3-Day Small-Group Istanbul Tour: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace

Day 1: Istanbul Airport - IstanbulStart your 3-day tour with a transfer from Istanbul Atatürk International Airport or Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to your central Istanbul hotel. Alternatively, if you are already in Istanbul, opt for a hotel-to-hotel transfer for a hassle-free start to your tour.
After checking in, the day is yours to spend at leisure (any food, drinks and entrance fees at own expense). Perhaps visit Istanbul’s Byzantine churches or Ottoman mosques, or check out its world-famous souks (markets).
Overnight: 4-star Orka Royal or Momento Hotel in Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul (B, L)Following breakfast, enjoy a full-day guided tour of Istanbul by comfortable minibus, taking in the highlights of the old Sultanahmet district. First stop is the Blue Mosque – Istanbul’s spectacular mosque, crowned by six skyline-dominating minarets. Explore the interior with your guide and marvel at the ceiling of intricately patterned blue tiles that lend the building its name.
Continue to the iconic Hagia Sophia, a building that started life as a Christian church before being converted into a mosque and then into a museum. Head inside and admire the impressive mosaics and frescoes that date from the Ottoman era.
After a break for a typical Turkish lunch of soup, meatballs or chicken accompanied by fresh fruit, continue to the Topkapi Palace – the seat of Ottoman sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries, and stuffed with imperial treasures and artifacts. See the Harem (own expense) and Treasury, and learn about the sultans who lived here.
Having explored here, walk the bustling streets to the Hippodrome, the site of a long-ago stadium where chariot races were once held during Byzantine and Ottoman times.
Lastly, visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s largest covered markets. Dip into the stall-packed lanes to browse the dizzying array of wares that spans everything from gold and jewelry to clothes and antiques. Then, finish with a visit to a carpet workshop and drop-off at your hotel.
Spend the evening at leisure in Istanbul, perhaps dining out at one of the city’s enticing restaurants.
Overnight: 4-star Orka Royal or Momento Hotel in Istanbul
Day 3: Istanbul – Istanbul Airport (B)After breakfast, the morning is yours to spend as you wish in Istanbul – perhaps shopping for souvenirs or sightseeing independently. At a pre-arranged time in the afternoon, check out of your hotel and finish your tour with a transfer to Istanbul Atatürk International Airport or Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, or another Istanbul hotel.