Istanbul In A Day with Bosphorus Cruise, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Grand Bazaar

Información

Our tour starts early at the Blue Mosque where you’ll meet your small group of only 15 people or fewer and your expert local guide (a fluent English-speaker). As you wait for the mosque to open, your guide will teach you about the history and architecture of the building and the rituals that take place inside. Arriving early we’ll beat the worst of the crowds, to visit in relative piece, exploring the incredible interior.

We’ll walk the historic hippodrome to Hagia Sophia. Once a Greek Orthodox basilica, then a mosque, now a museum, it has so many stories to tell – not to mention the most beautiful, gold-laden interior. We’ve pre-reserved tickets here and, since you’re traveling with a licensed tour guide, you’ll get straight inside, past lines that often stretch for hours. Enjoy a guided tour of the building and ask all the questions you want, before we move onto our next stop – the Basilica Cistern. Again, a licensed guide means you’ll skip ticket lines to gain faster entrance. Built in the 6th century this huge ancient cistern is most notable for its carved Medusa columns, but its size and atmosphere will take your breath away.

The morning section of our tour also includes a walk past Topkapi Palace, where your guide will give you an introduction to the palace and its harem from outside. Then it’s off to lunch. To be sure you’re getting the best from every single moment of your day, we’ve pre-reserved our favorite local Turkish restaurant, where you’ll enjoy a huge spread of kebab meats (chicken, lamb and beef), sauces, hummus, rice, salad and borek pastries. And the best bit? We’ll take care of the bill; lunch is included in the price of your tour!

After lunch we’ll take a short walk to the Grand Bazaar, the incredible shopping hub of Istanbul. Here your guide will give you a tour of the huge bazaar (one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops) telling you about Turkey’s famous jewelry, ceramics, carpets, fashions and quirks and teaching you how to get the best bang for your buck if you come back shopping later. We’ll take a walk then through the local shopping street, lined with stores selling beautiful hijabs and local fashions. We’ll take a quick detour up a flight of stairs to a special viewing point along the way – our own Aladdin’s rooftop, from where you’ll encounter incredible views over the Bosphorus and the city around it. Then it’s on to the Spice Bazaar to learn about Turkish flavors and how Istanbul’s varied spices are actually the greatest indicator of its long history.

A sure highlight of our tour is our private Bosphorus cruise. Your group may combine with one other group of 15 for this part (plus their guide), but that’s it! For one whole hour you’ll have a private boat pretty much to yourselves as you cruise the waters separating Europe and Asia.
We finish our tour on the other side of the bridge, with a walk through the local fish market and the stock market (as it’s known locally, although it doesn’t look anything like you’d expect) before making our way uphill to the Galata Tower. Rather than climbing the tower, which is crowded, we’ll find the same views nearby in a more relaxing spot at a private café. Feel free to treat yourself to a Turkish coffee or a beer while admiring the view – after all, you’ve just seen Istanbul in a day.

Meeting/pick-up point: In Sultanahmet area. At the Blue Mosque entrance gate located on the side of the Hippodrome square, next to the Grand Vezir Restaurant & Cafe. You will find this entrance located in proximity to the "serpent column" or "twisted column" which is in the center of the Hippodrome square. Note: the serpent column is referred to as "walled obelisk" on google maps.
Duration: 8.5 hours.
Start/opening time: At 8:30am.
-End/closing time: On a rooftop terrace located very close to the Galata Tower.
Languages:
Others: Please remember that the Blue Mosque is a holy place, and attire must be appropriate for the visit. Both men and women are asked to take off their shoes when entering (you will put them in a plastic bag, provided by the Mosque, and bring them with you). Both are also asked to have their knees and shoulders covered. Women are asked to wear a head covering when entering. Please bring a scarf with you. Walks of Turkey cannot be held responsible for denied entry due to improper dress.
Unfortunately Istanbul is a hilly and crowded city, please wear comfortable shoes and keep your belongings in a safe zipped pocket. This tour is a “carpet & shopping free” tour. Your guide will in fact remain with you throughout the tour instead of letting you explore the Bazaars on your own.