Enjoy a walking tour through the heart of Istanbul's old town, Sultanahmet, to see the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace and its Harem. Gain priority admission, and skip the long lines with your professional and local tour guide.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Reserve now & pay later: Reserve now & pay later to book your spot without any charges today. Learn more
Duration 4 - 5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Live tour guide: German, English
Wheelchair accessible
Private group available

Highlights

Visit the two major highlights of historical Istanbul on a small group or private tour
See the Hagia Sophia from inside out and enjoy the mozaics gallery
Learn about the Ottomans as you walk through the Topkapi Palace
Have the privilage of a professional and local guide for priority admission and skip-the-lines
Enter the Topkapi Palace Harem (if option selected)

Full description

Meet your professional and local guide at a central Sultanahmet location and enjoy a small group or private tour of the Hagia Sophia. See the famous landmark in all its 6th-century glory. Climb up the gallery with your guide to see the mosaics surviving from this ancient church, former mosque, and now internationally famous museum. Continue your journey to Topkapi Palace, the second stop for the day. Here you can explore the palace grounds, courtyards, and its Harem on a guided tour. Later on, visit the Harem, ruled by the Queen Mother who wielded domestic and political power (if option selected). The harem housed hundreds of women and family members as well as hundreds of eunuchs, who performed a wide range of duties. Marvel at its opulence and mystery and learn about this period in Istanbul's history. See several exhibitions inside the Palace. Admire cupboard doors inlaid with mother of pearl and tortoiseshell and stunning Iznik tiles with verses from the Quran. Your tour will end with a visit to the holy relics and the imperial kitchens.

Includes

Skip-the-line ticket to Topkapi Palace
Visit to Hagia Sophia (no ticket needed)
Professional licensed local guide
Small-group tour (maximum 12 people) or a private walking tour (depending on option chosen)
Walking tour
Guided visit of the Harem (if option selected)

Transportation to the meeting point

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds

Traveler requirements

You are required to bring and wear a mask
Masks are required while indoors

Meeting point

Meet at the House of Medusa Restaurant in Sultanahmet, Alemdar Mh., Yerebatan Cd. No:32, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

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Important information

Not allowed

Shorts
Short skirts
Sleeveless shirts
Nudity

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.9 /5

based on 15 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.8/5
Value for money
4.8/5
Service
5/5
Organization
4.9/5

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Fantastic Personal Guide Experience

We were in a group of 4 people, and the guide provided a very personalized experience. He was knowledgeable about both the palace and Hagia Sophia, had answers to all questions, helped navigate around long lines and crowds, and made the tour very interesting. We were on our feet for the entire 4 hours, which became a bit tiring, but there was so much to see this was necessary.

August 17, 2019

Wear comfortable shoes!

Guide was friendly and spoke good English. Started off at Topkapi Palace and at first the tour seemed quite rushed (5 mins in this bit, 5 mins in the next) but it soon became clear that this place is HUGE and there is a lot to see in a few hours. It was very crowded but the guide was able to take us on a route so as to avoid the large groups. Glad we chose the tour to include the Harem section as this was the best bit of the Palace. The Hagia Sophia part of the tour was an hour and, again, well worth doing. Stunning place and very interesting story (and I'm not keen on history). After the guide had finished the tour, we were able to remain there to wander around at our leisure.

May 29, 2019

It was great to have a private tour with a knowledgeable guide. It was easy to move around the larger tour groups with ease and skipping the ticket lines. The guide gave us great recommendations for the rest of the trip and helped with public transportation. We picked a great time to go!

May 14, 2019

Istanbul: Topkapi and Hagia Sophia Small Group Tour

Istanbul: Topkapi and Hagia Sophia Small Group Tour

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Fantastic Personal Guide Experience

Wear comfortable shoes!