Old City Classics
The essential first day in Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar on foot with a licensed guide.
Itinerary
- 01
Hotel pick-up and drive to Sultanahmet.
- 02
Hagia Sophia galleries and the Blue Mosque, with the Hippodrome between them.
- 03
Basilica Cistern.
- 04
Lunch at a local restaurant in Sultanahmet.
- 05
Topkapı Palace — courtyards, Treasury and Holy Relics.
- 06
Guided orientation and free time in the Grand Bazaar, then return to the hotel.
Stops
- Hagia Sophia1
The sixth-century Byzantine cathedral, later an Ottoman mosque — the defining monument of Istanbul.
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)2
Sultan Ahmed I’s imperial mosque, famous for its six minarets and blue İznik-tiled interior.
- Basilica Cistern3
A sixth-century underground cistern of 336 marble columns, with the famous Medusa heads.
- Topkapı Palace4
The palace of the Ottoman sultans for almost four centuries, overlooking the meeting point of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.
- Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı)5
One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world — a labyrinth of vaulted streets, hans and thousands of shops.
Map
Includes
- ✓Licensed professional guide
- ✓Air-conditioned transport
- ✓Entrance tickets as per programme
- ✓Lunch
Good to know
- !Operated on any day except Tuesday, when Topkapı is closed.
- !Grand Bazaar closed on Sundays — the Spice Bazaar is substituted.
- !Modest dress required for mosque visits.
Hotels nearby
An intimate luxury hotel in a restored early twentieth-century building, set around a garden courtyard in the heart of Sultanahmet.
A well-run four-star hotel in Sultanahmet, known for its rooftop restaurant overlooking the historic peninsula.
A large five-star conference hotel near the Old City walls, with extensive meeting facilities and a spa.
More tours in Old City (Sultanahmet & Fatih)
Old City Classics
The essential first day in Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar on foot with a licensed guide.