Secret treasures of Istanbul walking tour

Highlights

• Explore Historical Peninsula in a unique, personal way
• Be enchanted by the mosaics of Hagia Sophia
• See the priceless treasures of Topkapi palace including HAREM Section
• Visit the biggest underground cistern of Constantinople.
• Experience shopping in the grand bazaar, which has been the center of shopping for centuries
• Walk along the historical hippodrome and see the German Fountain and obelisk
• See the colorful mosaics of the Sultanahmet mosque
• Learn history about Byzantines, Ottomans, and Modern Turks from your expert local guide
• Do not wait in the long queues with Skip-The-Line tickets provided for you

All about the trip

Enjoy a full-day tour of the UNESCO site of Sultanahmet Old Istanbul with an extensive guided tour. You`ll enjoy the magical Istanbul and its signature sights: the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Underground Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome of Constantinople and Grand Bazaar.

According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Explore Hagia Sophia; Meaning Divine Wisdom, Hagia Sophia was the largest building on earth barring the Egyptian Pyramids or the Great Wall of China. Today's Hagia Sophia was built by Emperor Justinian in 537AD. It was the religious center of the city during the Byzantine period. It was used as a church for 916 years and as a mosque for 481 years, In 1934, by the order of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it was converted into a museum and has since been open to visitors. Next, the Underground cistern; is the size of a cathedral; it is 143m long and 65m wide and can hold up to 80,000 cubic meters (or 17.5 million gallons) of water. There are 336 giant columns (mostly Ionic or Corinthian in style) supporting the structure in 12 rows of 28 columns.

Next; Topkapi Palace; As well as being the imperial residence of the Sultan, the palace was also the seat of government for the ottoman empire. It housed the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years until the Dolmabahçe palace was built. In 1924 it was converted into a museum. Today it is famous for the harem, royal treasury, and holy relics sections.

Continue to with Hippodrome; Built by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus in 203AD, during the Roman period hippodrome was the civil center for the people of the city where once 100,000 spectators could be held. Located in the heart of Sultanahmet surrounded by Blue mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi palace, today it is home to The Egyptian Obelisk (Dikilitaş), The Serpentine Column(Burma sütun), The Constantine Column and German Fountain.

Next, Blue Mosque; Built by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmet I in the year 1616, it is located opposite the Hagia Sophia. Blue mosque today is one of the most famous landmarks of the old city with its famous six minarets and magnificent dome. Although it is officially named Sultanahmet Mosque, the (nıck) name Blue Mosque was given to it by the visitors because of the amazing blue tiles decorating the interior walls.

Next, Grand Bazaar; With 18 entrances and more than 4000 shops, it is one of the greatest bazaars in the world. It was built between 1455-1461 by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Today, shops selling the same kind of merchandise tend to be congregated in their own streets or inns as it was the original Ottoman system.

What is included in the price

• Lunch in a local restaurant
• Professionel licensed tour Guide
• All sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary
• Transfer service from/to Hotels, Istanbul Port
• Land transportation by air-conditioned non-smoking vehicle

What is not included in the price

• Admission fees to attractions
• Beverage during the tour
• Tips to the guide & driver (optional)
• Personal expenses

Instructions

Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays

Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays

Blue Mosque is closed on Fridays due to Friday prayer we wıll just visit from the garden.

Admission Fee(Per person)

-Topkapi Palace Incl. Hagia Irene: 450TL

-Harem Section: 125TL

-Basilica Cistern: 190TL

Note: Your guide will have pre-paid skip-the-line tickets to avoid long ticket queues. The cost of used entry tickets can be paid to your guide in cash dollar, euro, Turkish lira

This activity is organised by Tour Altinkum Travel (Kusadasi Tour), Ikicesmelik Mah. Suleyman Demirel Blv. Melis Apt. B-Blok D:5 5, Kusadasi, 09400, Turkey, +90 256 633 62 78, info@kusadasitourcompany.com.