Day 1

Hippodrome Square

Blue Mosque

Hagia Sophia

Topkapi Palace

Grand Bazaar

Day 2

Spice Market

Bosphorus Cruise

Dolmabahce Palace

Taksim Square

Istiklal Street

Galata Tower

Day 3

Suleymaniye Mosque

Fener and Balat Districts

St. Stephen Church (Iron Church)

Eyüp Sultan District

Pierre Lotti Panoramic Hill

Itinerary

Your tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby or cruise port and start your tour to take you to the best sights of the city.
You will experience the best of the city on this private tour which includes all the major sights. You will wander through the legendary streets and magnificent structures and be amazed with the rich culture of Turkey.
At the end of the tour, your tour guide can accompany you to your hotel (if centrally located) or Galataport.

Day 1

Hippodrome Square; Start at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, which was the social and sports center of the old city. Explore major artworks such as the Obelisk from Egypt, the Serpentine Column from Delphi, and the fountain of Willhelm II (aka German Fountain)

Blue Mosque; Take a stroll to the Blue Mosque, a majestic structure with six minarets adorning the skyline of Istanbul. One of the most popular attractions in this ancient city is the imperial mosque of Sultan Ahmet I (Sultan Ahmet Camii) in Istanbul. Foreign visitors refer it as the Blue Mosque because of the tiles inside. The mosque, which has six minarets and a massive cascade of domes, is a worthy sibling to Ayasofya

Hagia Sophia; Proceed to the Hagia Sophia Mosque, one of the most significant monuments of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. The dome and stunning mosaics of this architectural jewel are on display as your guide shares its turbulent history with you. In the year 537, Justinian the Great constructed the Church of the Holy Wisdom. It has stood here for over 1,520 years, through 120 generations of men and women, and is known as Aya Sofya in Turkish

Topkapi Palace; A visit to the Topkapi Palace, which was home to Ottoman emperors between the 15th and the 19th centuries, is next on the itinerary. Admire the rich jewels and imperial collections of the Ottoman Empire, as well as priceless displays of Oriental porcelain. Topkapi Sarayi was the seraglio, the heart of the vast Ottoman Empire, ruled by the sultans for nearly 400 years

Grand Bazaar; Visit the Grand Bazaar, which is home to over 3,000 shops with everything from carpets to jewelries, ceramics and leather goods.

 

Day 2

Note: Booking private vehicle is suggested for this day as transportation is required between sites of visit.

Spice Market; All the delicious foods and mementos that travelers find most alluring are available in one place, beneath the elaborate vaulted ceilings. These include of tea, a variety of Turkish Delight tastes, dried fruit, cheese, jam, nuts, seeds, and spices. Silver, ceramics, jewelry, and other handmade items are also available

Bosphorus Cruise; While sailing the Bosphorus, you will take in the numerous magnificent sites that surround the Bosphorus Strait, including the Dolmabahce Palace, Bebek, Rumeli Fortress, Bosphorus Bridges, Anatolian Fortress, and more

Dolmabahce Palace; The palace is exactly what a sultan's palace should be. With its most luxurious decoration, chandeliers, rugs, crystals, ceramic fireplaces, the Dolmabahce Palace is the epitome of elegance and beauty. Right on the Bosphorus, this palace features beautiful furnishings, paintings, and porcelains made especially for Dolmabahce.

Taksim Square; Defining modern Turkey and witnessing important historical events, Taksim Square is an important place. The Cicek and European Passages combine traditional and modern construction methods and architectural styles from the Ottoman Empire. A number of good restaurants, cafes, shops, bars, and night clubs can be found in this district.

Istiklal Street; İstiklal Street is brimming with life. It's a two-kilometer walk downhill where there are a number of shops, restaurants, and bars along the way.

Galata Tower; Built in 1348 by the Genovese, Galata Tower was used as a watchtower to aid in the city's defense and today one of the main symbols of Istanbul . From its viewpoint at the top you will be rewarded with a 360-degree panorama with views of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara, the historic peninsula and the neighborhood of Beyoglu.

 

Day 3

Note: Booking private vehicle is suggested for this day as transportation is required between sites of visit.

Alternative sites for Rahmi Koc Museum; Kadikoy Neighborhood by public ferry or Istanbul Archaeological Museum (requires 75 TL entrance fee per person)

Suleymaniye Mosque; The Mosque of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent was designed by Mimar Sinan, the Ottoman Empire's greatest architect. It is Istanbul's largest and grandest mosque, dominating the city's Third Hill

Fener and Balat Districts; Fener/Balat district, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and at one time home to Istanbul’s Ottoman Orthodox and Jewish residents. See traces of Ottoman life, including streets lined with laundry drying across a patchwork of red, blue, and green Ottoman houses, surrounded by art galleries, ateliers, and design shops, mosques, churches, and synagogues, standing together.

St. Stephen Church (Iron Church); Make a visit to Church of St. George in the Fener District which has been the center of Eastern Orthodox religion since the 1600s and is home to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Eyüp Sultan District; Eyup Sultan District has been a popular place of pilgrimage due to the presence of Eyup Sultan Mosque and Tomb. Backstreets have theological schools, public fountains, cemeteries and soup kitchens followed by traditional wooden mansions.

Pierre Lotti Panoramic Hill; Named after 19th-century poet Pierre Lotti who wrote his poems from this hilltop inspired by the same views today of the Golden Horn, this hill offers a great view of Golden Horn for visitors. Take a cable car to reach the top to enjoy beautiful scenery and sip your Turkish coffee or tea.

 

Additional information

Blue Mosque is closed until 2 pm on Fridays

Hagia Sophia entrance will be restricted during praying time

Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays

Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays

Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Due to regulations, a live guide service is not available at Dolmabahce Palace. Children aged 7 and under are free of charge. Please make sure that you have passport copies of children as you have to verify their ages at museums for free tickets.