Turkey · City Tours

Best of Istanbul: Basilica Cistern - Blue Mosque - Grand Bazaar

3 Hours Round trip from Istanbul Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Visit the Basilica Cistern with its impressive Roman and Byzantine engineering
  • 02 See the Blue Mosque in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet district
  • 03 Explore the Hippodrome and its surviving ancient monuments
  • 04 Pass by the iconic Hagia Sophia Mosque
  • 05 Stop at Sultanahmet Square for photos of the old city
  • 06 Experience the atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar
  • 07 Small-group guided tour in English

Discover some of Istanbul’s most iconic sights on this guided walk through the historic heart of the city. Over three hours, explore the atmospheric Basilica Cistern, admire the famous Blue Mosque, and trace the layers of Byzantine and Ottoman history around the Hippodrome and Sultanahmet Square.

Along the way, pass by Hagia Sophia and soak up the energy of the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s most celebrated covered markets. With a small-group format and an expert guide, this tour offers a convenient introduction to Istanbul’s architecture, monuments, and vibrant old-city atmosphere.

This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 3 Hours
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Not included
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access No
City Istanbul
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Basilica Cistern

This spacious Roman built cistern shows off impressive Roman engineering was commissioned by Emperor Justinian, largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul and has been backdrop for many movies over time.

Sultanahmet Mosque ( Blue Mosque )

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque by many tourists because of its bluish interior decoration( blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design), is the most important mosque of Istanbul standing next to the Byzantine Hippodrome in the old city center..

Hippodrome

The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social center of Constantinople. Today it is a square with a few fragments of the original structure surviving. Monuments decorating the Hippodrome include the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column...

Hagia Sophia Mosque (Pass by)

Began its life as a church in 532 AD, converted into a mosque after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and now a museum since 1935. By general consensus, it is the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments built under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage site in Istanbul and famous for its lofty interior, stunning surviving mosaics and the massive dome...

Sultanahmet Square

This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. "Sultan Ahmet Center", the heart of the "Old City" from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled

Kapalı Carşı ( Grand Bazaar )

Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is high on most tourists' itineraries, and for a good reason. This enormous site is the largest covered market in the world with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m², attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily...

*️⃣↘️

* Seen from outside / Pass by

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Istanbul 1 city · 3 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Professional guide
  • Small Group
  • Basilica Cistern entrance ticket (*if all-inclusive option selected)

What's Not Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities
  • Basilica Cistern

Know before you go

  • PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
  • INFANTS MUST SIT ON LAPS
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Not suitable for pets
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Sultanahmet Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee.
  • It may be challenging to do the tour with a stroller, not recommended
  • Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
  • IF “All Inclusive Option” not selected: Basilica Cistern (1.500TL per person) is not included in the tour price. Once you pay your entrance fee to your tour guide, you will have the privilege of skipping the ticket queue. You can pay the tour guide preferably cash in TRY (or in equivalent to USD or EURO).
  • Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the activity starts as finding a taxi and traffic congestion are always a problem. The tour starts on time as it is a shared tour with other participants.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Istanbul, TR
Tour start
Istanbul, TR
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 3 hours finish where they began, in Istanbul.

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