Private Istanbul Layover Tour with Airport Transfers

Your guide and van meet you at Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), and you drive to the Old City to begin the tour of the city's main sights.

• Highlights of Topkapi Palace Museum: more than a royal residence, it was the seat of the Imperial Council and the highest court for almost 400 years, the backbone of the empire.
• Hippodrome / Sultanahmet Square: the square where chariot races were held in Roman times, today home to the German Fountain.
• Hagia Sophia: built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, it has played a key role in both the Christian and Islamic worlds.
• Blue Mosque: built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmed I, a magnificent building whose proportions feel remarkably light for its size. Thousands of blue Iznik tiles give it its popular name, and its six minarets make it instantly recognisable.
• Basilica Cistern: built in the 6th century during the Byzantine era, one of Istanbul's most impressive underground landmarks, with marble columns, atmospheric lighting and reflections on the water.
• Grand Bazaar: one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 4,000 shops selling ceramics, leather, rugs, carpets, handicrafts, clothing, silver and gold.

At the end of the tour you are driven back to the airport for your international flight.

This is the end of our service. Thank you for travelling with us; we look forward to welcoming you again.

• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays.
• The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays; on that day the Spice Market is visited instead.
• Children aged 7 and under are free. Please bring copies of their passports, as museums check ages for free tickets.
• On Fridays entry to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is restricted between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm for Friday prayers.