Istanbul Old City Tour: Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque Visit

Six centuries of Ottoman power and Byzantine grandeur, all within walking distance.

A full-day private walking tour of Istanbul's Old City with a local expert guide, hotel pickup and Turkish lunch included. You visit Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, Sultanahmet Square and the Serpent Column: eight hours on foot through the core of the city's history. The guide speaks English and the route is fixed, so the monuments come in sequence and you don't navigate between them yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day Istanbul old city tour

• Pick up from hotel at 09:00
• Visit Blue Mosque
• Visit Hagia Sophia Museum
• Explore Caferaga Madrasa
• Walk around Sultanahmet Square
• See Serpent Column
• Tour Topkapi Palace
• Shop at Grand Bazaar
• Drop off at hotel around 17:00

Stops and time spent at each 7 stops

1. Blue Mosque 30m
2. Hagia Sophia Entry included 45m
3. Caferaga Medresesi 20m
4. Sultanahmet Square 20m
5. Serpent Column 10m
6. Topkapi Palace Entry included 1h
7. Grand Bazaar 45m

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• Turkish lunch.
• a professional local guide speaking English.
• entry to Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the other major sites on the route.

Times

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• Every day except Tuesday and Friday 09:00

Information

Walk Istanbul's Old City with a local guide hitting Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar.

Group Private 1 similar group tour ›

Live guide English Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included. See the pickup points

Book up to 1d before

Ages Adult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Stroller-friendly Public transport nearby

More information The pickup points, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

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The experience

Hotel pickup starts around 9:00 am, and the guide meets you to begin walking the Old City. Hagia Sophia comes first: the 1,500-year-old museum that anchors Sultanahmet Square. From there you cross to the Blue Mosque with its famous blue tilework, then move through the Hippodrome area where Byzantine chariot races once ran. The Serpent Column stands in that same plaza, a bronze relic from ancient Delphi. By mid-morning you've covered the core monuments on foot, and the walking continues through smaller sites like Caferaga Medresesi, a cultural foundation that runs workshops on Turkish handicrafts and music.

Topkapi Palace comes next: one of Istanbul's largest palaces and the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for roughly 400 years. The tour walks you through the grounds and the key rooms, and the scale of it settles how long the Ottomans held power here. Turkish lunch is included partway through the day, so you eat without breaking to find a restaurant. The guide handles the stops and the pacing. You follow the route and absorb the architecture and history as it unfolds.

The Grand Bazaar closes out the afternoon: the world's oldest indoor market, a warren of stalls and covered passages where the energy shifts completely from the quiet of the palaces. By around 5:00 pm the tour ends and the driver takes you back to your hotel. A moderate amount of walking is involved across the eight hours, and the route is manageable for most fitness levels, though anyone with walking difficulties should flag that before booking. If Topkapi Palace is closed on the day you go (it shuts on Tuesdays), the tour swaps in the Basilica Cistern instead.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What's inside Hagia Sophia on this tour?

Hagia Sophia is a 1,500-year-old museum that opens the walking route in Sultanahmet Square. The guide walks you through the main structure and explains its history as a Byzantine church, then an Ottoman mosque, then a museum: the architecture and the light inside are the draw, and the guide contextualizes both.

How much walking happens across the eight hours?

A moderate amount of walking is involved, with stops at each major site rather than a constant march. The route covers Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar and several smaller monuments, all within the Old City, so the distances between stops are walkable but not trivial. Wear comfortable shoes.

When does the tour pick me up and drop me off?

Hotel pickup happens around 9:00 am and drop-off is around 5:00 pm. The driver collects you from your hotel and returns you there at the end, so you don't arrange separate transport to the Old City.

Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

Turkish lunch is included in the tour price. Mention any dietary restrictions when you book so the guide can arrange something that works for you.

What happens if Topkapi Palace is closed when I visit?

Topkapi Palace closes on Tuesdays and during some religious holidays. When it's closed, the tour replaces it with the Basilica Cistern, an underground Byzantine structure that serves the same purpose in the itinerary: a major historical site with scale and atmosphere.

Operated by Turista Travel Agency. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago