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Historic Istanbul Old City Tour: Visit Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar
4.8
113 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.
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:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Basilica Cistern - The largest among several hundred ancient Byzantine cisterns constructed by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565). This vast underground Roman water reservoir is supported by 336 marble columns and spans 9,800 square meters.
- Blue Mosque - A renowned tourist attraction, located adjacent to the Hagia Sophia, and still…
- Basilica Cistern - The largest among several hundred ancient Byzantine cisterns constructed by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565). This vast underground Roman water reservoir is supported by 336 marble columns and spans 9,800 square meters.
- Blue Mosque - A renowned tourist attraction, located adjacent to the Hagia Sophia, and still serves as a mosque today. Commonly known as the Blue Mosque, it was built between 1609 and 1616 during the reign of Ahmed I. The mosque’s interior walls are adorned with hand-painted blue tiles.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque features five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes, showcasing traditional Ottoman architecture. It is regarded as the last great mosque of the classical period.
- Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that served as the sporting and social hub of Constantinople. Today, it is a square with a few remnants of the original structure still visible. Monuments decorating the Hippodrome include the 3,500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk and the Serpentine Column…
- Sultanahmet Square - This charming square is an excellent spot to pause, relax, and capture photos of the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - The Church of Divine Wisdom, a magnificent monument over fifteen hundred years old, is a must-visit in Istanbul. It was constructed to be the world’s largest place of worship by Emperor Justinian in 532 AD.
- Kapali Carsi - Grand Covered Bazaar
- Historic Areas of Istanbul - The historic city of Istanbul, uniquely situated on two continents, served as the capital of three great empires: Roman, Byzantine, and the Ottoman Empire.
What's Included
- Basilica Cistern entry ticket (if all-inclusive option selected)
- Professional Guide
- Small Group
- Basilica Cistern entry ticket (if all-inclusive option selected)
- Professional Guide
- Small Group
What's Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Admission fees
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Admission fees
Additional Information
Explore the historic ‘old town’ of vibrant Istanbul on this tour. Capture stunning photos at Sultanahmet’s renowned religious landmarks, including the Underground Basilica Cistern and the Blue Mosque. Stroll through fragrant spice markets after delving into the Byzantine history of the Hippodrome. Experience the influences of the Roman, Byzantine, and…
Explore the historic ‘old town’ of vibrant Istanbul on this tour. Capture stunning photos at Sultanahmet’s renowned religious landmarks, including the Underground Basilica Cistern and the Blue Mosque. Stroll through fragrant spice markets after delving into the Byzantine history of the Hippodrome. Experience the influences of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires in this remarkable part of Turkey’s bustling city.
⦿ Discover the historic landmarks of the old town with an English-speaking tour guide
⦿ Enjoy a smaller, customizable tour group tailored to your interests
⦿ Taste Turkish delights in the Grand Bazaar and visit a local carpet workshop
⦿ Take in the breathtaking views of Istanbul from the Blue Mosque
- 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
- IF ALL INCLUSIVE OPTION IS NOT SELECTED: Entrance to Basilica Cistern (900TL 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 outside 'FOODIE-IST CAFE AND BRASSERIE,' just a 2-minute walk from the (T1) Sultanahmet tram stop. Your guide, easily identifiable by their tour guide badge, will be waiting for you at the cafe entrance.
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
4.8
(113 Ratings)
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Brujabuena70
Dec 24, 2025
PURE MAGIC - If you go to Istanbul these are must-sees. Wonderful in their authenticity, where ancient history blends with the present with a wink to the future. World Heritage Site!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Massimo2314
Dec 8, 2025
Lovely place - If you pass through Istanbul you can not miss visiting this spectacular and enchanting place, certainly the cost of the ticket is not low but it is worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hansulrich_f
Dec 4, 2025
Good tour thanks to super guide - The tour is highly recommended. Our guide Erol Ütgün is primarily responsible for this. He explained everything to us very objectively and interestingly and was able to answer all our questions. Thank you so much Erol, you were great.
