Hagia Sophia, Bosphorus Cruise and Balat – Full-Day Guided Istanbul Tour
In a single day, you see three different faces of Istanbul: you walk in the Historic Peninsula in the morning, then in the afternoon you move from the Golden Horn shore to Pierre Loti Hill, Eyüp and Balat, and you close the day on the Bosphorus by boat.
You start the morning with the Blue Mosque. After exploring its interior covered with six minarets and İznik tiles, you see the Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain in the Hippodrome right next to it. Then you move on to Hagia Sophia and hear from your guide the fifteen-century story of a building that transformed from church to mosque, from museum back to mosque. After a short break at a local gift shop, the morning section ends at the Grand Bazaar; you wander at your own pace through the bazaar, which has more than four thousand shops.
After free time for lunch in Sultanahmet, you board the bus. Along the route stretching beside the Golden Horn, you watch historic houses, churches, synagogues and the Roman walls through the window, and you ascend Pierre Loti Hill. After taking in the view of the Golden Horn from the hilltop, you descend by cable car.
You visit the Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Tomb and learn why this place, where Ottoman sultans girded on the sword upon ascending the throne, is considered so important. Then you set off on foot in Balat: you stroll through streets where Greek Orthodox, Jewish and Armenian heritage stand side by side, exploring colorful houses and historic buildings, and you taste apple tea, baklava and Turkish delight at a nearby shop.
You end the day with a Bosphorus boat tour departing from Eminönü. As you glide between Europe and Asia, the Bosphorus Bridge, the Topkapı and Dolmabahçe palaces, Maiden's Tower, Galata Tower and Ortaköy pass by in turn along the shore. The tour concludes with a return to Sultanahmet; with the hotel transfer option, you are dropped off in your hotel's area.
The group is kept small and guiding is in English. The Hagia Sophia entrance ticket is not included in the tour; it is paid in cash at the door at €25 per person. The morning section is explored on foot, so bringing comfortable shoes will make things easier for you.
Tour Information
- Duration: 7 Hour
- Languages: en
- Categories: Daily Tours, Boat Tours, Istanbul Tours, Turkey Tours, City Tours & Cultural Trips
- Age Groups: Baby: 0 - 3 · Child: 4 - 7 · Adult: 8 - 99
Included Services
- Professional guide
- Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle
- Guided visit to the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia
- Visit to Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Tomb
- Boat / ferry ticket
- Cable car or funicular ticket
- Local tasting
- Turkish coffee and tea
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Taxes (VAT)
Not Included
- Hagia Sophia entrance ticket (€25 per person, cash at the entrance)
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
Meeting & End Points
- Starting Point: Buhara 93 Restaurant
- Ending Point: Buhara 93 Restaurant
Meeting Points
- Buhara 93 Restaurant — Sultan Ahmet, Nakilbent Sk. No:13 A 15, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
- Sultanahmet — Sultanahmet
- Osmanbey — Osmanbey
- Harbiye — Harbiye
- Fındıklı — Fındıklı
- Karaköy — Karaköy
- Tepebaşı — Tepebaşı
- Sirkeci — Sirkeci
- Kadırga — Kadırga
- Beyazıt — Beyazıt
Tour Route
09:00 · Buhara 93 Restaurant — Meeting at Sultanahmet Square
Your tour begins at 09:00 at Sultanahmet Square, in front of Buhara 93 Restaurant. You can recognize your guide by the flag they are holding. With the hotel transfer option, you don't need to come to this point; you are picked up from your hotel and set off together with the rest of the group.Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
Completed in 1616, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, with its six minarets, is the most recognizable part of the Historic Peninsula skyline. Because of the blue tones of the more than twenty thousand İznik tiles covering its interior, it is known worldwide as the "Blue Mosque." With your guide, you explore the courtyard and the interior and learn about the architecture of the mosque commissioned by SultanHippodrome (Sultanahmet Square)
The Hippodrome, where chariot races and ceremonies were held during the Byzantine period, is used today as Sultanahmet Square. With your guide, you see the Obelisk, which is about 3,500 years old and was brought from Egypt, the Serpent Column brought from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and the German Fountain, a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II.Hagia Sophia
Opened as a church in 537, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque after 1453, into a museum in 1934, and reopened for worship as a mosque in 2020. In front of the vast dome and the mosaics, your guide tells the story of the structure's fifteen centuries. You decide whether to go inside; the entrance ticket is not included in the tour and 25 € per person is paid in cash at the door. There is a seLocal Shop Break
Before heading to the Grand Bazaar, you take a short break at a local souvenir shop. Shopping is optional.Grand Bazaar
Founded in 1461 under Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the Grand Bazaar is one of the world's largest and oldest covered markets, with more than 60 streets and over four thousand shops. After your guide shares the history of the bazaar, your free time begins; wander at your own pace through the streets lined with carpets, jewelry, ceramics, spices and leather goods.Free Time for Lunch
