Description
Points of Interest
- Hippodrome
- Hagia Sofia
- Topkapi Palace
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar & Carpet Demonstration
- Topkapi Palace Harem
Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.
The sights, sounds and color of Istanbul resound in this walking tour of Istanbul. After a scenic drive in your motorcoach from the port, you arrive at the Blue Mosque. A multitude of domes and graceful minarets envelope the exterior, and over 20,000 blue Iznik tiles line the interior. Topkapi Palace Museum, your next stop, is the former palace of Ottoman sultans. Now a museum, it displays an extraordinary collection of art, and jewels, including the famed Topkapi Diamond. The harem of Topkapi Palace offers a revealing look into how the sultans once lived. After a traditional Turkish lunch, you visit the Grand Bazaar with over 4,000 shops, and Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, rich with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings.
Special Notes:
On Friday calls; Blue Mosque visit will be substituted with a historical Ottoman Mosque.Attire for visiting the mosque should cover shoulders and knees; shoes must be removed before entering; bring or wear socks. Shoe bags will be provided. In addition to covering shoulders and knees, all women must cover their head with a scarf. Professional photography and flash are not allowed.
Please be aware of the ongoing restoration of the Topkapi Palace; some exhibits may be closed or artifacts might be on temporary loan to other museums. Your guide will not accompany you inside the Treasury Section of the palace.
The sequence of tour stops may vary; expect extreme dense traffic. Once in Old Istanbul, passengers will walk between the major sites.
This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
This tour uses headsets.
Details
Tour timeline may vary to avoid overcrowding, etc.