Tour of "Sultan Ahmet Center", the heart of the "Old City" from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled.
Hagia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom, one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian.(entrance ticket is not included)
Blue Mosque, facing Hagia Sophia, famous with its blue İznik tiles and unique with 6 minarets,
built in the name of Sultan Ahmet.
Hippodrome, center of sportive events (chariot races, athletics) and political activities of the
old city. Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius and German Fountain of Wilhelm II are
the monuments decorating the Hippodrome.
Grand Covered Bazaar, most attractive shopping center and the biggest "souk" in the world
with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, leatherware and souvenir.
(Art demonstration of handmade Turkish carpets upon request)
Dolmabahçe Palace, recent residence for Ottoman Sultans built by two Ottoman architects Karabet and Nikogos Balyan on a 110.000 m² area and served as the main administrative center
of the Ottoman Empire. Famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and
4.5 tons chandelier, the palace has 285 rooms and 46 halls.
Bosphorus Bridge, unique chance to step from one continent (Europe) to another (Asia) in 2 minutes.
Çamlıca Hill, famous for its widest bird’s eye panoramic view of İstanbul from Marmara Sea to the Black Sea, gives a chance to see the Bosphorus and Golden Horn from one of the best point of the highest and most appealing places of the city.
An enchanted evening cruise starts while you sip your welcome drink and enjoy the marvelous scenery as the sun sets on the Bosphorus. Chance to view and photograph the precious relics of three world dominating Empires: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman.
The royal Dolmabahçe Palace, the late residence of the Ottoman Sultans; Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges connecting the two continents Asia and Europe; Rumeli Fortress, the historical armament built by the Conqueror Sultan, marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman style besides modern residentials. These are all things you will see on this tour.
In short, explore Istanbul from the sea, on Bosphorus, a unique link between East and West, Past and Present. Do all this, while enjoying a welcome drink and perhaps a wonderful sunset, if the weather permits.
Meeting in front of Starbucks near The Marmara Hotel at Taksim Square. First taste is ‘’Wet Burger’’.
Visit Hacıbekir Sweet Shop, confiseur since 1777, to taste the best Lokum (Turkish Delight) and colourful “Bonbon Turc”.
Experiencing different sidewalk tastes, wander through Flower Passage and Nevizade Street.
Explore the uncharted side-streets of Pera, cultural heart of İstanbul.
Tasting kebap wraps at Dürümzade famed by Anthony Bourdain.
Hazzapoulo Passage for Turkish Coffee and watch “coffee fortune telling”.
Visit a typical Meyhane (Turkish Tavern) to enjoy the Turkish Meze and Turkish Rakı.
Hope to meet at another walk…
Meeting in front of famous Güllüoğlu Baklava Shop at Karaköy, one of the oldest districts of İstanbul.
Traditional breakfast amongst the variety of authentic eatery shops.
Ferry to Kadıköy, ancient Chalcedon, where Ecumenical Council met (451 AD) to bring an end to the ecclesiastical chaos.
This will not be only a culinary walk but as well a stroll through the city’s Asian Side to discover
its local culture.
Visit different shops at Kadıköy. Fish Market and meeting new tastes of Turkish Cuisine. Typical delicatessen, muhallebi or baklava.
Main course at the famous Çiya Restaurant with special tastes.
Gossips of the day at a typical Turkish Coffee House. Ferry to Karaköy.
Hope to meet at another walk…
Our guide takes you from your hotel/seaport to visit most visited places of istanbul. To go to visiting points we use public transport/taxi or walking.
We start our tour by Hippodrome , which at one time was the center of Byzantine social and recreational life. A few parts of this spectacular site remain, including the Obelisk of Thutmose III and Serpent Column.
Near the Hippodrome is the Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Its exceptional architectural design features 1 main dome, 8 secondary domes, 6 minarets, and a vast number of blue tiles – hence the name.
And from here we go the Topkapi Palace, which dates back to 1459. It served as the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for nearly 4 centuries. In 1924, the palace was officially declared a museum.
And you will take a break and enjoy a lunch of delicious Turkish dishes
Afternoon we continu on our tour with Hagia Sophia, which served both Christianity and Islam at different times in history. When it was first built in 537, it was an Eastern Orthodox church.
In 1453, coverted to an imperial mosque. Approximately 5 centuries later, Hagia Sophia was converted into a museum.
We finalize our tour with Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, comprising 61 covered streets and more than 3,000 shops offering almost anything you might need. The bazaar is a part of the walled city and was built during the years 1455-1461.
At the end of the tour we drop you back to your hotel/seaport.
Vine leaves drizzled in honey and stuffed with fresh cheese, flaky pastries, oven-fired flatbreads, and meats grilled with fragrant spices—Turkey is a food lover's paradise. Learn how to prepare traditional recipes during a hands-on cooking class at the Deraliye Restaurant followed by lunch or dinner.
