each of them).
Our tour guide was not very talkative and for most of the sights used only a few short sentences as description. If I did not read about all these places beforehand, I would not understand anything. At some moment, I had the feeling that our Tour guide was doing this against his will and didn't seem disposed to like his profession. If you had the chance, do not choose the time-consuming 'one-day city tour', instead opt for something which will give you more time; otherwise, it would be a feverish haste to visit everything for one day and at the end you will feel that you've been in a hurry with the time. Choose something for more than 2 days at least.
Sunset Cruise: Beyond any doubts, the best tour, if available, is the sunset Cruise, marvelous and definitely must-to-do. Our guide on the boat, Ekrem, was immensely helpful and knowledgeable, excessively friendly and enthusiastic. I was enlightened more about Istanbul History during the 3 hours on the board, rather than one whole day on the 'City Tour'. As regards
the catering, at least two or three rounds of snacks and beverages we had, included in the price. If you get lucky, you will see the dolphins at sunset, a truly remarkable memory to keep.
Lunch: Not quite satiating meal, salad was awful, but if you could make it to have lentils and kebab, it would definitely worth it.
Operator response
Thank you very much for your valuable comment. Our company is completely focused on customer satisfaction. Thank you for your reviews. We will improve ourselves in this regard.
J
JsonObject
January 24, 2022
Cozy and comfortable.
With this tour from Tripadvicer, we celebrated our friend’s wedding anniversary. The food was very pleasant and delicious. I appreciate the tum murettabata and calisans.
M
melikv2022
January 24, 2022
great
My girl and I went on a boat tour and the other friends who took the tour were very good people, we had a good time. to be honest, they didn’t miss the service, I would definitely recommend.
R
Roam388725
June 27, 2021
AMAZING
I’ve had a lot of tours for years, and I don’t normally have to write reviews. That’s all I’m writing about. I’ve never seen such a beautiful organization. Thank you for everything! We were very pleased.