After the Grand Bazaar, you have free time for lunch in Sultanahmet. Lunch is not included in the tour; you are free to choose any of the local restaurants in the neighborhood.Along the Golden Horn by Bus
You travel by air-conditioned bus along the shores of the Golden Horn toward Eyüp. Outside your window pass the remains of the Byzantine-era sea walls, the historic mansions of Fener and Balat, and the bridges over the Golden Horn along this inlet that served as Istanbul's main harbor for centuries. Your guide tells the stories of the neighborhoods along the way.Pierre Loti Hill
This hill above Eyüp takes its name from Pierre Loti, the French naval officer and writer who lived in Istanbul at the end of the 19th century and brought the city into his novels. The coffeehouse where Loti is said to have gazed out over the Golden Horn is still open today under the same name. From the viewing terrace, you can see the entire Golden Horn, its bridges, and the distant silhouettes oDescending to Eyüp by Cable Car
You descend from the hill to Eyüp Square by cable car. On the roughly 2-minute ride, through the cabin window you take in the Golden Horn and, stretching along the hillside, one of Istanbul's oldest cemeteries, Eyüp Cemetery, from above. The cable car ticket is included in the tour.Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Tomb
The tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, is one of Istanbul's most visited spiritual sites. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari died before the city walls during the 7th-century Arab siege; after the conquest, Mehmed the Conqueror had the tomb and mosque built over his grave. Ottoman sultans were girded with the sword here upon their accession to the throne. With your guide,The Streets of Balat
Balat is a neighborhood on the shore of the Golden Horn where Greek, Jewish and Armenian communities lived side by side for centuries. You walk with your guide through steep streets full of colorful houses with bay windows. You learn from your guide about the Fener Greek Boys' High School, known as the "Red School" for its red brick, the Sveti Stefan Bulgarian Church, whose cast-iron sections wereApple Tea, Baklava and Turkish Delight Tasting
At a local shop in Balat, Turkish delight, baklava and apple tea are served. You can taste the varieties and, if you like, purchase your favorites; shopping is not obligatory.Bosphorus Boat Cruise
The final part of the tour is a Bosphorus boat cruise departing from Eminönü Pier. As you sail along the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea to the Marmara and separates Europe from Asia, you see from the water Dolmabahçe Palace, completed in 1856, Çırağan Palace, now used as a hotel, and Ortaköy Mosque right by the bridge on the European side; and Beylerbeyi, Sultan Abdülaziz's summer palace,Buhara 93 Restaurant — Return
After disembarking from the boat, you return by bus. The tour ends in Sultanahmet in front of Buhara 93 Restaurant, in Şişli, in Fatih or in Beyoğlu; with the hotel transfer option, you are dropped off in the area where your hotel is located.
Popular Points
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque
- Sultanahmet Square
- Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
- Golden Horn Bridge
- Pierre Loti Hill
- Eyüp Cemetery
- Eyüp Cable Car
- Eyüp Sultan Mosque
- Balat
- Istanbul Fatih Private Fener Greek High School and Middle School
- Sveti Stefan Church (Iron Church)
- Eminönü Pier Square
- Dolmabahçe Palace
- Çırağan Palace
- Büyük Mecidiye Mosque
- Beylerbeyi Palace
- Rumeli Fortress
- Maiden's Tower
- Galata Tower
Tour Rules
Identity and Entry Documents
- Allowed: Passport or photo ID
Transport and Baggage
- Allowed: Hotel transfers are provided by shared minivan or minibus; your pick-up time varies by hotel and may be moved earlier or later
- Allowed: Be ready in your hotel lobby 10 minutes before your pick-up time; the exact time will be confirmed after booking
- Allowed: At the end of the tour, you will be dropped off in Şişli, Beyoğlu, Sultanahmet or Fatih
Optional Tours and Payments
- Not Allowed: The Hagia Sophia entrance ticket (€25 per person) is not included in the tour and must be paid in cash at the entrance
- Not Allowed: The tour includes visits to local shops; shopping is optional
What to Bring and Dress Code
- Allowed: Long trousers and clothing covering the shoulders for sacred sites; a scarf for women to cover their heads
- Allowed: Comfortable shoes
- Allowed: Cash in euros for the Hagia Sophia ticket
- Allowed: Camera, sunscreen and water
Not Suitable For
- Not Allowed: Not suitable for wheelchair users
Not Allowed
- Not Allowed: Pets are not allowed
- Not Allowed: Alcohol and drugs are prohibited
Good to Know
- Allowed: Skip the ticket queue with direct entry; security checks are mandatory
- Allowed: The tour is guided in English
- Allowed: The morning portion is a walking tour
- Allowed: The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and religious holidays; the bazaar visit cannot take place on these days
- Allowed: The Blue Mosque and Eyüp Sultan Mosque may close briefly to visitors during prayer times
- Allowed: The itinerary may change depending on traffic and weather conditions
Booking Conditions
- Reservation request is instantly confirmed.
- Pay 30% now, the rest by Cash, Bank/Credit Card
- (Taxes Included)
Upcoming Departures
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Are taxes included in the tour price?
- Yes, taxes are included in the prices shown on this page.