ISTANBUL TOURS
Istanbul has been capital of the Eastern Roman and Ottoman Empires for more than 1000 years and presenting the heritage of many other civilizations as well. At Turkish Heritage Travel, based on your requests and our suggestions, we have created tailor-made tours. Our tours are available as small group tours or private tours.
DAILY ISTANBUL TOUR (Regular - Group)
Old Istanbul Walk (85 Euro per person - including guide, lunch and tickets, group size is limited to 14 people.)
- Topkapi Palace
- Hippodrome and Obelisks
- Lunch
- Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Church)
- Blue Mosque
- Tomb of Sultan Mahmud
- Cemberlitas (Column of Constantine)
- Grand Bazaar
First time in Istanbul? This is our most popular itinerary chosen by many of our guests, showing the highlights of the historical city.
We will pick you up from your hotel (Old City and Taksim areas provided with complimentary pick-up service) at around 08:30 and your day begins with a visit to the amazing Topkapi Palace – home to the Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years. Today, the palace houses amazing artifacts from the Ottoman period as well as many religious pieces and the famous Harem. On to the Roman Hippodrome – this Byzantine scene was home to Constantinople's sporting and political life. Today we can see many monuments including a 3500 year old Egyptian Obelisk. Our next destination is a local restaurant for lunch.
After lunch, we continue with our walking tour by visiting the famous Aya Sofia (Hagia Sophia) museum – this architectural wonder was built in 360 A.D. and was used as a house of worship by different religions until finally being converted to a museum in 1935. The next stop is the Sultanahmet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque – built in the 16th century, this working mosque gets its names from the intricate blue Iznik tiles which adorn the inside. We continue on to The Grand Bazaar – the ultimate Old World shopping center with some 4000 shops. The tour will end in the Grand Bazaar around 16:30 and the guide will give you information on how to get back to your hotel (an easy 5 to 10 minute walk to the hotels in Sultanahmet)
The price is 85 EURO per person, including entrance fees to the sites visited (except Harem section - 20 TL extra self-payment), lunch, guidance in English and complimentary hotel pick-up.
The full-day guided walking tour is 85 EURO per person. This includes a professionally-licensed English-speaking guide, entrance fees, lunch and all taxes. The tour rate includes pick up at your hotel in the Sultanahmet and taksim area – for hotels located in other areas, a fee may be charged.
The rate does not include drop off your hotel.
** Please note that there will be an extra charge for pickup service from other locations which will be informed you separately when we get your hotel details.
** Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays (this tour will not run on that day).
** St. Sophia Museum is closed on Mondays (replaced with Basilica Cistern)
** Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and Eid Holidays (replaced with the Handcraft Store)
** Blue Mosque is closed for Friday Pray and will be no replacement.
** We will not visit interior of Blue Mosque until 15th of May 2018 as it is under construction.
** In case of low number of attendants ,we might run the tour through the our partner agency (another local supplier)
Please send an email to info@goreme.com to book the tour or further information.
HALF DAY ISTANBUL TOURS
Istanbul Faith Tour (Group size is limited to 10 people)(40 Euro per person - including guide, transportation and tickets)
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• Suleymaniye Mosque
• Chora Church (Kariye Camii)
• Pierre Loti Hill overlooking Golden Horn
We will pick you up at about 08:30 am for the tour. The first stop is Suleymaniye Mosque, constructed by Architect Sinan by the order of Sultan Suleyman The Magnificient. This is the largest mosque complex of the city used as the Imperial Mosque and offer a gorgeous view over the Golden Horn. After the mosque, we will stop by Pierre Loti Hill named after the French Poet who gave the spot his name.
