ISTANBUL: THE HAGIA SOPHIA GRAND MOSQUE, BLUE MOSQUE, GRAND BAZAAR, BOSPHORUS CRUISE, GOLDEN HORN TOUR

T1F, Full Day

Offered in: English and Arabic

Overview

Sail along the Bosphorus Strait between two continents and explore Golden Horn, the Byzantine & Ottoman Relics with an official guide in Istanbul

• The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
• Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque)
• The Hippodrome & Unique Monuments
• Tombs of the Sultans
• Fountain of Sultan Ahmet III
• Grand Covered Bazaar
• Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise
• The Golden Horn
• Pierre Loti Hill
• Eyup Sultan Mosque & Tomb
• Cable Car

What's Included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Local guide
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Lunch
• Cruise ticket
• Local taxes
• Cable Car Ticket

What's not Included

• Gratuities
• Drinks

Departure & Return

Itinerary

Discover the highlights of Istanbul with a coach tour of the Old City, Bosporus cruise and a cable car ride down Pierre Loti Hill. Visit the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazar.

Visit Hagia Sophia, 6th century building that was constructed by the emperor Justinian as a Church. Hear about how the Hagia Sophia has transformed over time and how it was the largest church all over the world for 1000 years.

Continue to the Blue Mosque to admire its blue Iznık ceramic tiles and its 6 towering minarets. Find out how it was built for Sultan Ahmet I and how it was the last great mosque of the Classical period.
Take a stroll in the Hippodrome, the sporting and social center of ancient Constantinople See the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, the Bronze Serpentine Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius, and the Column of Constantine.

Shop at the Grand Covered Bazaar, the oldest and biggest covered market in the world. Get lost in 65 streets with more than 4000 shops. You can buy gifts for yourself and your friends from the tourist store we will visit.

Take in the city sights from the sea on a Bosphorus cruise. Capture pictures of the Golden Horn, the Topkapı palace, the Dolma Bahçe palace, the Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Maiden’s tower, Galata tower, the blue mosque, Ortakoy mosque. Gaze out at the bridges connecting Europe and Asia.

Take coach and pass by historical wooden houses, churches, synagogues, mosques, and the remains of the Constantinople City Wall. Visit the Eyup Sultan Mosque and see the Abu Eyup Alansari Tomb (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari was the standard bearer and companion of Muhammad) Taste Turkish delight, apple tea and Turkish sweets in the store we will visit.

Ascend the Pierre Loti Hill by bus and snap some photos of sweeping views of the Golden Horn. Marvel at city views as you descend the hill on a cable car ride.

Hotel Pickup

• Pick-up from hotels in the Sisli, Osmanbey, Harbiye, Taksim, Findikli, Karakoy, Tepebasi, Sirkeci, Sultanahmet, Kadirga, Beyazit, Laleli, Aksaray, Yenikapi, Findikzade, Topkapi areas
• This is a shared transfer and pick up could be early or late.
• For each hotel there is a fixed pick-up time.
• Please wait in the hotel lobby 10 minutes before your scheduled pickup time

Additional Info

• Please dress appropriately when entering sacred sites.
• Participants are advised to wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt.
• Please bring a scarf to cover head.
• The Grand Bazaar is closed on religious holidays and Sundays.
• Since Januar 2024, the Hagia Sophia Mosque main Saloon is closed for the visit of tourists. We only can visit the Upper Gallery for an extra cost of 25 Euro.
• You will be notified of your pick-up time after we have received your booking.