Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!
Recommended by 98% of travelers
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Istanbul, Turkey
- 7 to 8 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover a variety of Istanbul's highlights in one day during this small-group tour. Visit the Blue Mosque, a wonder of the Ottoman era, and the historic Hagia Sophia. Explore Hippodrome Square with its ancient monuments and then delve into two hidden Cisterns: Basilica and Nakkas. Learn about Roman history, Turkish Handicrafts, and enjoy a 3-course lunch featuring Turkish delights. Your journey concludes at the renowned Grand Bazaar.
- Tour Basilica and Nakkas Cisterns and Hagia Sophia Museum with a small group
- Visit the famous historic Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, with over 4000 shops
- Enjoy a three-course Turkish lunch with mixed kebab and vegetarian options
- Engage the professional guide and uncover Istanbul’s culture and history
What's Included
- All Fees and Taxes
- Hagia Sophia Museum tickets Included ‘25 Euros’ (30 USD)
- Basilica Cistern Museum tickets Included ‘38 Euros’ (44 USD)
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Lunch3 course meal (Soup, Mix Kebab/or Vegetarian, Dessert)
- English Speaking Professional Tour Guide!
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Gratitudes
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- German FountainBinbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
We will meet in front of German fauntain at 09.00am (next to Blue Mosque and Sultahahmet Tram station)
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
German Fountain
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Blue Mosque
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Basilica Cistern
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
5
Hippodrome
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Obelisk of Theodosius
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Serpent Column
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Walled Obelisk
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Cistern Art Gallery
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
10
Nakkas Oriental Rugs & Textiles
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
11
Tamara Restaurant Sultanahmet
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
12
Divanyolu Street
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
13
Grand Bazaar
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
14
Column of Constantine
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
15
Nuruosmaniye Camii
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 174 reviews
Kenneth_D, May 2026
We have traveled to over 30 countries and Ozzie is by far the most knowledgeable guide we have ever had. He gave us so much history and information. He knew so many facts about all the places we visited.His knowledge is incredible and admired. He is also very friendly and made the day a lot of fun.
Vince_F, Apr 2026
First trip to Istanbul and it was absolutely memorable. Our guide Oguzhan, aka Ozzy, is one of the best tour guides I have ever come across. Simply put the man was a wealth of information. He was so informative, from the history to art, culture, and language it felt as though I was getting a master class led by a distinguished professor. Throughout the entire day, there was never a dull moment. He knew the best angle for picture taking, the best places to rest, and he provided some solid locations to eat at afterwards. The pace of the tour was ideal for young and old people alike. Although the day will fly by I would recommend bringing a good pair of walking shoes. Simply put this was superb service, if you’re new to Istanbul, I highly recommend this tour.
newrock, Apr 2026
A superb experience. Ozzy was perhaps the best tour guide we’ve had, anywhere in the world. He had a deep knowledge of Turkish history and each of the sites we visited. The itinerary and pace was perfect. If you’re interested in seeing many of Istanbul’s key sites in one day, take this tour.
Nadina_M, Apr 2026
Ayse was our tour guide and she is absolutely wonderful! She is so informative and kind. Would do every tour with her in Istanbul if we could!
Sanjay_D, Feb 2026
Had a great experience with Tunç going around the important monuments in Istanbul : Hippodrome, Blue mosque, Hagia Sophia, basicila cistern, bazaars, etc. The cistern has been renovated and looks spectacular- the highlight of the tour. He was very good in explaining the history and answering all our queries. The included lunch was very good. In total it was about 7 hours.
Thanks Tunç for a great tour.
Martin_N, Jan 2026
Great Tour and Great Guide Mr. Oguzhan. By visiting Istanbul you have to make it. Highly recommended Tour.
Barbara_J, Jan 2026
We had a wonderful time! Our guide was VERY knowledgeable, easy to understand, insightful as to the needs of participants and accommodating.
Ken_F, Nov 2025
Kamal Aslan was our tour guide, he did an excellent job of informing us about the rich history and culture of the country and city, he was well educated and funny. The walking pace was perfect, he took great pictures of us and pointed out a lot of cool stuff
Bethany_D, Nov 2025
I asked our guide if she thought this was just a job or did she love history and she said that she loved history. It was evident and her ability to answer any question our group asked her. Buket was the fantastic guide because of her knowledge and enthusiasm for her culture.
Nancy_W, Nov 2025
Great way to see the highlights of Istanbul in a day. Our tour guide, Tunc, was excellent. He was very knowledgeable, courteous, and made the tour fun. He also spoke excellent English. Lunch was traditional Turkish fare but very tasty and included huge portions.
John_D, Oct 2025
Very informative and enjoyable. We saw some of the most famous landmarks in Istanbul and learned about its history
Ying_C, Oct 2025
The tour guide Ozzie did a wonderful job; great communication skills and time management and fantastic photographer. We learned so much of the Istanbul history from him and lots of details about the blue mosque and Hagia Sophia that we would have missed if we went ourselves. Highly Recommend.
Marisela_V, Oct 2025
Very good tour, lots if history information and time to explore / take pictures. Our guide made all the difference
Kelly_L, Oct 2025
Kadir was an amazing tour guide in Istanbul! He was incredibly knowledgeable and shared the city’s rich history in such an engaging and enjoyable way. His passion for Istanbul made every stop more meaningful, and his warm personality made the tour even more memorable. Highly recommend Kadir for anyone wanting to truly experience the beauty and history of Istanbul.
