Istanbul: Private Landmarks Tour with Hagia Sophia & Bazaar

4.96

(997 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We met our guide, Cem, right outside our hotel in Sultanahmet—he waved, grinning, already holding a tiny cup of Turkish tea. The city felt awake in that way only Istanbul does: bread carts rolling by, calls to prayer echoing off stone. Our first stop was the Hippodrome. I’d seen photos before but standing there among families feeding pigeons, Cem pointing out the Serpent Column and telling us how chariot races used to shake this whole square—it hit different. There’s something about touching old marble that makes you feel small and lucky at the same time.

Hagia Sophia came next. I’d read about it for years but nothing prepares you for that first step inside—light spilling through high windows onto mosaics older than most countries. It still smells faintly of incense and dust. Cem explained how it’s been a church, mosque, museum, and now mosque again; he seemed proud but also a little wistful. I tried to take a photo but honestly just stood there staring up for too long (my neck still hurts). We slipped past lines thanks to our private tour—felt like cheating but I didn’t complain.

The Blue Mosque was quieter than I expected—some scaffolding up, but the blue İznik tiles glowed in the morning light. Cem asked if we’d brought scarves (I had one stuffed in my bag, crumpled), and he showed us how to tie them properly. A small thing maybe but it made me feel more welcome inside. Then Topkapi Palace: endless courtyards where every breeze carried a hint of rosewater from nearby gardens. The Treasury room was packed with people whispering over jeweled daggers and that diamond—I couldn’t help laughing when someone behind us muttered “looks fake.”

After lunch (I tried menemen for the first time—still thinking about it), we ducked into the Basilica Cistern. Cool underground air, columns rising out of black water, echoes everywhere. It’s strange how peaceful it feels down there even with other visitors around; Cem told us about James Bond filming here and I half expected to see secret agents wading by. Our last stop was the Grand Bazaar—a riot of color and sound where shopkeepers called out “hello!” in five languages and tried to guess where we were from (they got it wrong every time). I haggled badly for a tile I didn’t need; Li laughed at my attempt at Turkish numbers (“on dört?”), which probably wasn’t even close.