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Full Day Byzantium and Ottoman Highlights
Joined 2021
To explore most special sights of Istanbul, this is a tour you should join. Hagia Sophia is going to impress you with its architecture and transformation. Blue Mosque is hiding the finest hand painted blue tiles on its interior walls. Topkapi Palace is a great complex where you can go through daily life of Sultans and their politics. Basilica Cistern is a palace size underground cistern which will take your breath away with its mystery. Grand Bazaar will be the place you take memories back home.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel
At your hotel
In the lobby of your hotel/at the airport/at the port.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a 6th Century Byzantium Church built by Emperor Justinian and converted into a mosque by Ottoman Empire's first ruler in Constantinople. But it is more than a structure, it has a spirit. You should go inside and see the beauty of its huge dome.
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque is an Ottoman Mosque at the heart of Sultanahmet Square which has 20 000 splendid hand painted tiles inside changing vision of interior walls with the daylight coming through little windows.
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace is a very well preserved museum with four big courtyards where we will see Imperial Council Hall of the Empire, an enormous kitchen where they cooked for whole palace, Audience Hall where sultan accepted his politicians. Islamic relics are displayed in Sultans' Privy Chamber, and a great armoury collection displayed in the exterior treasury building. At every corner there will be a historic building or section. We will explore together.
Lunch
We can decide where to eat according to your wish. It can be a laid back lunch at a nice restaurant or a quick delicious lunch at a local restaurant. You will need a break anyway!
Basilica Cistern
Biggest cistern in the area, meant to build to store water but ended up being an underground monument with its ornate column capitals. You will want to watch "Russia with Love" from James Bond series again.
Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar is a heaven for shoppers and a maze for explorers. You may need a map without a guide:) There is something special for everyone.
At your hotel.
End of the tour
Ending Point
At your hotel or Grand Bazaar
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Guidance fee.
Entrance fees to the museums.
Topkapi Palace: 1500 Lira
Lunch.
Transportation if needed.
Tour Important Information
Topkapi Palace is closed every Tuesday, can be replaced with Archeological Museum of Istanbul if you book this tour on Tuesdays.
For Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque visits there is a dress code. Men should wear long trousers, women should wear long trousers or dress and a scarf.
lt is a walking tour.
lf you need a transfer it should be added to the price.
Important message from the supplier
l can guide you in Cappadocia and in lzmir -where Ephesus is- if you cover my transportation fee.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2021
About Tour Guide Emine F.
Hello,
I am a licenced tour guide based in Istanbul but can organize tours throughout Turkey. I have been guiding tours since 2009. I graduated from Gazi University Travel Guidance and Tourism Management Programme in 2004. I worked as a travel agent and organized tours in Turkey for American, Australian and Canadian guests before I start working as a guide. I am happier working outside of the office as I am a free spirit. I like sharing our rich history, delicious cuisine, unique architecture with travellers. Turkey is a great pot where many cultures melted in. Throughout centuries different cultures like Greeks, Armenians, Turks, Jewish lived in same land and their cultures became part of this land, their spirits still live in Turkey. That's the reason we have such a great cuisine, rich history and culture. Turkey has a lot to offer and I have a lot to share with my guests. Please welcome.
Reviews
“Outstanding guide in Bursa”
This tour was a wonderful experience. Our guide had extensive knowledge of the area. She customized the tour to accommodate all of our request. She also was able to assist us with transportation and other needs in the area. I would highly recommend using her for any services in Bursa or Turkey.
Emine F.
Dear Jennifer, Thank you for your great review. l wish you have a great stay in Turkey. And hope to meet again one day. All the best, Emine
“Emine is amazing and full of knowledge.”
Our family had a private day tour of Bursa with Emine. Communication with her prior to the tour was pretty good. Emine showed up on time on the day of tour. We found her to be quite friendly, knowledgeable, and warm. Her English and communication skills were awesome. We had decided places of interest in advance. Emine let us took us our time and was on pace with us throughout the day. She was quite knowledgeable about each place and demonstrated historical facts in details. Best part, she took us to shopping which was a high on our list! Overall, Emine was fabulous.
$225/ per group
More tours by Emine F.
Topkapi Palace and Harem
This tour is for the travellers who want to know Topkapi Palace deeply with its harem. There has always been two different life in this palace, one for the men of the court which includes Sultan, all other politicians, soldiers, Enderun students, other one is for women including wives, concubines, daughters of Sultan. Throughout history very few people entered into harem, this has been the reason of curiosity. We will picture the life in harem together.
Istanbul Night Tour (Every Tuesday,Thursday and Saturday)
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Bursa is the first capital city of Ottoman Empire, was also its center of silk production and trade. If you have few days in Istanbul and you do not know what to do, Bursa is the right place to come, just 2 hours from Istanbul via modern bridge over the Marmara Sea. You will try best kebab here. You can go to the roots of the Ottoman Empire. Bursa has a lot to say to its visitors. Mosques, caravanserais, tombs, silk markets, historical Turkish baths and so on...
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Grand Bazaar is a huge market where you can find authentic gifts for you and your loved ones. You may look for art pieces like calligraphy, miniature, handmade tiles, carpets, hand knitted ornaments and so on or you may look for tokens like a trinket, key chain, decorative pieces. Just walking through narrow streets of this bazaar is interesting enough.From here we will walk down until Spice Market where you can buy delicious Turkish lokum and your favourite spices.Both markets are picturesque!
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