Tim_K, Oct 2025
Saw the great sites and Ozzy was really informative and kept it fun at the same time. Highly recommend!
George_R, Oct 2025
Couldn’t have been a better experience. Mustafa reached out the night before to confirm the meeting spot. Promptly at 9:00 the tour started and we visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Bascilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar, Hippodrome, AND he introduced my wife to a ceramic shop that (without a hard sell) helped her choose a beautiful memory of out visit to Istanbul
Arthur_W, Oct 2025
Oguzhan great guide. Very knowledgeable about places visited and turkiye. Good pace and fast entry to sites. Would have rated 6 except for visit to carpet shop. Had to wait around while some selected a carpet. If do, do at end of tour so others can leave.
Mark_S, Oct 2025
Our guide Emreyy was outstanding. We've taken many guided tours/excursions over the years and this ranks as the best. He new the history and context of each site and was great at communicating. The tour highlights were Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern plus many other interesting stops. The ability to navigate and avoid long lines, Emreyy's friendliness, flexibility and ease of answering questions made this the best guided tour ever.
We are very grateful we booked this tour. Well worth it.
Lan_L, Oct 2025
Great experience and knowledgeable tour guy. Love our small tour group. Prepare for good shoes cause alot of walk.
RichardandRhonda_K, Oct 2025
Our best excursion of our cruise so far! Our guide, Emre, is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He made us feel special and was very helpful by giving us an excellent history of Istanbul. We recommend him highly to anyone planning to visit this city!
lynne_n, Oct 2025
Helpful and knowledgable guide. Saw all the major highlights with a good lunch. Highly recommend. Great for the price.
Megan_Q, Oct 2025
We did not have time to see the blue Masque because we where taken to a rug store and a pottery store that wasted almost two hours of time. We also spent two and a half hours in Santa Sofia Masque. This excursion needs to be better organized to fit what was promised in the time frame that was given. Not everyone that visits Istanbul stays the night or has unlimited time.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
After reading the review we requested a report from our guide for the day!
And we also read the reviews from other participants of the day and while reading 5 star ratings with heartwarming words about the day! We are surprised to read that your words with ‘not time to see blue mosque’ how ever our guide informed details about your visit to the mosque with spending time both in the praying area and outer praying courtyard!
Hagia Sophia visits may take some time with questions about how facilitated visitors are from 1.500 years of an upstanding UNESCO word heritage site!
Thank you for taking your time to give a rating!
Iain_C, Oct 2025
Emre was a fantastic guide during our tour. He was really knowledgeable, was always happy to answer all of our questions with very detailed answers. He even showed my mother in law where the nice jewellery shops were near the grand bazaar. Overall the tour was fantastic, goes to all the main places you must visit when visiting Istanbul, but the addition of the guide is ensure you get the most out of your visit. The small group also makes it fell more of a personal and means it’s easier to ask questions about anything you see. This is a tour I would highly recommend.
Chelsey_N, Sep 2025
Mustafa was an excellent tour guide. He was very informative in providing educational history and cultural lessons. I would highly recommend him and this tour. He was very professional and polite.
John_K, Sep 2025
- Great , informative
- Fun
- Great cultural history
- Great guide
- Good food
- Easy to find the meeting point
- Small group
Michael_A, Sep 2025
I had the privilege to have the excellent tour guide Emre show me around to all the sites in the old city part of Istanbul...and it was just over 6 hours long...and we skipped so many lines!!! He was very knowledgeable about all the sites and gave great information about the history of each site! We started the walking tour at Germain Fountain to meet then started the tour by going to Sultanahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia, a break for some coffee, then off to Basilica Cistern, The Grand Bazaar, Column of Constantine before we had a traditional Turkish Lunch and saw another Cistern where there was a museum type set-up to learn about the Hippodrome and what remains...one wall, the Obelisk of Theodosius (from Egypt), Orme Dikilitas (a not so perfect replica of the obelisk), and the Serpent Column. We then ended back at German Fountain. I was super impressed with how well Emre knew so much about each site and conveyed it in a way that was interesting and easy to understand. He spoke great English as well! Ask him about his favorite TV show ;-) This was the perfect city tour and well worth the money as all the tickets and lunch were all included!! Bravo!! Great job!!!
Clementina_R, Sep 2025
An excellent tour with an excellent guide. Emre was the best guide we could have, very experienced, he answered all the questions we made him.
Ndidi_I, Sep 2025
I highly recommend visiting the attractions with a tour guide, and this tour (led by Emre) did not disappoint. He shared incredible insights that you would have otherwise missed. He was charismatic, patient, and answered all of our questions with a bit of humor and dignity.
Michel_F, Sep 2025
Often times difficult to understand. Somewhat long winded. I think this tour is way overpriced for what you get.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your thoughts about your experiences!
We have also talked to our guide about the day and get a feedback from her as well!
Best regards!
Christine_M, Sep 2025
Fantastic small group tour. Oguzhan was so knowledgeable, didn’t rush us from one place to another. Left visit to blue mosque until afternoon when not so crowded. He was very approachable and sat and had lunch with us. Adjusted the tour to the groups interests.
Would throughly recommend this tour with him
From $160.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!
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