Prices checked on Sep 12, 2026Things to do in Istanbul
We will see as many churches as we can see from outside. Our day starts with the visit of St. Saviour of Chora from outside. Built originally as a part of a monastery complex in the 4th century, transformed to a mosque at the beginning of 16th century, became a museum in 1945, and recently retransformed to a mosque again. We will continue with Tekfur Palace, a late 13th-century Byzantine palace. Next stop is the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae, an Eastern Orthodox church. We will see the Church of Saint Mary of the Mongols from 7th century. And the oldest surviving and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul, Phanar Greek Orthodox College. Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is also on our itinerary. We will finish our tour with Monastery of the Pantocrator, the most typical example of architecture of the Byzantine middle period in Constantinople. And finally we will see the remains of the Church of St. Polyeuctus, from the 6th century.
Greek orthodox church, originally built in the early 4th century as part of a monastery complex outside the city walls of Constantinople (Visit from outside)
13th-century Byzantine palace in the north-western part of the old city of Constantinople (Visit from outside)
An Eastern Orthodox church
The only remaining Byzantine church of Constantinople that has never been converted to a mosque, always remained open to the Greek Orthodox Church
The oldest surviving and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul
The Pammakaristos Church was constructed in the early part of the 12th century
You will see the walls and gates of Constantinople
This mosque is made of two former Eastern Orthodox churches and a chapel
You wil see Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Ancient Byzantine church in Constantinople, built by the noblewoman Anicia Juliana and dedicated to Saint Polyeuctus
Complimentary pick up and drop off from centrally located European Side hotels
Istanbul Ancient Monasteries Full-Day Tour with Lunch lasts about 6h 40min–7h 30min. The itinerary has 10 stops.
Prices start at $768 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.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Complimentary pick up and drop off from centrally located European Side hotels Pickup points include CONTACT_SUPPLIER_LATER, LOC-6eKJ+or5y8o99Qw0C8xWyPIrZGfQC1Xv2GvY+JaMy1U=, LOC-6eKJ+or5y8o99Qw0C8xWyAkFyeVOqYwFtL5ZREbukxs=.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 4 participants.
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
We essentially toured slums. Churches were not seen even from exterior. Lunch was offered in a slum and my wife and I got sick. Will never use viator or trip advisor again
Hello Robert, The tour is not about slums. I couldn't agree your idea and we have been working for years with this restaurant we have never faced a situation like yours. We contacted with restaurant and started an investigation. We are very sorry to hear about your health condition.
Diana was an outstanding guide. She knew her subject matter very well and was very professional. Also could explain things in context of the current situation
Wow! Wow! And wow! This is one of the best experience to have in Istanbul. It takes an excellent guide, and be prepared with your extended distance walking shoes. Lutfallah, the guide, skillfully navigated the city. Superb!
Thank you very much for your review. We are very glad that you are happy from our services. Regards
Our guide Lutfi picked us up from our hotel as arranged. My husband and I were the only ones on the tour which made it very special. We started with the highlight- Chora church mosaics. If you are interested in beautiful art, the mosaics in the Chora church will blow you away. The walls and ceilings were covered in mosaics mostly of reasonable quality. Absolutely fantastic to see! Lutfi told us the story of all the mosaics and gave us plenty of time to take photos. I was a bit disappointed that we started with the Chora mosaics as everything after would fade in comparison, but in hindsight it was better to start with this while we were fresh and unaffected by the heat. The tour comprises a lot of walking ( around 12km) and in the heat it is quite exhausting! The rest of the tour was great in that as well as looking at Byzantine mosques and monasteries which had mostly been converted from churches, we wandered the streets where few tourists go. It gave us an insight into another side of Istanbul. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Lunch was authentic Turkish fare ( but not tourist kebabs or pide as explained by Lutfi) and extremely filling! This was a remarkable tour for us, but may not appeal to everyone.
We enjoyed this tour very much. Our guide Ilker was incredibly knowledgeable. His enthusiasm and warmth made this tour particularly memorable. We enjoyed a wonderful meal with Ilker at a restaurant in the Fatih district. He could not have chosen a better itinerary or restaurant.
<p>Marvelous! Absolutely marveIous! I was in luck since I was the only one having booked the tour that day. So a small-group tour turned into a private tour for me. And this tour was the highlight of my trip. After having experienced the big tourist attractions I wanted to find the hidden historical gems... and this tour did not disappoint! My tour guide was extremely friendly and he was also extremely knowledgable, and imparted the knowledge in really fun ways! I highly recommend this tour if you have visited all the big attractions Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque etc and want something a little different.</p> <p>Oh, and the lunch included? Absolutely fantastic! Normally an included lunch is fairly standard, more filling than anything, but this lunch was at a restaurant with home cooked anatolian food.</p> <p>One fair bit of warning for this tour though, there is much walking involved so if you are not prepared for that this tour might not be for you.</p>
<p>My tour guide Serhat is very knowledgeable and friendly.</p>
<p>Great tour guide. We were able to see and experience the remaining gems of the old Byzantine Monasteries. Not much remains intact, but if you enjoy history and wandering through the old streets to piece together the clues, it is a fun time.</p>
<p>My day with Ilker was the best part of my trip to Istanbul. He was very knowledgeable about Christian sites and history, but also took time to explain many Muslim traditions and practices as well. Overall I could not have had a better day. Thank you!</p>
<p>Illcare (phonetic spelling), the Guide, was a very knowledgeable and friendly person who took his time to explain the background to each church, mosque or space we visited in a packed and thoroughly enjoyable itinerary. Thanks to the company "Istanbul Walks".</p>
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Istanbul Ancient Monasteries Full-Day Tour with Lunch | 6h 40min–7h 30min | 4.6 (14) | $768 | |
 WONDERS of ISTANBUL : Full Day Private Guided City Tour | 5–7 hours | 5.0 (445) | $75 | View |
 Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour | 7–21 hours | 5.0 (10,116) | $100 | View |
 Istanbul Taste of Two Continents Food Tour - Spice Market & Ferry | 5h 30min | 5.0 (3,592) | $135 | View |
 ISTANBUL BEST: Iconic Landmarks Full Day PRIVATE Guided City Tour | 6–8 hours | 5.0 (1,478) | $85 | View |
 Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset Luxury Yacht Cruise with Snacks | 2h 30min | 4.9 (2,384) | $47 | View |
 Istanbul Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern with Tickets | 3 hours | 4.9 (131) | $135 | View |