Byzantium & Ottoman Relics Istanbul Historical Tour

Full of Byzantium & Ottoman Relics
08.30 – Collected right from your hotel by our travel team for the full day tour of Byzantine and Ottoman Relics. Meet with the local tourist guide and start fully guide Istanbul historical city tour.

Visiting Sights:
Hippodrome of Constantinople
Hagia Sophia Museum
Blue Mosque
Grand Covered Bazaar
Topkapi Palace Museum
Sultans Tombs

17.00 – At the end of the guided tour, return back to your hotel. Tour ends.

Brief Information about the sites:
Hippodrome: The scene of ancient chariot races, the ancient Hippodrome, with its four monuments; the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine.
Hagia Sophia Museum: This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great, in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time.
(St. Sophia closed on Monday, replaced with Underground Cistern)
Blue Mosque: Across from St. Sophia built in the 17th century by the architect Mehmet, this is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.
(Visit is not possible on Friday due to quite limited access because of the Friday Prayer)
Grand Covered Bazaar: In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area; the goldsmiths’ street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx are and meerschaum pipers.
(Grand Bazaar closed on Sunday)
Topkapi Palace Museum: The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries, housing an exquisite collection of precious gems, jewelry thrones of sultans, robes worn by the sultans and their families; miniatures, the Holy Mantle; Chamber of Sacred Relics. (Harem is not included in the program and visit is due to the extra entrance fee.)
Sultans Tombs: there are five tombs of Ottoman Sultans within the graveyard at St. Sophia. The ceramic panels are the most beautiful examples of the 16th century with purple, green, blue, and red flower motives. Prince robes and a small piece from the Kaaba covers are displayed on the sarcophaguses.
(Sultans Tombs closed on Monday, replaced with Little Hagia Sophia Mosque)