Istanbul Tour: Ottoman and Byzantine Insights

Immerse yourself in the rich history of Istanbul on this private sightseeing tour. Explore Ottoman and Byzantine monuments, visit iconic landmarks like the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia, and experience the vibrant atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople, also known as the Sultanahmet Square, is an ancient chariot racing track and the sporting and social center of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Located in present-day Istanbul. the site is now a public square known for its historical significance and the remnants of its ancient…
What's Included
  • Fast Track Ticket Available
  • Discover Turkish Handicrafts & Traditional Arts
  • Transfer pick up and drop off (if option selected)
  • Professional Private Guide
What's Not Included
  • Entry/Admission - Basillica Cistern - 1300 TL per person
  • Entry/Admission - Topkapi Palace - 2000 TL per Person
  • Gratuities (suggested)
  • Lunch
  • Entry/Admission Ticket - Hagia Sophia - 1070 TL Per Person
  • Other
  • Other
  • Other
Additional Information

Best of Istanbul tour which will enhance your point of view of Ottomans vs Byzantines. It’s not only a tour from the past but also an outlook on the future and shopping experience in istanbul.
•Hippodrome where Romans used to organize chariot races and gladiators’ fights with its remaining Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column, Constantine Column and…

Location
Hippodrome
Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet ParkI No:2,
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.8
(155 Ratings)
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Sandy_e
May 10, 2025
Highly recommend! - 100% worth doing! See and learn about this wonderful city's history with an expert guide. So much better than being with a group!
Review provided by Viator
Edwin_w
Apr 24, 2025
5-Stars for the guide; 3-Stars for the company. - +Positives Pick-up was on time and a short drive to the starting point of our walking tour. Our guide Ege was very energetic and full of stories that you would not find on Wikipedia! Although there was a lot of walking, Ege took us to visit the sites in an order that avoided the busy periods (the queues are insane in most sites)! What we enjoyed most was visiting a small kebab store which he frequents ("best price:performance" for him!) and getting free sweets at his friend's shop! We highly recommend Ege if you visit! Return transport back to your hotel is also provided but we decided to continue in town after the tour. -Can be improved 1. Pre-trip COMMUNICATION. I sent at least 3 messages to the company via Viator and also sought help from Viator customer service but received ZERO replies!!! This caused a lot of anxiety as we were not sure if anyone was going to pick us up in the morning. They only sent a text in the morning itself about an hour before the pick-up time. Imagine if they decided to cancel, it would be too late to book another tour. 2. As a result of ZERO/INCORRECT communication, we ended up having to: a) Pay cash TRY6,000 (3 pax) to buy tickets for Topkapi. The issue was not the cost as it was clearly stated that tickets were not included in the cost of the tour but we DID NOT CARRY enough cash! This meant we had to pay extra charged to withdraw from a nearby ATM, not to mention the inconvenience. In addition to sending them several messages before the day about payment via credit card, and receiving no reply, I also Whatsapp them on the morning before the vehicle arrived and the company confirmed that we could pay via credit card card, which turned out to be not the case for Topkapi and it meant lining up with everyone else to buy tickets at the counter. b) We had to LINE-UP to buy tickets at both the Cistern and Hagia Sofia, when the tour stated that we had FAST TRACK access. This meant we had to line up twice for both of those sites - once to buy tickets, and again to enter. 3. Ege offered to bring us to see a leather goods and ceremic making store and we declined both as we had no interest in them and wanted to spend more time at the sites. However, it seems the company kept on asking him to bring us to the ceremics store so we obliged but tour operators should not force this on guests. CONCLUSION 1. We were not happy with the way the tour operator managed this and i would not recommend using them. 2. Ege is an excellent guide and very informative. We believe he is a free lancer and works with several operators so hope you will find a better tour operator and request for Ege!
Review provided by Viator
Ayman_a
Apr 22, 2025
Istanbul tour - It was a great tour full of history. Ege did a great job. He is very knowledgeable. I did enjoy the tour
Review provided by Viator
Deanna_c
Apr 12, 2025
Incredible Guide - My guide was incredible—well traveled, knowledgeable, and deeply passionate about Istanbul. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Joseph_b
Apr 12, 2025
Fettah Awesome Guide - Great experience in Istanbul with very knowledgeable guide. Would recommend Fettah as a guide to anyone.
Review provided by Viator
Stinez8221
Apr 11, 2025
Great even if the weather is a little chill - Things went great. My guide Sabit Kara was on time and we were the first into the Blue Mosque that day. Had the place empty for a few minutes till other started to come in. Got to see and visit all the local places I wanted to them a carpet store and got some that I am really happy with. After a local lunch spot that had great Turkish food well worth it all day long with ending at the grand bazaar.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_g
Apr 10, 2025
Sabit Kara, most Phenomenal Guide in Istanbul - Sabit Kara was the absolute best guide in Istanbul! He is extremely personable, accommodating, knowledgeable, flexible and wished to make our experience in Istanbul a cultural and memorable one, which he definitely did. We did a one day tour with Sabit and wish he could have been our guide for the 2 week tour of Turkey. You will be most fortunate if Sabit Kara is your guide, and you will not be disappointed!!
Review provided by Viator
Ifeomao2018
Apr 9, 2025
Must see in Istanbul - Muhsin was such an amazing guide(I don’t know why it took me so long to write this review) but it was always in my mind and I had to make sure to let everyone know. He was so educated on the topic and was very patient with me and my mom. He spent the entire day walking us through different attractions and helped us navigate which ones were a must see!! Thanks you Muhsin!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarah_n
May 4, 2025
Tour guide BerkeCan was... - Tour guide BerkeCan was good, meeting us on time at cruise terminal and giving us options of sites to visit. Unfortunately the city was really busy, lineups were long (about 2 hours wait time for Hagia Sophia), and too many smokers inside the Grand Bazaar that made the visit unpleasant. It was May 1st when we visited, can’t imagine what the city is like during peak summer season! The city should implement timed entry for all the famous sites instead of making people wait for hours in lineups.
Review provided by Viator
Evelyn_p
Mar 18, 2025
I was left stranded. - I sat in my hotel lobby for more than 1 hour. No one we be arrived to pick me up. When the driver called me, he was at the wrong hotel. He asked for directions and I gave my phone to the hotel manager and he gave the directions. I waited and no one ever came. I texted the contact number and they didn't know I wasn't picked up and it was too late to join the cruise. I am leaving Istanbul today and could not reschedule. I stopped in Istanbul for 2 days only. I booked my 2 tours weeks ago and just with Viator. I was so sad and disappointed to miss the cruise. I did go on the Çity tour first thing yesterday and it was very good.
Review provided by Viator
From $48
up to 15 guests
2 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).