Highlights

Take in several landmarks included in Istanbul’s UNESCO World Heritage site designation.
Visit the 17th-century Blue Mosque, which features six minarets and an interior showcasing 21,000 blue-green Iznik tiles.
See the remains of the hippodrome, popular for sporting events during Constantinople’s heyday.
View breathtaking Hagia Sophia, which many historians consider the 8th Wonder of the World.
Look up at Hagia Sophia’s soaring minarets, added in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest.
Discover an astonishing amount of merchandise available at over 4,000 shops of the Grand Bazaar.

Description

Visit several iconic landmarks recognized by UNESCO as pearls of Istanbul’s World Heritage site designation and roam a bustling bazaar on this arresting tour. Travel to the early 17th-century Blue Mosque, the world’s only mosque featuring six minarets, and whose colorful moniker derives from the 21,000 blue-green Iznik tiles that adorn the interior. Nearby, you’ll notice the remains of the city’s ancient hippodrome, once a popular circus for entertainment and sporting events, especially chariot racing, during the glory days of Constantinople. Visit remarkable Hagia Sophia, first erected by Emperor Constantine in AD 325 as a Greek Orthodox Christian basilica, later converted to an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum, a storied sanctuary nominated by many historians to be the 8th Wonder of the World. Gaze at the sculptural minarets towering above the dome and learn they were added in 1453 after Istanbul’s conquest. You’ll enjoy an approximately one-hour stroll through the spectacular Grand Bazaar, Turkey’s oldest and largest covered marketplace, and find a staggering wealth of merchandise in its more than 4,000 shops, a delightful end to your illuminating excursion.

Helpful Hints

Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
Dress appropriately for a mosque visit; men should wear long trousers and women should cover their hair, arms and knees.
Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

Disclaimer:

This tour includes approximately just over 2 ½ hours of moderate walking/standing, plus any additional walking at the guest’s discretion during free time. There will be some steps to negotiate. The tour is available to guests who utilize a collapsible wheelchair, are able to make their own way on and off the coach and have an able-bodied companion to assist them. Guests who utilize a wheelchair but who are not able to climb the steps may wait outside the mosque. Guests with mobility concerns are cautioned to carefully evaluate their personal level of ability and stamina. The order of the sites viewed or visited may vary in order to avoid the crowds. Please expect dense traffic conditions in Istanbul. The Blue Mosque will be closed to all visitors until after 2:30 pm on Fridays. Morning tours will have an exterior visit only. On Mondays, the Hagia Sophia Museum will be replaced with the Chora Museum. On Sundays, the Grand Bazaar is replaced with a visit to the Spice Market. Guests who go ashore do so with the understanding that they will be mixing with members of the general public.

Reservations

1.866.585.0942

Hours of Operation

Reservations

800.285.1835

Hours of Operation

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