Review provided by Viator
Hale
Oct 29, 2025
Great tour with knowable guide. - Our guide Ahsen did a great job show us the important spots and filled us in with lots of knowledge about the incredible history. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kacie_p
Oct 16, 2025
Great rainy day! - Kim took us through a very great day! It was raining very hard but we all made it through. Kim was great with our kids ages 7 and 9.
Review provided by Viator
Lori_h
Oct 12, 2025
Exceptional Tour with a Five Star Guide! - Our guide, Huseyin Bagir, facilitated one spectacular tour of Istanbul's Old City and sites, which included the Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque. Mr. Bagir exceeded all expectations with regard to his knowledge of local (& world) history; knowledge/experience with local religions, norms, & practices; and mastery of multiple languages (Kurdish, Turkish, English, & Russian). He was not only patient with regard to our group's different interests and questions, but he made sure that we spent sufficient time at each of the various sites...the Bazaar, included, that came towards the end of our tour, which Mr. Bagir kindly & generously extended since we all had asked to stop for a late lunch & visit a local music instruments store.
These stops were above and beyond the formal tour sites so we appreciate greatly the degree to which Mr. Bagir went out of his way to tailor this tour according to everyone's interests. And, we felt fortunate to also learn about our guide's musical interests and talents. (Mr. Bagir is a professional musician; a very talented and quite humble one.)
Mr. Bagir was the quintessential host and guide in Istanbul. We feel so grateful for all of the time he spent with us; his warm style & ability to connect with everyone in our group; and for the many ways he made this tour a momentous one for all! If we had more days to spend on this trip, we would have enjoyed seeing the other places & nearby sites that our guide recommended. In fact, our group agreed that we would have booked any other tours that our guide, Mr. Huseyin Bagir, was leading for the week. We highly recommend any of the tours that Mr. Bagir leads in and around Istanbul & Turkey. He went above and beyond with regard to the time and knowledge he shared...and he also helped us take some incredible photos along the way!
We highly recommend Viator since their guides are not only exceptionally knowledgable and professional, but this company ensures a most remarkable experience in each city and country our group has been fortunate to explore and visit.
Thank you, Huseyin Bagir, for a most spectacular tour & day in Istanbul! :)
Review provided by Viator
S6792jrmariod
Sep 26, 2025
Excellent tour. Erol the guide was excellent - Erol the tour guide was great. He was very informative and answered many questions. The sites were good. The Cistern was well worth the visit. We had an amazing time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T4021xikimf
Sep 21, 2025
Fabulous tour of - Hussein was an amazing guide!! Spent so much time explaining the history of Turkey and Istanbul. We totally enjoyed the tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine_f
Sep 19, 2025
Kim was the best guide we have had during our European travels over the last 2 and a half months - Really worth doing during our time in Istanbul, Kim is such a knowledgeable and well informed guide, she was caring and flexible, showed us places we wouldn't have found on our own
Review provided by Viator
778maurizioc
Oct 24, 2025
Istanbul city - Immense city, immense airport....starting from Istanbul Airport (IST) we start by saying that it is one of the largest in Europe (perhaps in the world) and one of the most expensive (small can of Coke 7.5 euros). It takes almost two hours from landing to the hotel. Istanbul has about fifteen million inhabitants and about a million tourists a month.... some areas like tourist roads or the Bazaar are crowded with people. To visit it all calmly would take at least seven to eight days. So many things to see. Entrance to mosques is free (except for Hagia Sophia), as are entrances to the few (but beautiful) churches. All the other attractions (such as the Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower etc.) and unfortunately quite expensive! For a family the expense becomes really challenging. Fortunately, the rest has low prices (restaurants, bars, street vendors, Bazaars, public transport...). Two considerations to make: the first is that Istanbul is the kingdom of counterfeit goods; you can find everything and all brands at derisory prices (remember that in Italy this type of trade is prohibited); the streets are full of jewelers with very varied prices.... but you would buy something without understanding well the quality of what you are buying? The second point concerns safety; there are various comments; I can say that by avoiding uncrowded areas in the evening, we have never had the feeling of potentially dangerous situations. The city is teeming with tourists, so net of some pushy vendor and / or fraud, we always felt safe.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