There you will find a beatiful scenery of the city and peaceful location for taking a Turkish Tea.The next visit is to one of the oldest and most important churches in the city - The Church of Chora - representing fascinating wall paintings which tell the life of Christ in an historical order. Even though the building itself being small, the meaning was great for Byzantines as being founded at the borders of the city and welcoming the visitors. Today the environment is restored and this is a good place to spend time with local artisans and wooden houses. Driving along the city walls, the tour will end about 12.00 noon with drop off to the hotels. The tour is not operated on Wednesdays as Chora Church is closed. We provide free pick up & drop off service from Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Beyazit, Taksim area hotels and Cruise Port.
The half-day Byzantine Istanbul tour is 40 Euros per person. This includes a professionally-licensed English-speaking guide, entrance fees, transportation and all taxes. The tour rate includes pick up at your hotel in the Sultanahmet and Taksim area – for hotels located in other areas, a fee may be charged.
We do need minimum 4 people to run this tour.
Please send an email to info@goreme.com to book the tour or further information.
Morning Old Istanbul Walk (Group size is limited to 10 people)(30 Euro per person - including guide and entrance tickets)
The above full day "Old Istanbul Walk" can also be separated into two half day tours. You will be picked up from your hotel in Sultanahmet around 08:30 and visit
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• Topkapi Palace
• Basilica Cistern
• Hippodrome and Obelisks
** Caferaga Madrasah is closed on Mondays
** Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays (replaced with Istanbul Archeology Museum) .
The tour starts with pick up from your hotel (Old City and Taksim areas provided with complimentary pick-up service) at around 08:30 and finishes at around 12:00 at Sultanahmet square.
You will visit: Topkapi Palace, former residence of Ottoman Sultans and today is a museum including the sections of Treasury, Sacred Relics, Sultan Pavilions and Harem. Next stop at the Caferaga Madrasah, a former educational unit built in 1559 by Architect Sinan. Today, it is a center for classrooms/exhibition about traditional Turkish handicrafts such as calligraphy, ceramics, jewelry and so forth are taught, made and sold. Then onto the Roman Hippodrome (the site of ancient races, games and riots). It was also used for similar purposes during the Ottoman Era. Today, you can observe some of the historic monuments at site including Serpentine Column, Egyptian Obelisk and German Fountain.
The price is 30 EURO per person, including the entrance fees to the sites visited (except Harem - 20 TL extra self-payment), guidance in English and complimentary hotel pick-up.
Please send an email to info@goreme.com to book the tour or further information.
Afternoon Old Istanbul Walk (Group size is limited to 10 people)
(30 Euro per person - including guide and entrance tickets)
Just like the morning part of the above full day "Old Istanbul Walk", the afternoon part can be done as a half day tour. We will pick you up from your hotel in Sultanahmet around 13:00 and you will see
- Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Church)
- Blue Mosque
- Million Stone
- Tomb of Sultan Mahmud
- Cemberlitas (Column of Constantine)
- Grand Bazaar
** St. Sophia Museum is closed on Mondays (replaced with Basilica Cistern)
** Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and Eid Holidays (replaced with the Authentic Bazaar) .
The tour starts with pick up from your hotel (Old City and Taksim areas provided with complimentary pick-up service) at around 13:30. You will see: St.Sophia Museum (Holy Wisdom Church built on 537 as the Cathedral of East Roman Empire). Today, it is a museum where the remains belonging to Christianity and Islam are visible together. It is currently listed on World Heritage Sites List. Next we will visit the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque), a unique example of Ottoman architecture. The inside walls of the Mosque are decorated with beautiful Turkish Tiles.Next onto the Million Stone (an ancient monument partially remained today). It is situated right at the center of the city to show the directions to East and West. Nearby is the The Column of Constantine or also called the Cemberlitas or Burnt Pillar constructed in AD. 330 on the orders of the Roman emperor Constantine in order commemorates the declaration of Byzantium as the new capital city of the Roman Empire. The tour ends at around 16:15 with free time at Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. There are about 3000 shops in the bazaar spread over 61 streets. You may spend easily about 2 hours at the bazaar to visit only most visited parts. There are shops of jewelry leather, gold, spices and other souvenirs in the bazaar). You will be advised by your guide to return back to your hotel on your own. The bazaar closes at 19:00.
