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Istanbul Highlights: Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar
4.5
561 Ratings
Istanbul
Embark on a full-day adventure in Istanbul, exploring iconic landmarks such as the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Discover the rich history and culture of the city while enjoying a delicious lunch at a local restaurant.
Embark on a full-day adventure in Istanbul, exploring iconic landmarks such as the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Discover the rich history and culture of the city while enjoying a delicious lunch at a local restaurant.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Blue Mosque - Istanbul is home to monumental shrines of various faiths, with the Blue Mosque being one of the most renowned masterpieces of Ottoman religious architecture. It stands with great prestige, featuring six minarets and a perfectly proportioned dome. The mosque is named after its turquoise-colored tiles made from quartz minerals. Ottoman…
- Blue Mosque - Istanbul is home to monumental shrines of various faiths, with the Blue Mosque being one of the most renowned masterpieces of Ottoman religious architecture. It stands with great prestige, featuring six minarets and a perfectly proportioned dome. The mosque is named after its turquoise-colored tiles made from quartz minerals. Ottoman Sultans favored this timeless shrine for prayer due to its unparalleled beauty until the empire’s fall after World War I.
- Hippodrome - The Roman Hippodrome, a relic of a glorious past, today showcases the famous Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpentine Column, which dates back to the 5th century BC.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - The Basilica of Saint Sophia is one of the largest Christian shrines ever constructed. It is adorned with rich mosaic murals, colossal columns, and an atmosphere of divine serenity. Saint Sophia is a true world heritage site that has embraced various faiths throughout history. It currently operates as a museum, displaying Byzantine art and architecture enhanced by Ottoman influences.
- Topkapi Palace - A visit to the imperial palace of the Ottoman Sultans includes tours of the imperial treasury, the Chinese porcelain section, the calligraphy section, and more. Visitors can also explore the optional Jewelry Collection segment of the palace.
- Grand Bazaar - The Grand Bazaar is a vast and legendary covered market, the largest souk in the world, with nearly 4,000 shops offering antiques, jewelry, and carpets.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Lunch
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (only from hotels)
- Professional guide
- Lunch
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (only from hotels)
What's Not Included
- Visit to the Harem in Topkapi Palace is not included (own expense)
- Drinks
- Gratuities
- Visit to the Harem in Topkapi Palace is not included (own expense)
- Drinks
- Gratuities
Additional Information
This 8 hours tour starts at Hippodrome Square continues to the Blue Mosque as one of the landmarks of the city. Then visit to the St. Sophia Museum, one of the most magnificent Byzantine churches. Continue to Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence of the Great Ottoman Empire, today a museum holding large collection of porcelains and displaying holy…
This 8 hours tour starts at Hippodrome Square continues to the Blue Mosque as one of the landmarks of the city. Then visit to the St. Sophia Museum, one of the most magnificent Byzantine churches. Continue to Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence of the Great Ottoman Empire, today a museum holding large collection of porcelains and displaying holy relics. Proceed to Little Hagia Sofia and the Grand Bazaar, tempting souvenir-hunters with its rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewellery and leather, where the tour ends. Lunch in a local restaurant will be served during the tour.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Dress code is smart casual
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays instead you will take the Bosphorus Cruise Tour. Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, instead you will visit the open-air bazaar
- Passport name, number and country is required at time of booking for all participants
- At least 2 people are required for this activity to take place.
- As Hagia Sophia is not a museum (has been converted into a mosque) anymore, tour guides don’t have skip-the-line priority/offer there.
- Spanish language option is only available on Mondays and Thursdays, whereas the English language option is available anytime as to not cause confusion for travelers who would like to book the said product.
- We as KARAVAN TRAVEL, want to ensure the minds of travelers that, all the necessary safety measures and precautions will be maintained at all times; hand sanitizer will be available, masks will be given out, seats will be blocked out on coaches, reduced groups sizes and social distancing measures will be taking against COVID-19 infections. We will follow up the new regulations/restrictions permanently and update our procedures accordingly.
Location
Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet Mah At Meydani Cad No 7
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(561 Ratings)
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Ata_k
Jan 7, 2025
Great tour. Highly recommended. - Great experience. An amazing tour of the key historical sites in Istanbul in one day. Our guide, Ms Fatma was very knowledgeable, explained everything in detail and allowed us to spend as much time as needed at each location. We had a wonderful multi-course lunch at a nearby restaurant as part of the tour. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Kara_m
Nov 9, 2024
Great tour and guide - We booked this tour to try and see as many things in the old part of Istanbul. Our guide Umutcan was amazing. He met us right on time at our hotel. He was so knowledgeable and knew detailed history for each site we visited. Lunch was at Anka Palace with a a great view of the water and the food was very good. We would absolutely book this tour again
Review provided by Viator
Monroemba
Nov 2, 2024
Amazing tour of Istanbul - Amazing tour. Saw all the major sites without having to wait in ticket line and our guide was extremely knowledgeable and well spoken in explaining the rich history of turkey and the relevance of each historic site. We had a wonderful lunch at a hotel rooftop as well all included! Would 100% recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Hermione65
Nov 2, 2024
Sublime - The Blue Mosque, just magnificent, grandiose, impressive. Sublime blue ceramic.Built in the 17th century under Sultan Ahmet 1st.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_m
Oct 25, 2024
You will love this one - It’s a long day, but it is the best way to see all of the main historical sites within the old city. Our guide was excellent.
