Istanbul Old City Private Day Tour

• Private tour: only you and your own group, with your own guide
• The Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace with the Harem, and the Grand Bazaar
• Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern are on the route, with tickets bought on the day
• Entrance tickets included for Topkapi Palace and the Harem
• A walking tour: everything is within walking distance in the old city
• About 7 to 8 hours, at your own pace
• You meet your guide at Sultanahmet Square

Almost everything Istanbul is known for stands within a few hundred metres of Sultanahmet Square. The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia face each other across a garden, the Hippodrome where Byzantine chariot races were held lies between them, and behind it is Topkapi Palace, from where the Ottoman sultans ruled for four hundred years. Underneath the square is the Basilica Cistern, a sixth-century underground reservoir held up by 336 columns. The tour ends in the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world, with more than four thousand shops. Because the tour is private, you set the pace and can spend longer wherever you want.

Places to visit

• Blue Mosque
• Hippodrome and the obelisks
• Hagia Sophia
• Basilica Cistern
• Topkapi Palace with the Harem
• Grand Bazaar

What to expect

• This is a private tour. Only you and your own group take part.
• It is a walking tour. All the sites are within walking distance of each other in the old city.
• The tour lasts around 7 to 8 hours, depending on your pace.
• Entrance tickets are included for Topkapi Palace, including the Harem.
• Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern are on the route, but their tickets are not included. Your guide will take you to both and you buy the tickets on the day if you would like to go in.
• You meet your guide at Sultanahmet Square. If your hotel is far from the square and you would like to be collected, let us know and we will arrange transport for an extra charge.
• Lunch is not included. The old city is full of places to eat and we would rather not tie you to one of them, so your guide will suggest somewhere that suits you.
• If you would like a Spanish or Portuguese speaking guide, please select this option when booking.

Good to know before you book

• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, and the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. On Fridays the Blue Mosque is closed to visitors around midday prayers.
• Hagia Sophia is undergoing major restoration work, so parts of the interior may be covered by scaffolding.
• Queues at Hagia Sophia can be long at busy times.

Pricing Information

According to the number of people participating in the tour, the total price is discounted. The total discount amount appears on the checkout page.

• 3 to 4  people -  15 % discount

• 5 to 6  people -  25% discount

• 7 to 8  people -  30% discount

• 9 to 10 people - 35% discount

If you are solo traveller, please contact us for our most reasonable offers.

Cancellation Policy

To receive a full refund, you can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour start date, in Istanbul local time. Cancellations made after that are non-refundable. For this purpose the tour start time is taken as 09:00.