Hagia Sophia

Day Trips

This private experience is the perfect introduction to Istanbul for first-time visitors. Enjoy a guided full-day tour to discover the best of the city. The tour can be fully customized to suit your needs, simply tell your guide what interests you the most.  Visit the historic Hippodrome, the exquisite Blue Mosque and the iconic Hagia Sophia. Experience the lavish lifestyles of the Ottoman Sultans with a tour of Topkapi Palace, or browse the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar. The choice is yours. Benefit from pickup and drop-off at your centrally-located hotel. With your private guide you’ll enjoy priority entrance to all the sights, so standing you won’t waste time standing in queues.

Explore the ancient city of Istanbul on a day guided trip in a spacious and airconditioned van. Visit religious sights like the famed Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. See how royalty lived at sights like the Topkapi and feel the thrill of bartering for goods at the Grand Bazaar. After being picked up from your hotel, meet your guide and embark on a full day tour of Istanbul's main landmarks and historical sites. Start with a trip to the Hagia Sophia Museum. Discover how for many centuries, the Hagia Sophia was the largest church in the world, and still boasts the 4th largest dome in the world as one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Next, head over to the Topkapi Palace Museum, a relic of the glory days of the great Ottoman Empire. Discover how the former palace boasted a population of about 4,000 people at its peak and was home to 25 sultans over a period of 400 years. Located on a promontory overlooking the Golden Horn, it sits in tranquil gardens that provide shade from the blazing heat of the summer. Pop into the museum to see the gorgeous Iznik tiles and the ornate stateroom of the harem, among other attractions. Continue the tour with a visit to the Hippodrome, a former circus built in 203 AD by the Roman Emperor Septimus Severus. Witness the 3 remaining monuments from the original building, including the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpentine Column, and the Constantine Column. Pause to look at the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, made from 8 marble columns. After this, make a stop at the Blue Mosque, more officially known as the Sultanahmet Mosque. Admire the striking blue tiles which give the mosque its more common name and make it one of Istanbul’s most iconic attractions. Located close to Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet Mosque was considered the Supreme Imperial Mosque in Istanbul. Finally, take a stroll through the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. With hundreds of small handicraft shops selling everything from handmade carpets to Turkish coffee, the atmosphere is electric, and it's a great place to try out your bargaining skills.

Explore Istanbul according to your own interests on a tailor-made sightseeing tour. Meet your guide at your hotel or port and work together to create an itinerary that suits you best, leaving you satisfied that you have seen all of Istanbul. On 1st day, marvel at monuments from the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, such as Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and Byzantine Cistern. On 2nd day, take the public ferry to Bosphorus to see both Istanbul’s European and Asian sides. From here, visit Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Galata area and the Spice Market. On 3rd day, guide takes you on a walk through the streets of Fener-Balat neighboorhood. Enjoy a cable car ride and soak up views of Pierre Loti Hill, then visit Iron Church, and see the Suleymaniye Mosque. You can create your own itinerary with your tour guide on tour day, to have an idea, here you can see our suggested tour itineraries are below; Day 1 - Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square, Byzantine Cistern, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Irene Church, Sogukcesme Street, Grand Bazaar Day 2 - Spice Market, Bosphorus Cruise, Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Cicek Passage, Galata Tower (from outside) Day 3 - Suleymaniye Mosque, Fener and Balat Districts, St. Stephen Church (Iron Church), Pierre Lotti Panoramic Hill, Rahmi Koc Museum (or alternative options)

Your guide will greet you at your hotel at 09:00 to begin your 8-hour walking tour in the capital of 3 great empires. Your tour begins at Topkapi Palace, the former imperial residence from which the Great Ottoman Empire was ruled for nearly 400 years. Today a spectacular museum, it is well known for its collection of royal treasures. Your guide will tell you about 4 centuries of glorious victories as well as tragic times. From Topkapi Palace you’ll walk to Hagia Sophia along a cobblestone road lined with old Ottoman-era houses. This 6th century church, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, features stunning mosaics. You’ll learn about the history of the structure, a main attraction of Istanbul since its construction. After a stop to enjoy lunch you’ll continue by foot to the site of the Hippodrome, the center of sportive and political activities in ancient Constantinople. See the Obelisk from Egypt, the Serpentine Column from Delphi, and the Fountain of Willhelm II. The Blue Mosque, built in the 17th century, and also known as the Sultanahment Mosque, is one of the principal adornments of the Istanbul skyline. Admire the interior covered with blue Iznik tiles. Your final stop will be at the Grand Bazaar. Your guide will tell you about history of the Bazaar and provide some helpful tips on navigating its more than 4,000 shops. The tour ends between 16:00 and 17:00.

Are you ready to explore Istanbul? Join us for a half-day tour of the city's greatest Byzantine and Ottoman attractions, all located in the historical Sultanahmet Peninsula of old Istanbul. Your tour will begin with a trip to the Hippodrome, Istanbul’s first sports Stadium. In Byzantine times, the Hippodrome, was a huge open-air sports stadium with banks of seats forming an elongated oval shape around a central arena. While you visit Hippodrome, close your eyes to hear sounds of running horses and roar of spectators cheering on their favorite teamsas they careered round the Hippodrome. Your next stop will be Sultanahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, which is located on the site of the original Byzantine city. Built in the 16th century, it is known for its magnificent interior decoration, distinguished by blue Iznik tiles, beautiful domes and semidomes, nice courtyards, and six slender minarets. After visiting Blue Mosque, your next stop will be Hagia Sophia, the largest Byzantine church in the world. The current structure, built by Justinian in the 6th.century, is truly an architectural marvel. During the Ottoman period, the building was transformed into a mosque. It is certainly one of the most important buildings in architectural history.