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Istanbul Old City: Secrets and History
5.0
53 Ratings
Fatih
Join Guide Taha to explore Turkey’s landmarks and hidden gems. Discover Istanbul and beyond, diving into 10,000 years of rich history.
Join Guide Taha to explore Turkey’s landmarks and hidden gems. Discover Istanbul and beyond, diving into 10,000 years of rich history.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Hippodrome - Explore the history of the Hippodrome and its obelisks. The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that served as the sporting and social hub of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
- Blue Mosque - Discover the intricate details of Ottoman architecture, featuring exquisite ceramics. Like the city itself, the Blue…
- Hippodrome - Explore the history of the Hippodrome and its obelisks. The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that served as the sporting and social hub of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
- Blue Mosque - Discover the intricate details of Ottoman architecture, featuring exquisite ceramics. Like the city itself, the Blue Mosque holds many fascinating stories.
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Hagia Sophia Mosque - A structure over 1500 years old, Hagia Sophia is a significant Byzantine edifice in Istanbul and one of the world’s most renowned monuments. Originally constructed as a Christian church in the 6th century CE (532–537) under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, it later became a mosque, then a museum, and is now a mosque once more.
Ticket price: 25 Euros per person -
Topkapi Palace - Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) and its Harem are likely to have more vibrant stories than most museums worldwide. From the 1460s until the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856, it functioned as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and was the primary residence of its sultans.
Ticket price: 1500 Turkish Liras per person -
Basilica Cistern - Situated 150 meters (490 ft) southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historic peninsula of Sarayburnu, the cistern was constructed in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Today, it contains minimal water, allowing public access to the interior.
Ticket price: 600 Turkish Liras per person - Grand Bazaar - The Grand Market in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets globally, featuring 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops across a total area of 30,700 m2. In 2014, it was ranked as the world’s most-visited tourist attraction with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is often considered one of the world’s first shopping malls.
What's Included
- Lunch
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Lunch
Additional Information
Uncover the Mysteries of Istanbul’s Historic District!
Participate in our exclusive private tours and immerse yourself in the rich history and lively culture of Istanbul’s Old City. From the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia to the lively Grand Bazaar, we provide a unique and personalized experience that is unmatched.
Why Select Us?
- Expert local guide with…
Uncover the Mysteries of Istanbul’s Historic District!
Participate in our exclusive private tours and immerse yourself in the rich history and lively culture of Istanbul’s Old City. From the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia to the lively Grand Bazaar, we provide a unique and personalized experience that is unmatched.
Why Select Us?
- Expert local guide with insider insights
- Customized tours to suit your interests
- Flexible scheduling for your ease
- Memorable stories and hidden treasures
Reserve your journey today and travel back in time with us!
Join the operator to explore the landmarks and secret spots of Turkey. Let’s discover the entire country together, with its history spanning over ten thousand years. Not just Istanbul, but all across Turkey.
Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city, bridging the Bosporus Strait, the divide between Europe and Asia. It is regarded as the nation’s economic, cultural, and historical capital. The city was established as Byzantium in the 7th century BCE by Greek settlers from Megara.
Location
Binbirdirek Cistern
İmran Öktem Caddesi
Next of the Sultanahmet tram station. Entrance of the Binbirdirek Cistern
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
5.0
(53 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Ombo
Mar 20, 2025
The ideal guide to Istanbul's Old Town - Taha speaks fluent English. He is kind, prepared and helpful. We visited with him Topkapi Palace, Cistern Basilica, Blue Mosque, Hagya Sofia and Hippodrome in one day. We also stayed in a typical hammam in the Balat district.
Super recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Giò
Mar 20, 2025
A perfect tour - A wonderful day spent together with taha that offered us a complete tour of the city fulfilling all our wishes and answering to all our curiosity always with patience, kindness, and enormous availability.
he speaks excellent English
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curiosity17572711636
Mar 20, 2025
Great views of the city - Taha is a great guide, he took us to the best places you can go in the city and helped us with some pics. Definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
838ferdiy
Mar 14, 2025
Very good Guide - We took a tour with my colleagues. Our guide was very attentive. Tells us all about it and more. It was a helpful tour for all of us
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yesime2025
Jan 27, 2025
Best guide in istanbul - It was a first time to get a guide in istanbul so thanks to the reception of the which we were staying at' helped us to get our lovely guide Taha. He was so knowable and very nice he showed us all hidden secrets of istanbul thanks a lot 🙏🏻
Review provided by Tripadvisor
71kaderg
Jan 27, 2025
Best part of our visit - Great tour with Taha!
We had a very comprehensive tour with taha and he made our visit really unforgetable recommended for sure
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janet
Jan 4, 2025
Increíble Istanbul - Taha collected us from our hotel and tailored made the trip according to our needs and what we wanted to see. He was very knowledgeable about the history of Istanbul.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
170kahramang
Nov 28, 2024
Best guide :) - My girlfriend and I visited istanbul for first time an Taha guided us to all best places in the city. It was very very fun and history tour. Will come back
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Compass591807
Nov 20, 2024
Thank you for a perfect tour specially for us. - Superb tour tailored just for the two of us. So helpful and so knowledgeable. They filled my head with so much information and were so mindful of our needs to make it a great tour. We can’t wait to see them again next time we are here.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trent
Feb 9, 2025
Istanbul Cultural Private Tour - I stayed at the Seven Hills Palace Hotel where my private walking tour began. We took a short walk up a cobblestoned hill to an area teaming with tourists everywhere. It was a bustling area filled with many historical sites and opportunities to learn about the various Roman, Byzantium, Ottoman and Turkish cultures. The area where the Hippodome arena once stood was the focal point for many of the other tours from what I could see.
Taha Tahir who was my guide, was very knowledgeable and did an exceptional job explaining the various sites and their historical references. I was able to go inside the Blue Mosque, and venture thru the Grand Bazaar which was like an outdoor mall where I tasted for the first time. the famous “Turkish Delight” which was like a sweet pastry.
I found the Basilica Cistern which was a large underground water reservoir to be a most special place, as I was mesmerized by the views of this ancient but beautiful water-filled space which allowed you to walk by large marble columns and over walkways which had you hover just above the water. The entire experience was one which I will never forget. Throughout the tour Taha provided great commentary! He did an awesome job by helping me to visualize what it was like back in time. I thoroughly enjoyed my tour. It turned out to be one what is one of my most exciting adventures. Thanks Taha
Review provided by Tripadvisor
