HALF DAY BYZANTINE TOUR IN ISTANBUL

The tours takes more than 4 hours in Sultanahmet area, known as Blue mosque, but it depends how busy it is in the morning . The guide will come and pick you up from hotel between 08:30 and 08:45. If you are not staying around Sultanahmet area ,it might be earlier than usual. Firstly, the guide will give you information about Istanbul when, how, where it was built first and then we are going to visit Blue Mosque at historical peninsula.

With its 6 minarets its beauty is more striking compared to other mosques in the area. Blue Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616, got magnificent interior decaoration of blue Iznık Tiles.  After the visit of Sultanahmet Mosque, the guide takes you to Hipodrome where chariot races was held in Byzantıne time .

In order, we will see German Fountain (was a gift to Abdulhamid II from Wilhelm II ) , Serpentine Colomn –The Egyptian Obelisk, last one is Colossus.The Serpent Column is oldest Greek monument in Istanbul. Its story is that it was erected by 31 cities, which defeated the Persians in the battle.

After that, we will see Egyptian Obelisk which was erected by Egyptian king Thutmose III . It ıs 20 metres high obelisk which mounted on four brazen block.

The last one in Hipodrome is the Colossus . We do know that Emperor Constantine VII erected it, made of lime Stone in 940 . There were farmers and fishermen which depicted made of bronze-gilt but by Fourth Crusaders, it was stolen.Today you can see the holes of the panels in the Stone.

The next stop is Hagia Sophia .Until the Turks conquested Istanbul ,it was known to be the centre of religious life in the Byzantine Empire.

In 1453 after conquest of Istanbul by Turks, it served as a mosque for nearly 500 years. Since 1935, Atatürk (founder of Turkısh Republic )has converted to museum from mosque. Now its time to check it out what it looks like and decide.

After Hagia Sophia, you will have a break for resfreshment just outside of Hagia Sophia And then, we will have short walking tour to Grand bazaar passing through Cagaloglu street. Its commercial centre for jewellery store, rug, spice and also big coffee shop. Our last stop is Grand Bazaar. Sultan Mehmet II (who conquested Istanbul) built it first now called Eski Bedesten.

In bazaar, there had been several fires and then it was reconstructed in 1894. Now there are 5000 stores such as rugs, antiques, gold, silver, leather even you can find genuine fake stuff like Gucci belt (cost you 50TL).Tour guide gives you free time in Grand Bazaar, or you can walk around with the tour guide.

DAYS AVAILABLE : Monday - Wednesday - Friday

PICK UP TIME : 09:00 ENDS 13:00

INCLUDED : Transfer - Tour Guide

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