Review provided by Viator
Phillip
Jul 21, 2025
Utku: an amazing guide for an amazing day! - We had an amazing time in Istanbul! Our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and showed up exactly on time. He wanted to ensure we had an amazing day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N4578tllindat
Mar 18, 2025
Interesting, busy day - We were very lucky to have good weather until the end when a thunderstorm broke. The tour with Ahmed was interesting. Possibly too much to fit in comfortably in one day but we are pleased that the tour allowed us to see the major sites . The pick up from the hotel was on time and after a lot of walking the return trip by bus was welcome!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mansoorq575
Oct 13, 2024
Great tour, with a couple of caveats - Our guide, Burak, was knowledgeable, friendly, and on-time. Overall, this was a wonderful tour of multiple noteworthy locations. Burak knew the process for visiting them and was able to talk through key aspects of the buildings and their history.
Two important considerations for folks thinking of this tour:
1) This would be best considered a walking tour. The van just gets you to the Sultanahmet square, where 4 of the 5 sights are located. Then you'll walk, a lot. Since we weren't going to go back to the van, we decided to carry our backpacks with us. Somewhere on the walk, Burak mentioned that the tour is about 15,000 steps. This is important to know ahead of time because a lot of folks can't do that, especially on a warm day. We decided to stop after the first 3 sights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Hippodrome). Unlike other tours, the tickets Karavan gets are not transferrable, so we couldn't visit Topkapi Palace on our own, and it doesn't feel like we got the full value of the tour.
Another aspect is accessibility, separately from wheelchairs. Not at all Karavan's fault, but something they should share with visitors. The tour description mentions that this tour is not wheelchair accessible, but visiting the Hagia Sophia is moderately strenuous physical activity. The security line is long and in the sun. Once past security, you have to walk uphill on a ramp, for a while. Then, inside the Hagia Sophia, there are no seats and you are not allowed to sit down on the floor, not even for a minute (we tried). To leave, you have to descend stairs. I saw 3 people helping an elderly woman carefully walk down the entrance ramp, all of them frustrated by the Hagia Sophia's lack of accessibility.
2) Clarify the schedule ahead of time. Definitions of lunchtime will vary, but while pickup was at 9am, by 2pm, we still hadn't stopped for lunch. Our group was made up of us and one other family, and both asked the guide to stop for a drink and snack break. We left the tour after the break, so I'm not sure when lunch happened. For us, we started to get hungry at 12pm.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mansoor_q
Oct 9, 2024
Great tour, with a couple of caveats - Our guide, Burak, was knowledgeable, friendly, and on-time. Overall, this was a wonderful tour of multiple noteworthy locations. Burak knew the process for visiting them and was able to talk through key aspects of the buildings and their history.
Two important considerations for folks thinking of this tour:
1) This would be best considered a walking tour. The van just gets you to the Sultanahmet square, where 4 of the 5 sights are located. Then you'll walk, a lot. Since we weren't going to go back to the van, we decided to carry our backpacks with us. Somewhere on the walk, Burak mentioned that the tour is about 15,000 steps. This is important to know ahead of time because a lot of folks can't do that, especially on a warm day. We decided to stop after the first 3 sights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Hippodrome). Unlike other tours, the tickets Karavan gets are not transferrable, so we couldn't visit Topkapi Palace on our own, and it doesn't feel like we got the full value of the tour.
Another aspect is accessibility, separately from wheelchairs. Not at all Karavan's fault, but something they should share with visitors. The tour description mentions that this tour is not wheelchair accessible, but visiting the Hagia Sophia is moderately strenuous physical ability. The security line is long and in the sun. Once past security, you have to walk uphill on a ramp, for a while. Then, inside the Hagia Sophia, there are no seats and you are not allowed to sit down on the floor, not even for a minute. To leave, you have to descend stairs. I saw 3 people helping an elderly woman carefully walk down the entrance ramp, all of them frustrated by the Hagia Sophia's lack of accessibility.
2) Clarify the schedule ahead of time. Definitions of lunchtime will vary, but while pickup was at 9am, by 2pm, we still hadn't stopped for lunch. Our group was made up of us and one other family, and both asked the guide to stop for a drink and snack break. We left the tour after the break, so I'm not sure when lunch happened. For us, we started to get hungry at 12pm.
Review provided by Viator
Christine_s
May 6, 2025
The sites are great to... - The sites are great to see, but our guide walked too fast and many of us found it hard to keep up. In addition, his accent was difficult to understand compared to guides on other Viator tours this trip. He offered many facts but didn’t interpret what he told us. Came across as a bit dry.
Review provided by Viator
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