Istanbul Old City Tour: Sultanahmet Highlights

Discover the hidden treasures of Istanbul on a private tour. Explore unique monuments and the historic Old City of Sultanahmet, including the iconic Blue Mosque and other famous sights.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Blue Mosque - Explore the interior of the Blue Mosque
  • Kapali Carsi - Discover the renowned Grand Bazaar, the largest shopping center in Europe
  • Hagia Sophia Mosque - Enjoy a guided interior tour lasting between 45 to 90 minutes
  • Hippodrome - Stroll through the ancient Hippodrome streets and admire the historic columns and obelisks…
What's Included
  • Pick up from city center hotels and cruise port
  • Drop off to hotels, cruise port, and city center locations
  • Professional tour guide
What's Not Included
  • Drinks
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
  • Entrance fee of Hagia Sophia Museum per person 30 us dollar
  • Entrance fee of Topkapi Palace
Additional Information

Embark on a walking tour through Istanbul’s renowned Old City, Sultanahmet, named after the illustrious Blue Mosque. Explore four of the area’s premier landmarks, each just a 4–8 minute stroll apart. Immerse yourself in the distinctive history and architecture up close, with no need for car transfers as all attractions are conveniently reachable on foot. An ideal way to experience the essence of Istanbul!

Location
Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant
Divan Yolu Caddesi
if your hotel is not in the pick up zone we can meet you here, 100 meter away from the tram station of sultanahmet towards to Hagia Sophia
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(673 Ratings)
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Geoffrey_b
Apr 21, 2026
A great day out. - Our guide Eylem was excellent, very knowlegable, she altered our schedule to the main sites we wanted to see and was great company on our tour.
Review provided by Viator
Bejan_s
Feb 28, 2026
Would definitely book again! - Booking was very easy. Our guide was flexible and adapted to our wishes for the tour. He had a deep knowledge of the historical places and went into detail on all our questions.
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Salem_t
Feb 12, 2026
Old town tour - We had the most extra ordinary time with our guide. Personalised, in depth and enjoyable tour of the old town. I would recommend highly
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Sharon_t
Feb 11, 2026
We loved this private tour with Eylem - Our private walking tour in Istanbul in June, 2025, with Eylem was hands down one of the highlights of our trip! From the moment she met us right outside the cruise port, we knew we were in great hands. She was warm, organized, and immediately made us feel like we were exploring the city with a close friend rather than just a guide. Eylem thoughtfully planned the perfect route, taking us to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Underground Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and several other incredible sites — all in an order that helped us avoid the biggest crowds. That alone made such a difference in our experience. Pro tip: make sure to bring a cover-up to enter the mosques — Eylem helped guide us through the etiquette and made everything seamless. What really stood out was how she brought Istanbul’s rich history to life. As we explored, she wove together stories of the Byzantine, Roman, and Ottoman Empires in a way that was engaging, easy to follow, and fascinating. We didn’t just see the sights — we understood them. She also expertly navigated the city using a combination of walking and the metro, which let us cover more ground comfortably and efficiently. Along the way, she treated us to food and water from local street vendors (such a thoughtful touch!) and later took us to a wonderful restaurant with a huge selection of absolutely delicious food (at our own expense). It felt like we were getting the true local experience. Eylem was happy to take photos and videos and knew all the good angles for getting great pics and memories. By the end of the day, Eylem didn’t feel like just our tour guide — she felt like a sister from another mister. Her kindness, knowledge, and genuine care made our day in Istanbul unforgettable. If you’re visiting and want an experience that’s insightful, smooth, and full of heart, book with Eylem. You won’t regret it!
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Rob_b
Feb 8, 2026
Great tour! - Great experience. Cristal was fun and fantastic! Very informative, and a lot of fun too! Learned a lot. She was super accommodating and a great city guide!
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Leon_b
Feb 7, 2026
Our Day in Istanbul - We had a wonderful time seeing the old City of Istanbul. Our guide Belgin (Bella) was very nice and knowledgeable and did just a wonderful job.
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Jack_o
Jan 23, 2026
Tour guide was very... - Tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided lots of meaningful history about the sites that we visited.
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David_p
Jan 18, 2026
Very professional, the... - Very professional, the guide Billur was very kind and knowledgeable. They offered a great service, punctual and very complete.
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Karen_a
Jan 11, 2026
Wonderful experience - Peri was a fantastic tour guide! She was very informative, communication was excellent and she was very pleasant. The logistics were flawless. We had a great time.
Review provided by Viator
Tay_e
Jan 1, 2026
We had an excellent... - We had an excellent walking tour with Belgin. She was able to change our tour to include the Basilica cistern instead of the grand bazaar. Very informative about the history of each place we visited. I highly recommend this tour and our guide.
Review provided by Viator
From $24
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).