Booking fee
The booking fee includes the costs of booking your tickets such as charges for payment processing. It also covers the provision of our customer care center for processing your order, and all charges imposed by our suppliers.
* This tour requires at least one of the following per booking: Adult, Senior
Discover three top Istanbul attractions in the city’s UNESCO-listed Sultanahmet neighborhood on a 4-hour private tour! While learning about the Ottoman days of Istanbul, when the city was known as Constantinople, visit the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Hear tales of the extravagant sultans who typified the city under Ottoman rule, and ogle incredible architecture and artifacts inside each of the city landmarks.
Local guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Guaranteed to skip the long ticket lines
Gratuities
Food and drinks
Entrance to Harem Section in Topkapi Palace
Departure Point
Traveler pickup is offered
Hippodrome, Istanbul, Turkey Hop out of your minivan in Sultanahmet, Istanbul’s UNESCO-listed historical heart, and wander through the Hippodrome — your first attraction of the tour. The hub of daily life during its Ottoman-era heyday, the Hippodrome was once a vast arena with galleries where people from all walks of life would gather for political meetings, chariot races and even riots. Today, the historical site exists as a city park that’s popular with locals and visitors alike. Pose for photos in front of the Obelisk of Theodosius, a gift to the city from Egypt, and then continue by foot to the nearby Blue Mosque. 30 minutes
Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey After marveling at the mosque’s iconic six minarets, head inside the famous place of worship to see the thousands of Iznik tiles that cascade a sea of blue throughout the building’s interior. An incredible example of classical Ottoman architecture, the Blue Mosque was built on the orders of Sultan Ahmet I who demanded a place of worship to rival the grandeur of the Hagia Sophia — another of Sultanahmet’s impressive mosques. 45 minutes
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey Take some time to explore inside with your private guide, and then walk over to Topkapi Palace, the final attraction visited on your tour. Once the lavish abode of eccentric 15th-century sultans and their harems, Topkapi Palace now leads a tamer existence as one of the city’s top museums. Browse the exhibits that feature artifacts and ornamentation from Ottoman days, and hear colorful stories about the characters who lived in one of Istanbul’s most ostentatious palaces.
90 minutes
Sultanahmet District, Istanbul, Turkey Leave Topkapi Palace, and stroll the short distance to your minivan to finish your tour with a drop-off at your European-side hotel or at the start point in the center of town.
Please note: On Fridays the Blue Mosque will be closed until 2.30pm for prayer, this will be replaced with a visit to Rustem Pasha Mosque 15 minutes
German Fountain, Istanbul, Turkey It was built in Germany and moved by ships and its construction was completed in Istanbul. 10 minutes
Hagia Irene Museum, Istanbul, Turkey The Hagia Irene located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine). 30 minutes
Obelisk of Theodosius, Istanbul, Turkiye Obelisk of Theodosius: obelisk, originally erected for king Thutmose III of Egypt but transferred to Constantinople 15 minutes
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Confirmation for this product will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
In the event of any museum or mosque closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited
Not recommended for children aged 4 and under
During religious holidays July 28, 29 and 30 and October 4, 5, 6 and 7, 2014 the Spice market and Grand Bazaar will be closed
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Cassandra Q
24 Apr 2018
I was in Istanbul on a tight timeframe and scheduled an independent tour of Topkapi palace and the Hippodrome area. My guide, Omer, spoke excellent English and was exceptionally knowledgeable of the history of the Ottoman Empire and key points of note within the palace complex. We were able to slip through the lines quickly and he gave a great explanation of the sites. He was also able to clearly answer my many questions about various details concerning palace life. It was a great tour - highly recommended!
Kelly B
13 Oct 2015
We did a number of tours this trip through Viator and all of them were excellent. The best of all was this private tour in Instanbul. Our tour guide Tibet was first class. She was there on time and knew that we had very little time to see a lot. She quickly worked with us to priortize, figure out the timing so that we would be efficient and was just wonderful in not only getting us around to see the most important sites--but was a pleasure and a lot of fun to be with. She even gave us directions and ideas as to what to do later in the day on our own which worked out perfectly. Tibet made it for us!!!! She was so professional and personable and gave us a great sense of the culture in the city!!
Calitlin F
12 Oct 2015
This tour was a great way to kick off our few days in Istanbul, it gave us a nice kick start to the trip. Hakan was a knowledgeable and terrific guide. He knew the best times to arrive at each place and we covered a lot of territory and avoided a lot of lines in a half day with him. He then sent us off with recommendations and ideas for the rest of the day.
We always double-check the availability with our local partners for each booking. Even though this is usually a swift process, it can take up to 24 hours. Once this process is completed you will receive your voucher or ticket by email. If our local partner is not able to confirm your booking we will offer you the best possible alternative. If the new date and/or time doesn’t fit your itinerary, we will reimburse the full amount paid.
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