Private Tour: Discovering Istanbul

After your guide picks you up from your accommodations, the tour will open with the magnificent Hippodrome, once the site of chariot races during the Roman and Byzantine times. See the ancient monuments which stand here to this day, such as the Obelisk of the Theodosius, the Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Then, visit the most photographed site in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque. Famous for its beautiful courtyard and impressive minarets, the mosque gets its nickname from the splendid blue tiles that cover its interior walls.

Next, visit Topkapi Palace, home to the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. Today, Topkapi Palace is a spectacular museum which houses the Muslim world’s holiest relics, including the cloak and sword of the Prophet Mohammed. Break for lunch, then continue to the Hagia Sophia, one of the worlds architectural gems. An ancient basilica dating back to the 4th century, the Hagia Sophia stood as the Cathedral of Constantinople for over a thousand years before being converted into a mosque in 1453, it serves as a museum today.

Spend time in Istanbul's famous Grand Bazaar, the largest and the oldest covered marketplace in the world, where you may find all kind of gifts, leather, clothing, rugs (carpets), antiques, and jewellery in an authentic Oriental atmosphere . Experience the sights, sounds and aromas. At the end of the tour you will be transferred back to your hotel or cruise port.