Istanbul Old City Tour Full-day Sultan Ahmed Area

Hagia Sophia Mosque - A magnificent architectural marvel and a significant monument for both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Initially a church, later a mosque, and now a museum in the Turkish Republic, it has always been a treasure of its era. The mystical city of Istanbul has hosted numerous civilizations over the centuries, with the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires being the most renowned. Today, the city embodies the characteristics of these two distinct cultures, and Hagia Sophia is a perfect synthesis where one can observe both Ottoman and Byzantine influences under one grand dome.

Blue Mosque - Visit the Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmet Camii (or Sultan Ahmed Mosque). This stunning structure was built between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Mehmet Ağa. It was designed as an imperial display of power to complement the imposing Hagia Sophia, which stands opposite it across Sultanahmet Square. Unlike the Hagia Sophia, it is supported by four ‘elephant foot’ pillars, and the central dome (23.5m in diameter and 43m high) is flanked by four semi-domes, making it nearly square in shape. It is called the Blue Mosque because of the over 20,000 handmade ceramic Iznik tiles that adorn the interior, featuring various tulip, rose, carnation, and lily designs, illuminated by 260 windows.

Topkapi Palace Museum - Visit the Topkapı Palace Museum, located on the promontory of Istanbul’s historical peninsula, overlooking both the Marmara Sea and the Istanbul Strait. The palace is situated in one of the oldest historical regions of Istanbul. Positioned on the historical Istanbul peninsula between the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn, the palace is one of Istanbul’s iconic structures. Topkapı Palace, established on an area of 700,000 square meters on the Eastern Roman acropolis in Sarayburnu, served as the administrative, educational, and artistic center of the Ottoman Empire for approximately four hundred years, from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to the 31st Sultan Abdülmecid, and also housed the dynasty. Although Topkapı Palace was gradually abandoned by the mid-19th century as the dynasty moved to Dolmabahçe Palace, it retained its historical significance and value. The Harem section, treasury room, divan, and holy relics will be visited.

Basilica Cistern - This grand underground cistern, built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I (527-565), is nicknamed “Yerebatan Sarayı” (Sunken Palace) due to its numerous marble columns rising from the water. It is also known as “Bazilika Sarnıcı” (Basilica Cistern) as it was constructed on the site of the former Stoa Basilica. With its 80,000-ton water storage capacity, Yerebatan Cistern is the largest covered cistern in the city and stands out with more reclaimed supporting elements compared to other covered cisterns. Covering an area of approximately 10,000 square meters, this colossal structure has a rectangular shape with a length of 140 meters and a width of 70 meters.

Grand Bazaar - One of the largest and oldest covered bazaars in the world, the Grand Bazaar spans 30,700 square meters with over 60 streets and alleys and 4,000 shops. Sultan Mehmet II built the market soon after conquering Constantinople as the trading center of the Ottoman Empire. The bazaar was opened in 1461. Traditional leather stores, spice and pottery shops, carpet, antique, and jewelry dealers are typical of the bazaar.

Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople hosted gladiatorial games, official ceremonies, celebrations, protests, and punishments for convicts. It functioned during the Roman (203-330 CE), Byzantine (330-1453 CE), and Ottoman (1453-1922) periods. The hippodrome had a capacity of approximately 40,000 and was free and open to male members of the community. At least eight different games could be held throughout the day, and it also served as a symbol of power for the empire. The hippodrome was adorned with monuments brought from across the empire, including the Serpent Column from Delphi and the Obelisk of Thutmosis III (Obelisk of Theodosius) from Egypt. These landmarks and monuments showcased the Byzantine Empire’s strength and vast territory.

Istanbul Full-day rest of the City tour

Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - The Spice Market (Egyptian Bazaar) was built in 1660 and named after the goods for trade from India and the Far East that arrived here via Egypt during the Ottoman period. You can find almost every kind of herb and spice at the market, as well as ingredients for cooking, Turkish delight, and Turkish coffee.

Bosphorus Strait - Bosphorus Cruise - The Bosphorus is a natural strait connecting the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea, making it a very strategic waterway. It is 32 kilometers (20 miles) long from north to south and has a depth ranging from 30 to 120 meters (100 to 395 feet). The Bosphorus Strait separates the European part of Istanbul from the Asian part. The surface current flows from north to south, but a strong countercurrent beneath the surface creates swirls and eddies. The cruise around the Bosphorus lasts about 1.5 hours, showcasing the most beautiful scenery of Istanbul, including beautiful houses, Ottoman fortresses and palaces, pavilions, and bridges connecting Asia and Europe.

Taksim Square - Taksim and Istiklal Avenue, known as Cadde-i Kebir (Grand Avenue) during the Ottoman period, attracted an intellectual crowd. It later became a popular spot for the French Levantines, who called it the Grand Rue de Pera. After the creation of the Republic of Turkey, it was renamed İstiklal Caddesi (Independence Street). Taksim Square, at the northern end of the street, is the most popular and cosmopolitan area of Istanbul. Millions of people visit this street daily. Shops, passages, cafes, restaurants, bookshops, cinemas, and consulate buildings make this street a major attraction.

Suleymaniye Mosque - The Süleymaniye Mosque is an Ottoman Imperial Mosque located on the third hill of Istanbul. Commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent and designed by the imperial architect Mimar Sinan, an inscription dates its foundation to 1550 and its inauguration to 1557. The ancient monuments of the Ottomans are particularly remarkable for their choice of site and the perfect unity of the whole. Whether on a raised place or not, the site always offers a view of vast open spaces and the sky.

Dolmabahce Palace - Dolmabahce Palace, the elegant palace on the Bosphorus, is one of the most magnificent symbolic structures of the Ottoman Empire’s changing 19th-century identity. The palace was constructed by the foremost Ottoman architects of the period, Karabet and Nikogos Balyan. The main block of the palace consists of three sections: Mabeyn-i Hümayun (Selamlik), Muayede (Ceremonial Hall), and the Harem-i Hümayun (Harem). The palace has 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 Hamams (Turkish baths), and 68 toilets, totaling 45,000 square meters of floor area. Fine parquetry floors are covered by 4,454 square meters of carpets, initially woven in the Palace’s loom house and later in Hereke, famous for its carpets.

• Private transportation
• English or Spanish Guide

• Lunch or any meal
• Accommodation
• entrance fee(25 Euro) of Hagia Sophia
• entarance fee (45 Euro)of Topkapı Palace
• entrance fee (10 Euro) of Bosphorus public cruise
• entance fee(35 Euro) of Dolmabahce Palace