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Historic Istanbul Old City Tour: Visit Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar

4.9

49 Ratings

Fatih

Immerse yourself in the rich history of Istanbul's old town on this guided tour. Explore iconic landmarks, indulge in Turkish delights, and marvel at the breathtaking views from the Blue Mosque.

Duration: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Basilica Cistern - Largest of several hundred ancient Byzantine cisterns built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565). Huge underground Roman water source held up with 336 marble columns covering 9,800 sq. meters.

What's Included

Professional Guide
Small Group

What's Not Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities
Basilica Cistern Admission (TRY 800 pp)

Additional Information

Embark on a journey to Istanbul’s lively ‘old town’ steeped in history. Get your camera ready for the remarkable religious landmarks in Sultanahmet – the Underground Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque. Immerse yourself in the fragrant spice bazaars following your exploration of the Hippodrome’s Byzantine past. Experience the convergence of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empire influences in this segment of Turkey’s impressive capital city.

Take a guided tour of the historical markers of the old town, helmed by an English-speaking guide

Relish a more personalised experience with a small tour group tailored to your preferences

Taste traditional Turkish treats in the Grand Bazaar and pay a visit to a local rug workshop

Capture the most stunning views of Istanbul from the Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque is closed on Friday and SEEN FROM OUTSIDE due to Friday congregational prayer
Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Sultanahmet Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee.
It may be challenging to do the tour with a stroller, not recommended.
Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday
It is a walking tour, so there is a moderate amount of walking involved
Entrance to Basilica Cistern (800TL per person) is not included in the tour price. Once you pay your entrance fee to your tour guide, you will have the privilege of skipping the ticket queue. You can pay the tour guide preferably cash in TRY (or in equivalent to USD or EURO).

Location

Foodie-ist Cafe and Brasserie

Muhterem Efendi Sokak

Meet your guide in front (outside) of FOODIE-IST CAFE AND BRASSERIE. It is approximately 2 minutes walking distance from (T1) Sultanahmet tram stop. Your guide will wear a tour guide badge and will be easy to spot.

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings

4.9

(49 Ratings)

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667karens

May 21, 2024

Do not miss this tour - What an amazing day out. Uz (sorry if I spelt that wrong) was our tour guide and he went above and beyond. A three hour tour turned Into six hours. Uz showed us all over this great city, showing us everything on the itinerary plus loads more, he even took us to get a great kebab from one of the most popular little kebab places near the Grand bazar.His knowledge and inthusiasm were infectious , he clearly loves this city. Our tour ended with Uz taking us back to our hotel through the winding streets of Istanbul to save us getting a cab. Like I said, an amazing day.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Cugs22

May 2, 2024

Great tour - Our guide was very good and sent a WhatsApp message to say she would be a few minutes late due to roads being closed on Labour Day. She had boundless knowledge and was very informative. Pace was good and she stopped for us to take photos. Very good tour. Would recommend.

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Nusmail

Apr 24, 2024

Basilica cistern a must see - This historic site is a must see if you are visiting Istanbul. Purchase your tickets ahead of time to save you aggravation of waiting in long lines. So much history

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Elizabeth_v

Apr 17, 2024

Fantastic tour with Tolga - Tolga was the best tour guide!!! We were so lucky that it ended up being a private tour as it was only me and my husband. Tolga knows it all! He has been providing tours for over a decade and really knows all the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish history. We really appreciated his knowledge and kindness! Sadly the Blue Mosque was closed for renovations the one day we had the tour but Tolga explained a lot about it and let us know the opening times to go the following day. We also learned a lot about Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome. He also answered several questions I had about the Grand Bazaar very honestly haha (basically said shops a block or two outside are cheaper with same goods). The Cistern was amazing - very different from the other sites in Old Istanbul and very worth it at 600 tl (you are told it is an additional fee). All in all I did a lot of research on Viator and GetYourGuide and this was a very affordable tour for what you are given! Even if you were to purchase tickets yourself, it is only a few more US dollars but so worth it to have an excellent guide such as Tolga in a small group setting. The tour lasted about 2.5 to 3 hours. We never felt rushed and he answered all the extra questions we had. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Istanbul and wanting to see these sites.

Review provided by Viator

Kimberly_s

Feb 12, 2024

Fantastic highlight your, you’ll be happy u booked it. - Fantastic tour. Got to see some great highlights of Istanbul. Loved the Cistern. That was my highlight. Jumped a huge line which was great. My guide was fantastic. Very knowledgeable. Like really, really knew his stuff. I was going to do these places on my own. So glad I didn’t. I learned more than I would have ever knew if I went by myself. Highly recommend.

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Pietroc801

Dec 23, 2023

the mysteries of a Türkiye - Istanbul ...a spectacular city divided between Asia and Europe, chaotic due to heavy traffic - The visit to the "Basilica Cistern" is EXTRAORDINARY, the water from the cistern was used by the rich palaces of the sultans of Istanbul, it then fell into disuse because the Ottomans preferred it running water. During the Middle Ages it was renovated several times but in 1994 with the new restoration you could visit it by boat, today however thanks to the walkways you can visit it on foot and the atmosphere is truly evocative. After leaving there we lined up for the Blue Mosque, also recently renovated and beautiful with well-painted domes and lighting that highlights its wonders. The Grand Bazaar is a collection of 4000 shops of all types and is one of the largest and oldest in the world. It has 61 covered streets and was the commercial center of the city with its workshops and still today the center of fabric wholesalers. In the grand bazaar dried fruit and sweet candied fruit, a hot tea and a walk make us breathe the oriental air of the old city

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Sevil_t

Dec 18, 2023

It was perfect with the best guide seen ever. Thank you very much Erol, for your nice, detailed and friendly guidance! - We have learned a lot more about the Islamic culture and its reflection to Istanbul and Turks with the menthality behind.

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Atchell2016

Nov 8, 2023

A unique construction,how did they get all those colums here? - Only over road from our hotel,the ottoman imperial,mega ques all day,1 hour to que ,so book on line for fast entry line,it cost 450tl each,underground walk,comprising of huge coloums supporting the areas water supply,with visual boards in english with its history,airy in side,not clostrephobic. Nearest tram stop,Sultanamet,5 minutes walk ,follow tram linedown . Well worth visit.

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