Istanbul Tour: Historic Sites and Architecture

Take a journey through the dynamic history and stunning architecture of Istanbul as you tour the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the bustling Grand Bazaar on a comprehensive day-long guided excursion.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Blue Mosque - Blue Mosque
  • Kapali Carsi - Grand Bazaar
  • Hagia Sophia Mosque - Visit Hagia Sophia
  • Hippodrome - Visit Hippodrome
  • Topkapi Palace - Visit Topkapi Palace
What's Included
  • Private tour
  • Professional guide
  • Transport by taxi (when necessary)
  • Pickup/drop off from centrally located hotels
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Entrance fees
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
  • Topkapi Palace is closed to visitors on Tuesdays
  • Hagia Sophia is not a museum, open to public sight, so there might be long lines to visit inside, there is no option to skip the line
  • Grand Bazaar is closed to visitors on Sundays.
  • Dolmabahce Palace is closed to visitors on Mondays.
  • This is a walking tour.
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.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(232 Ratings)
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1 star
Marcel_k
May 29, 2025
Emel bought Istanbul to life for us - We were lucky enough to spend a day in Istanbul with our Tour Guide Emel. I cannot say how wonderful it was to be with her. She managed to use her contacts to manoeuvre us seamlessly through the huge crowds getting us to see all the major attractions without much waiting. She is an extremely educated and knowledgeable woman who appeared to be well known and respected by tourist communities. We felt absolute trust in Emel and so could relax and allow her to attend to the schedule. This took all the worry from us. She was able to guide us to the best places to eat and shop and could advise on suitable pricing. During the 150 days we have spent on various cruise ships over the last few years we have had many many tours of varying types. Our day spent with Emel today was definitely one of the best we have ever had. Thank you so much Emel for your kindness and generosity towards us. I wish you well in the future. To fellow travellers… do yourself a favour and book Emel for your private tour. It is not possible to find anyone better. Ps we arrived back to our ship in a timely manner tired but happy to have made a new friend.
Review provided by Viator
Stuart_k
May 22, 2025
Great Day - Private Tour - We had a great day that included the Blue Mosque, Mosque of Holy Wisdom, the Sultans Palace and the Grand Bazar. Our guide, Timur, was personable, knowledgeable and very friendly and engaging.
Review provided by Viator
Wendy
May 19, 2025
Wonderful tour guide - Our guide Savas was wonderful. Very considerate of our needs ( my sister had an injured knee). Savas’s knowledge of Turkish history was outstanding. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and would recommend him to anyone wanting a friendly easy going tour guide with comprehensive knowledge of Istanbul.
Review provided by Viator
Doug_o
May 11, 2025
Exceptional ! - Great guide! Under the circumstances, bad weather and slick steps, he was one of the best we’ve had. If you could just figure out why my card was charged twice for same touri I would be happy.
Review provided by Viator
Marie_k
May 11, 2025
Our tour guide Ozgur was a delight - We had an incredibly relaxing and enjoyable day with our tour guide, Ozgur. He was knowledgeable, friendly, funny and considerate of our wishes for the day. We saw just about everything we could in the time we had: Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, German Fountain, Obelisk of Theodosius, Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque and lots of time for shopping, coffee/tea, talking and learning about this beautiful city. We already had a Museum Pass which made entry easy without the hassle of buying tickets. Ozgur helped us with shopping and finding the best deals and even gave us tips on how to spend the following days in Istanbul. We could not have asked for a better experience!
Review provided by Viator
Doug_o
May 11, 2025
Super Guide - Under the circumstances with the weather our guide was outstanding to say the least. Would recommend the tour highly!
Review provided by Viator
Jane_p
May 10, 2025
Excellent - This was a fantastic way to explore and learn about Istanbul.Our guide, Hasan was knowledgeable and engaging.At all times he was considerate of our needs and kept a watchful eye over us. We were made to feel that it was his absolute pleasure to show us his city. A wonderful memorable day Highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Viator
Casandra_g
May 10, 2025
Outstanding tour Experience - Outstanding tour experience! Serkan extended Turkish hospitality. He was professional,knowledgeable, courteous, and very caring! Thank you for a memorable day!
Review provided by Viator
Leon_n
May 18, 2025
Great tour in spite of the rain and large crowds - Experienced drizzle and large queues. Tim, our guide, was excellent and very flexible. He couldn’t control the weather or crowds, but did his best. He especially helped navigate the Grand Bazaar, where we were looking for certain items. Without him, we would have been lost and overwhelmed. We did get to see the Blue Mosque and Underground Cistern in addition to the Grand Bazaar, but were unable to see Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace due to the long queues and rain. Definitely bring an umbrella.
Review provided by Viator
John_c
May 28, 2025
Standing by your word - Victor is cheating us- our tour included pick up and drop off at our hotel Troy’s balat. After the tour we were put in a cab and forced to pay the fare of 600 lire’s ourselves, I told a victor chat person what happened and he tried to get me to work it out with the guide. Viator is no longer a great company. It doesn’t stick to its agreements, return my money or I will continue to tell this story
Review provided by Viator
From $90
up to 15 guests
2 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).