Visit to the Sultan Ahmet district: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar... - Istanbul

Visit to the Sultan Ahmet district: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar... - Istanbul

Cancellation Cancellations free of charge up to 24hrs prior departure time

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Discover the central Sultan Ahmet district and its monuments

Guided tour of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

Free time in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar

Your guide's comments

Essential information *

Duration
3 hours 3 minutes

Languages

English

Starting time
9:00 AM

* All details will be sent to you upon reservation.

Description

Discover Istanbul's must-sees on this guided walking tour: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul!

Join your guide in the centre of Istanbul, in the Sultan Ahmet district, for a 3? hour tour of the city's must-see monuments. Your visit will begin with the discovery of the city's hippodrome, which in ancient times was used for chariot races and other sporting events. Around the racecourse you can see the Obelisk of Theodosius (an Egyptian obelisk) and the Serpentine Column. 

You will follow your guide to the Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (or Sultanahmet), famous for the blue ceramics that gave it its name. The Blue Mosque is also unique in the world for its 6 minarets that dominate the Istanbul skyline, twice as many as mosques in general. Your guide will take you inside and give you a brief explanation of the site.

You will then be taken to Hagia Sophia, opposite the Blue Mosque. Now called Hagia Sophia because it became a mosque again in 2020, it is still known as the Basilica of Hagia Sophia. You will enter this monument with its tumultuous past, and discover the history of this place, between mosque and basilica, and understand why it is a major architectural symbol of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

Finally, your guide will take you to the gates of the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, one of the largest bazaars in the world. Your guide will leave you in this authentic setting, where you can wander through the hundreds of corridors and stalls that make up the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.

Good to know

Availability: every day except Fridays (except in exceptional circumstances)
Start time: 09:00 (pick-up at the meeting point starts 1 hour before)
A shuttle will pick you up at one of the selected meeting points. The exact pick-up time will be communicated to you the day before the activity. Please ask your hotel/host to contact our service provider the day before the tour.
Duration: 03h30
Departure point: from one of the locations proposed at the time of booking. The tour ends at the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.
The visit to Sainte-Sophie and the Blue Mosque are guided. The Grand Bazaar can be visited on your own
This is a shared activity
The guide is English-speaking
Please note that you will travel by bus or on foot between the various sites visited.
In order to respect the places of worship you will be visiting, you are asked not to wear flip-flops, shorts, knee-length skirts, sleeveless clothes or clothes unsuitable for the place. In some places, you will be required to wear a stole over your head.

Price includes

  • Pick-up from your accommodation in Istanbul
  • The services of an accompanying guide (except at the Grand Bazaar)
  • Entrance fees to Saint Sophia
  • Entrance fees to the Blue Mosque
  • Entrance fees to the Hippodrome
  • Guided tour of the Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

Price doesn’t include

  • Tips (optional)
  • Extras

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