Istanbul: Full-Day Guided Tour of the Old City

Visit Istanbul's must-see sights on a full-day tour with an expert guide. See the Hagia Sophia, explore the opulent Topkapi Palace, marvel at the blue Iznik tiles at the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, visit the Hippodrome and take in the colors and sights of the Grand Bazaar. Start your sightseeing adventure with a convenient pickup from your hotel and head to your first stop, St. Sophia. An architectural marvel, this ancient basilica was built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. From here, your tour takes you to Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. View the exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain housed in the Palace Museum, along with the robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, and much more. Your next stop on this city sightseeing tour is the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque. Learn about the history of this impressive structure and discover why it is also known as the Blue Mosque. Follow your guide as you head to see the Hippodrome. This square was once a circus that served as the sporting and social center of Constantinople. See the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. End your tour on a high note as your guide takes you to visit the Grand Spice Bazaar. Stroll through the labyrinth of streets and passages lined with more than 4,000 stores. Discover merchants selling carpets, hand-painted ceramic plates, meerschaum pipes, hand-hewn copperware, and much more.