The price is 30 EURO per person, including entrance fees to the sites visited, guidance in English and complimentary hotel pick-up.
Please send an email to info@goreme.com to book the tour or further information.Dolmabahce Palace and Yildiz Royal Garden
(45 Euro per person – including guide and entrance tickets)
• Dolmabahce Palace
• Yildiz Royal Garden
We will pick you up from your hotel at around 08:30. We firstly visit Dolmabahce Palace, located in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, on the European coastline of the Bosporus strait, served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922, apart from a 22-year interval (1887–1909) in which Yıldız Palace was used. The designs in the palace contain eclectic elements from the Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles, blended with traditional Ottoman architecture to create a new synthesis. This place is very famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons chandelier and has 285 rooms of 46 halls. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , the founder of Turkish Republic, has also stayed in this palace for some time. After the palace, the next stop will be Yildiz Royal Garden. We take a walk in the imperial gardens ornamented with some kiosks and beautiful vegetation in the middle of Istanbul. The tour will end around 12:30 and we will drive you back to your hotel.
The half-day Daolmabahce Palace and Yildiz Royal Garden tour is 45 Euros per person. This includes a professionally-licensed English-speaking guide, entrance fees, transportation and all taxes. The tour rate includes the pick-up at your hotel in the Sultanahmet and Taksim area – for hotels located in other areas, a fee may be changed.
We do need minimum 4 people to run this tour.
Two Continents Tour (Group Size is limited to 12 people)
(45 Euro per person - including guide and entrance tickets)• Beylerbeyi Palace
• Camlica Hill
• Fashion-show in an outlet center
We will pick up from your hotel about 13:30 and you will have a unique chance to step from one continent (Europe) to another (Asian) one with our air conditioned tour bus in 5 minutes using the Bosporus Bridge. The first stop will be Beylerbeyi Palace which is the summer residence of Ottoman Sultans with its original furniture and magnificent gardens with Harem. The palace was often used as a guest house for visiting royalty. Empress Eugénie of France, Shah Nasruddin of Persia, Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia and other worthies enjoyed its comforts. The next stop is Camlica Hill which is the highest point in Istanbul that allows you to see the entire panorama of Istanbul and Bosporus. As Turkey is one of the best leather producing countries in the world, you will watch a fashion-show in an outlet and then you will be transferred back to your hotel about 18:00.
The half-day Two Continents tour is 45 Euros per person. This includes a professionally-licensed English-speaking guide, entrance fees, transportation and all taxes. The tour rate includes the pick-up at your hotel in the Sultanahmet and Taksim area – for hotels located in other areas, a fee may be charged.
We do need minimum 4 people to run this tour.
What about combining these half-day trips with a Bosporus Cruise?
Please check our Bosporus Cruise page for adding a morning or afternoon cruise.
PRIVATE ISTANBUL TOURS
We also organize private Istanbul Tours at Turkish Heritage Travel. These tours are tailor-made with our guests' preferences and our suggestions. Instead of traveling with groups, the tour will be only for you and you will adjust the visit durations of the places.Please send an email to info@goreme.com to book the tour or further information.
Please visit our Istanbul Guide page to get further information about some of the places that you can see in Istanbul.
I JUST NEED A GUIDE FOR ISTANBUL
If you prefer to explore Istanbul's treasures at your own pace, seeing the sites that interest you – we can offer a private guide for the day. You will have your own professionally-licensed, English-speaking guide with you for the entire day.The rate for the private guide is 200 Euros for a full day whether you are one or ten people. This rate includes the guide only; no entrance fees, lunch or transportation.
Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, French and other language speaking guides are also available at the same rate. Please send an email to info@goreme.com to book a guide for Istanbul or further information.
