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A historical building with large columns and a central staircase. 1
A cobblestone path leading to a building with a sign reading 'Cafeteria Medreset.' 2
A cobblestone street lined with multi-story buildings, pedestrians walking, and greenery along the sidewalk. 3
A stone monument with intricate carvings and inscriptions. 4
An archway leading to a large mosque with a dome and minaret, surrounded by palm trees and people. 5
By Local Tour Guide Istanbul

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
Free cancellation available
Price is NZ$235 per adult* *Get a lower price by selecting multiple adult tickets
See tickets

Features

  • Free cancellation available
  • 3h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation

Overview

  • Visit the historic ‘old town’ of bustling Istanbul on this tour. Photo opportunities await at Sultanahmet’s notable religious sites including the Underground Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque. Wander through aromatic spice markets after exploring the Byzantine heritage of the Hippodrome. Witness the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire influences in this part of Turkey's great metropolis.

    ⦿ Tour the historic reference points of the old town with an English speaking tour guide
    ⦿ Benefit from a smaller tour group that can be customised to your interests
    ⦿ Sample Turkish delights in the Grand Bazaar and visit a local carpet workshop
    ⦿ Enjoy the best scenery of Istanbul from Blue Mosque

Activity location

  • Basilica Cistern
    • Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3
    • 34410, Istanbul, Turkiye

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Foodie-ist Cafe and Brasserie
    • 13 Muhterem Efendi Sokak
    • 34122, Alemdar, İstanbul, Türkiye

Check availability

Tour Without Entry Tickets

  • Activity duration is 3 hours3h
    3h
  • English

Pay on the Tour : Basilica Cistern Entry Fee (45 EUR pp) is not included in this option.

Language options: English
Price details
NZ$144.31 x 1 AdultNZ$144.31
Paid at activityNZ$90.19
Total
Price is NZ$234.50

All-inclusive Option

  • Activity duration is 3 hours3h
    3h
  • English

(Entry Tickets Included): All the entry fees and mosque donations are included in this option. Save time with priority access to Basilica Cistern.

Language options: English
Price details
NZ$260.56 x 1 AdultNZ$260.56
Paid at activityNZ$90.19
Total
Price is NZ$350.75

What's included, what's not

  • Inclusions
    Basilica Cistern entry ticket (*if all-inclusive option selected)
  • Inclusions
    Professional Guide
  • Inclusions
    Small Group
  • Exclusions
    Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Exclusions
    Service charge
  • Exclusions
    Basilica Cistern

Know before you book

    • Public transport options are available nearby
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
    • Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Sultanahmet Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee.
    • Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday
    • Total walking distance approx. 3–4 km with frequent stops; includes stairs at Basilica Cistern and uneven surfaces in Sultanahmet
    • IF ALL INCLUSIVE OPTION IS NOT SELECTED: Entrance to Basilica Cistern (€45 per person) is not included in the tour price.

Activity itinerary

Basilica Cistern

  • 30m
  • Admission ticket included
Largest of several hundred ancient Byzantine cisterns built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565). Huge underground Roman water source held up with 336 marble columns covering 9,800 sq. metres.

Blue Mosque

  • 30m
A popular tourist site, sits next to the Hagia Sophia, and continues to function as a mosque today. The Blue Mosque, as it is popularly known, was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes with traditional Ottoman architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period.

Hippodrome

  • 20m
The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople. Today it is a square with a few fragments of the original structure surviving. Monuments decorating the Hippodrome include the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column...

Sultanahmet Square

  • 10m
This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

Hagia Sophia Mosque (Pass by)

The Church of Divine Wisdom, a fifteen hundred years old splendid monument, is a must see in Istanbul, built to be the world’s largest place of worship by Emperor Justinian in 532 AD.

Kapali Carsi

  • 15m
Grand Covered Bazaar

Historic Areas of Istanbul (Pass by)

The historical city of Istanbul, the only city in the world located on two continents, was the capital of three great empires; Roman, Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    Basilica Cistern
    • Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3
    • 34410, Istanbul, Turkiye

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    Foodie-ist Cafe and Brasserie
    • 13 Muhterem Efendi Sokak
    • 34122, Alemdar, İstanbul, Türkiye

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