Small Group Tour: Best of Istanbul Tour with Lunch and Tickets (10 people Max)

Meet your tour guide next to German Fountain (Alman Cesmesi) which is located in Hippodrome Square at 09:00 am. He will be waiting for you with our company logo so you will notice him easily and start the Istanbul tour with the highlights of the city;

Small-Group Istanbul Tour

Hippodrome; where the chariot races were held in the Roman Empire times and today we see German Fountain here.

Blue Mosque; Built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmet I, Blue Mosque is truly a magnificent masterpiece of architecture with amazingly delicate proportions for a building of such massive scale. The blue shade of the 27.000 pieces of Iznik quart tiles gives the mosque its popular name and 6 towering minarets give its uniquely recognizable structure. It’s a must-see point listed in the itinerary of every Istanbul tour.

Hagia Sophia; here the ancient cultures of East and West speak to you with a yet clear voice. A great blend of Christian and Islamic influence with the beautiful interior of mosaics, impressive and significant history. Built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, played a very important role in the Christian and Islamic World. After the Ottoman conquest the bells, altar, iconoclastic, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over to convert the church into a mosque, then a museum in 1934. In July 2020 it is converted into a mosque again.

Topkapi Palace; More than just an Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, it was the seat of the Supreme Executive and Judiciary Council for almost 400 years long. Topkapi Palace is a great monument of Oriental architecture which houses exhibits of art, books, jewels, plates, costumes, the Treasury, and the Holy Relics.

Grand Bazaar; One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with over 4,000 shops. It was constructed in the 15th century and became the commercial hub of the trade between Asia & Europe.

Our Istanbul tour ends here in Grand Bazaar / Kapali Carsi and please feel free to drop us an email for Bosphorus or Fener-Balat tour tomorrow with our private tour guides. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to make another Istanbul tour with alternative itineraries.

Please Note:

Topkapi Palace and Hagia Irene Church are closed on Tuesdays so they will be replaced with Spice Bazaar.

Hagia Sophia entrance will be restricted during praying time.

Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

Blue Mosque is closed until 2 pm on Fridays.

Children aged 7 and under are subject to payment of 65 Usd. Please make sure that you have passport copies of children as you have to verify their ages at museums.

Annual Closing Dates of all museums and bazaars in Istanbul are as follows;

January 1 – New Year

April 9, 10 and 11, 2024  – Ramadan Celebrations (Eid Al Fitr 2024)

June 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2024  – Eid Celebrations (Eid AL Adha 2024)

October 29 – Republic Day