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Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi) Tours
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Small Group Tour - Full Day Istanbul City Tour
Recommended for your Istanbul trip
Free Cancellation
up to 24 hours in advance
8 hours (Approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English and 3 more
Keeping you safe during COVID-19
What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
More questions?
(888) 651-9785
Overview
Experience Turkey’s Ottoman and Byzantine eras during this full-day guided Istanbul city tour in the Sultanahmet district. Aboard a comfortable coach, head to top attractions like Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and the UNESCO-listed museum Hagia Sophia. Witness the lively atmosphere of one of the world’s largest covered markets - the Grand Bazaar. Prior to lunch, enjoy engaging stories about sultans and their harems and other Istanbul lore from your friendly local guide.
- Visit Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and marvel at its Ottoman and Byzantine architecture
- Walk around the Blue Mosque and then visit Topkapi Palace
- Pass top Istanbul attractions like the Hippodrome and the Golden Horn
- Transport by luxury air-conditioned coach
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Meet your guide at your hotel for pickup for your city tour. Hop into a coach and head to the neighborhood of Sultanahmet which is brimming with Istanbul’s finest attractions. Enter the iconic Hagia Sophia which was originally constructed as a church, then converted to a mosque and is now a must-visit museum. Gaze at its magnificent architecture built in the 6th century and learn about its Byzantine and Ottoman influences.
Next, follow your guide through Istanbul Hippodrome towards the Blue Mosque. On the way, see the epicenter of political and sporting activity during Ottoman Empire rule. Hear stories about the epic chariot races and riots that once took place here. Then, approach the Blue Mosque and marvel at the six towering minarets that outline Istanbul’s famous skyline. Continue into the mosque with your guide and admire its dome decorated with vibrant blue Iznik tiles which are connected to its etymology.
After leaving the Blue Mosque, stroll to the colorful and lively Grand Bazaar to witness this eclectic covered market. Explore frankincense-laden alleys with stalls and shops overflowing with Turkish rugs, intricate wares, and even tasty kebabs. Revel in the exciting atmosphere, but stay close to your guide as this hectic market can be difficult to maneuver.
Break for a bite to eat at a restaurant before you voyage by coach to one of the largest and oldest palaces the world has ever known - Topkapi Palace. One of Turkey’s most important museums, see ancient relics and elegant artifacts. Walk through the beautiful courtyards that overlook the Bosphorus Strait and hear lore about sultans and the harems they once operated 500 years ago. Exit the palace and return by coach to your hotel where your tour ends.
Please note: Blue Mosque will be visited from outside on Friday mornings due to noon prayer. Grand Bazaar on Sundays will be replaced with authentic shops. Topkapı Palace on Tuesdays will be replaced with a tour to Byzantium, and Sultan Tombs on Mondays will be replaced with Little Hagia Sophia (St. Sergius & Bacchus). Hagia Sophia (Closed on Mondays; will be replaced with Undergournd Cistern).
Next, follow your guide through Istanbul Hippodrome towards the Blue Mosque. On the way, see the epicenter of political and sporting activity during Ottoman Empire rule. Hear stories about the epic chariot races and riots that once took place here. Then, approach the Blue Mosque and marvel at the six towering minarets that outline Istanbul’s famous skyline. Continue into the mosque with your guide and admire its dome decorated with vibrant blue Iznik tiles which are connected to its etymology.
After leaving the Blue Mosque, stroll to the colorful and lively Grand Bazaar to witness this eclectic covered market. Explore frankincense-laden alleys with stalls and shops overflowing with Turkish rugs, intricate wares, and even tasty kebabs. Revel in the exciting atmosphere, but stay close to your guide as this hectic market can be difficult to maneuver.
Break for a bite to eat at a restaurant before you voyage by coach to one of the largest and oldest palaces the world has ever known - Topkapi Palace. One of Turkey’s most important museums, see ancient relics and elegant artifacts. Walk through the beautiful courtyards that overlook the Bosphorus Strait and hear lore about sultans and the harems they once operated 500 years ago. Exit the palace and return by coach to your hotel where your tour ends.
Please note: Blue Mosque will be visited from outside on Friday mornings due to noon prayer. Grand Bazaar on Sundays will be replaced with authentic shops. Topkapı Palace on Tuesdays will be replaced with a tour to Byzantium, and Sultan Tombs on Mondays will be replaced with Little Hagia Sophia (St. Sergius & Bacchus). Hagia Sophia (Closed on Mondays; will be replaced with Undergournd Cistern).
Itinerary
Topkapı Palace, residence of Ottoman Sultans exhibiting imperial treasury, sacred Islamic relics of Prophet Mohammed, kitchen, Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy section etc. Live guide commentary is not allowed in special sections. (Harem is not included in the program
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Sultan Tombs, there are five tombs of Ottoman Sultans within the graveyard at Hagia Sophia. The ceramic panels are the most beautiful examples of the 16th century with purple, red, green and blue flower motives. Prince robes and a small piece from the Kaaba covers are displayed
on the sarcophaguses.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Traveler Photos
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See all 11
Traveler Tips
- "Topeka museum is closed during Tuesdays and so we were brought to some old churches in the afternoon." See review
Reviews
Questions?
Product code: 5828BYZANTINE
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