Tour of Sultan Ahmet Center
- Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque: Formerly the Church of Divine Wisdom, known for its architecture, history, and religious significance. It was the largest Eastern Roman Church in İstanbul, built three times in the same location, and is the world’s oldest and fastest-completed cathedral.
- Blue Mosque: Famous for its blue İznik tiles and unique with six minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet.
- Hippodrome: Center of ancient sports events and political activities. Key monuments: Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, and German Fountain of Wilhelm II.
- Grand Covered Bazaar: The world's largest souk with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewelry, gold, carpets, leatherware, and souvenirs. Art demonstration of handmade Turkish carpets upon request.
- Lunch: At a Turkish restaurant.
- Topkapı Palace: Former residence of Ottoman Sultans, showcasing imperial treasury, sacred Islamic relics of Prophet Mohammed, kitchen, Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy section, etc. Note: Live guide commentary is not allowed in special sections.
- Note: Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays and replaced with a Tour to Byzantium.
- Hagia Irene: Located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace, it is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire and the second largest in İstanbul after Hagia Sophia. It was built in 330 on the site of an old temple.
Also Included in the Tour: Galata Bridge, Golden Horn, Leander’s Tower.
General Information & Conditions
- Tour Fees Include: A/C transportation (except walking tours), round trip transfers from/to central hotels, professional guidance, entrance fees, donations, mentioned meals/drinks (lunch in full day tours), boat tours, ferry tickets, cable car, and VAT (20%).
- Upgrades: Restaurants can be upgraded upon request.
- Discounts: 30% discount for children below 7, free for ages 0-2.
- Requirements: Full guests' names and passport numbers are required for each tour due to government regulations.
- Cancellation Policy: No cancellation possible in the last 24 hours. No refund for unused portions of any tour program.
- Rights: Citio reserves the right to alter, postpone, or cancel the tour without prior notice due to unforeseen circumstances. Citio disclaims any responsibility and will not pay any indemnity or reimbursement if certain museums or monuments included in the program cannot be visited for reasons beyond control.
Important Note: Reservations for the following day can only be made till 16:00 due to the service provider’s working hours and availability check.
