Byzantine and Ottoman heritage - Private Tour

General information

Destination
Istanbul, Turkey

Program details

The first visit of the day is the Hippodrome, Sultanahmet Square, where chariot races were held right up until the Ottoman conquest. Among the attractions in this beautiful setting, you will find the Serpent Column, a 2,500-year-old ancient Greek relic, the Walled Obelisk and the Obelisk of Thutmose III, a red granite obelisk that has remained in excellent condition despite being over 3000 years old.



Located just a stone’s throw away, is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the next destination. More popularly known as the Blue Mosque due to its Hand-painted blue tiles that decorate the interior walls. This lavish mosque was constructed in the 17th Century and is still used as a mosque to this day.



Enjoy a relaxing stroll across the serene Sultanahmet Square brings us to Hagia Sophia, which for over a millennium, was the largest church in the world, before it was turned into a mosque following the fall of Constantinople. Here, you can admire some of the most beautiful mosaics you will ever see. After working up an appetite, you will head to a traditional Turkish restaurant where your taste-buds will be tantalised with a delicious lunch.



After charging your batteries, you will make your way to Topkapi Palace, the vast complex from where the Ottoman sultans ruled an empire and kept concubines in the harem. The exuberance of the lifestyles enjoyed by the sultans is everywhere to be seen as you wander this beautiful museum.



Just when you think you have seen enough, head to Sokullu Mehmet Paşa in Kadirga, before visiting the Grand Bazaar, where every day up 400,000 shoppers scour the more than 3,000 shops in 61 covered streets in search of bargains.



With beauty and culture all around you, and a visit to of the most famous markets in the world, your day will be full of surprises!



Others

When Hagia Sophia (Monday) or the Topkapi (Tuesdays) are closed, the underground Basilica Cistern will be visited.

Grand bazaar is closed on Sundays.

As mosques are closed on Fridays, there will only be external visits on that day.