4 hours
E-voucher
English
Discover the hidden gems and highlights of the Old City of Istanbul. Hear the stories of the Greeks, Romans and Ottomans. Visit the Hagia Sophia, a former cathedral and now a mosque. Walk through the streets of the Grand Bazaar, the world's largest covered souk. Explore Süleymaniye and Rüstempaşa Mosques, and learn about Islam from a local perspective. Finally, taste spices and Turkish delight in the Spice Market.
Operated by
SGA Travel
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brittanybV9731MS, May 2026
Furkan was an absolutely incredible guide during our time in Turkey. His knowledge of the history, culture, food, and hidden gems made every day so much more meaningful. Beyond that, he was genuinely warm, friendly, and fun to spend time with. He made everything feel effortless and personalized, and we left feeling like we experienced Turkey in a way we never could have on our own. Highly recommend booking with him — truly one of the highlights of our trip.
Patrick_D, May 2026
The tour may be changed, depending on what is open as Friday prayers had to be worked around for my particular tour. Also, some of the sites are under construction. Sila is knowledgeable, energetic and knows the city well and is highly recommended for solo or a larger group if needed.
EvaCeccaroli, Oct 2025
Turkey proved to be a pleasant discovery, thanks to its interesting history, which our guide Kamil managed to recount in a simple and comprehensive manner, without omitting anecdotes and curiosities. His way of interacting with us, allowing us to discover the authentic and traditional reality of Istanbul and beyond, was one of the highlights of this trip. Sga Travel is an excellent agency that organised a truly interesting and carefree trip for us. We recommend them and their talented guides to anyone who wants to discover Turkey.
892kristas, Sept 2025
This activity provided an amazing day in Istanbul learning about its history, spending time shopping and eating amazing food. Highly recommend
Your tour guide will meet you in front of the German Fountain and then will introduce the historical Sultanahmet Square. Your tour guide will introduce you the deep Turkish history. You will see The Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpentine Column, Colossus and Column of Costantine Porphyrgenitus.
You pay a visit to the famous Blue Mosque famous for its 6 minarets and the tiles inside. It wasn't built only as a mosque, it is a 'complex' building where people used to get socialized as well. There is nothing 'blue' from outside but once you get inside of the mosque, you will be amazed seeing beautiful blue tiles which were specially prepared for this mosque in 17th century.
After visiting the Blue Mosque, we will continue our tour with a visit to Hagia Sophia that consists of both Christian and Islamic elements.
After Hagia Sophia, we will head to Grand Bazaar walking on the Divanyolu street which was originally mapped by Constantine the Great. Wandering through the backstreets of Grand Bazaar, you will see the goods sold there and hear about the bargaining culture from your tour leader.
You will be stopping at the Old Book Bazaar where the first books printed in Turkey, Beside historical books, there are modern books to be sold for students - there is one of the oldest university next door - Istanbul University.
Your guide will take you to the Süleymaniye Mosque complex that offers the view of Bosphorus and Golden Horn river. The mosque and its surrounding buildings were designed by Mimar Sinan, the most famous and talented of all imperial architects. Construction occurred between 1550 and 1557. You will have a chance to sit on the beautiful carpet inside of the mosque and learn about Islamic history.
We will then continue to the tiny Rüstempaşa mosque where you see its famous Iznik tiles up close. Mosque is famous for its large quantities of İznik tiles, set in a very wide variety of floral and geometric designs, which cover not only the façade of the porch but also the mihrab, minbar and walls. There are around 80 different patterns.
We end the tour at Spice Market where you can taste some Turkish delights and the spices.
Spice Market is still one of the center of shopping for locals in Eminönü suburb. There are different sections for different products inside and outside of the bazaar - such as fish market, cheese market, coffee section and Turkish delight section.
English
A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.