After you're picked up from your hotel, head to the Deraliye Ottoman Restaurant, the venue for your cooking class. Meet your instructor—a professional chef—and head into the kitchen to start your class. Whether you're a novice in the kitchen or a master chef, this class introduces you to traditional Turkish ingredients and cooking techniques so you can recreate the delicious cuisine of Istanbul at home.
Spend about 2 hours working together in the kitchen to prepare a gourmet meal using fragrant herbs and spices along with regional produce. Once you're done, head into the dining room and gather around a table to share you meal, chatting about each dish and sipping wine as you savor the fruits of your labor.
Our guide will be ready at your disposal in your hotel on time you requested .As soon as you meet our licenced guide, he/she can make the list of places you may interest than follow the program.
You either can make interior visits to sites or explain from outside
You have 1 to 4 hours to discover İstanbul with our licenced professional tour guide.
Suggestions to visit (of course it is not possible to visit all sights below, in one day)
St. Sophia
Topkapi Palace
Basilica Cistern
Grand Bazaar
Egyptian Bazaar
Dolmabahçe Palace
Beylerbeyi Palace
Bosphorus
Rüstem Paşa Mosque
Blue Mosque
Süleymaniye Mosque
Eyüp Sultan Mosque & Tomb
Miniatürk
We hired our guide for a full day of private touring the next day. The boat trip itself was awesome! His knowledge of Turkey's Ottoman history and storytelling was incredible! He added interesting details, dates, and anecdotal information and answered my husband's thousands of questions! As a private tour guide, he was amazing as well- our tour was highly personal, well planned, and comprised a full day including lunch and tea. He expertly navigated all the places we wanted to see and pointed out details, large and small! We highly recommend this travel operator!
City sightseeingCruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Short on time but want to see the highlights of Istanbul? First-time visitor to this fantastic city? This unique full-day tour takes you to the best must-see attractions for any visitor to Istanbul.
Visit Topkapi Palace, the former imperial residence from where the Great Ottoman Empire was ruled, which today is a spectacular museum with one of the largest collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain and the famous treasury of the Royal Family. In addition, explore the famed Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome, and the world-famous Grand Bazaar! Not only is it historically very significant, but the bazaar will tempt even the strictest nonshoppers with its rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewelry, leather, and souvenirs.
Book today and see the top sites of Istanbul in just one day.
The heart of Istanbul remains its fascinating Old City, home to some of the most historic sites of this vibrant megapolis. Dramatically located on a peninsula pointing across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia, Sultanahmet was formerly the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. In this 8-hour tour of Istanbul, you will get to admire the former church and mosque of the Hagia Sophia, see the site of Byzantine sports at the Roman Hippodrome, explore the alleys of the Grand Bazaar, and much more. You will be accompanied by our knowledgeable and passionate tour guides who have dedicated their lives to both learn and share history.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Our guide will be ready at your disposal in your hotel on the time you request. As soon as you meet our licenced guide, he/she can make the list of places you may interest rather than follow the program, if that's your preference.
You either can make interior visits to sites or explain from outside
You have 1 to 8 hours to discover Istanbul with our licenced professional tour guide.
Suggestions to visit are (of course it is not possible to visit all sights below, in one day):
- St. Sophia
- Topkapi Palace
- Basilica Cistern
- Grand Bazaar
- Egyptian Bazaar
- Dolmabahçe Palace
- Beylerbeyi Palace
- Bosphorus
- Rüstem Paşa Mosque
- Blue Mosque
- Süleymaniye Mosque
- Eyüp Sultan Mosque & Tomb
- Miniatürk
This is a great chance for you to explore Istanbul with a professional guide, where you and the guide can even initially decide to explore the places and attractions that interest you the most.
We will start the day with Spice Bazaar our guide explain the miracle of the herbs and we can taste delicious Turkish delights here. We depart from Spice Bazaar to have a sightseeing tour of the Golden Horn. Then we will join the cruise on Bosphorus by public boat in 90 Minutes. From the awe-inspiring Dolmabahce Palace to the ancient Walls of Constantine and onto the Topkapi Palace, experience the best views the city has to offer while enjoying a wonderfull cruise along the Bosphorus. A journey along the Bosphorus with Cruise will give you a unique insight into the great city’s history.
We will cross from Beşiktaş to Üsküdar by boat and have lunch here in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we visit Üsküdar district. We will start our program with Şemsi Pasha Mosque from 16th century, designed by Ottoman imperial architect Mimar Sinan for Grand Vizier Şemsi Pasha. Continue to explore Üsküdar with Yeni Valide Mosque from 18th century. And the last mosque we see here is another masterpiece of Mimar Sinan, dedicated to the daughter of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque. Before crossing back to European side by boat, we visit local Fish Market. And finally, last stop of the day is Dolmabahçe Palace. We will visit this marvellous palace building which is built in last period of Ottoman Empire in the 19th century.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers