6-Hour Old Istanbul Walking Tour with Blue Mosque and Topkapı

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 See the collections of the Ottoman Empire inside Topkapı Palace Museum
• 02 Learn more about the Byzantine world at Hagia Sophia
• 03 Admire the bluish interior of the magnificent Blue Mosque
• 04 Stroll around the Grand Bazaar and see handicrafts and artistic items
• 05 Walk along the wooden platforms of Basilica Cistern

Dive into the Islamic culture of old Istanbul as you explore some of its most famous landmarks, from Topkapı Palace, the former administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire, to Hagia Sophia for insight into the Byzantine world. Admire the mesmerizing Blue Mosque, visit the Basilica Cistern, the largest ancient underground cistern, and end your walk at the Grand Bazaar, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and cafés.

Dive into the Islamic culture of old Istanbul as you explore some of its most famous landmarks, from Topkapı Palace, the former administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire, to Hagia Sophia for insight into the Byzantine world.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 6 Hours

Tour type Private

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Not included

Transport Not included

Wheelchair access Yes

City Istanbul

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Old Istanbul Walking Tour in Sultan Ahmet

• Meet your tour guide in the Sultan Ahmet area and start your walking tour of Istanbul.
• Visit the beautiful Sultan Ahmed Mosque, popularly known as the Blue Mosque because of its bluish interior decoration.
• Next, continue to Hagia Sophia, a magnificent Byzantine structure, and then visit the Topkapı Palace Museum, the former palace of the Ottoman sultans. Explore the museum for two hours and then have a lunch break (optional).
• After lunch, continue to the underground cistern and finish at the Grand Bazaar area, full of shops, restaurants, and cafés.

End of the tour.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Guide services

What's Not Included

• Lunch
• Entrance fee for Topkapı Palace and the Cistern.

What to bring

• Scarf to cover the head and shoulders for ladies.
• Comfortable shoes.

Know before you go

• Some parts of the buildings are under restoration, so you will not be able to see everything. It is also not possible to enter mosques on Friday morning due to Friday prayers. On Fridays, we will visit the mosques only after 2:00 pm.
• Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays.
• Free entry for the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Sultan Ahmet, Sultan Ahmet Cami, Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye