Private Tour
Imperial Traces of Istanbul – Private Guided Signature Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Voyager of Istanbul tour which will enhance your point of view of Ottomans vs Byzantines. It's not only a tour from the past but also an outlook on the future and experience in Grand baazar in istanbul.
•Hippodrome where Romans used to organize chariot races and gladiators' fights with its remaining Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column, Constantine Column and German Fountain.
•Visit the famous Sultanahmet Mosque, also known as Blue Mosque due to its magnificent interior decoration of royal Iznik tiles
• Face the highlight of the earth, St. Sophia, built in 537 A. D. - unlike any other construction in the globe-.
• See Topkapi Palace where the great empire was ruled
•See Underground Cistern where Dan Brown's book ''INFERNO '' ended up.
•Finalize the day at the famous Grand Bazaar with 4000 shops.
• Get the personalized experience of a private tour
• Take your Photos as remarkable memory
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Hippodrome
The Hippodrome of Constantinople, now known as Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, was an ancient chariot racing stadium and a major social center of the Byzantine Empire. Built by Roman Emperor Septimius Severus in the early 3rd century and later expanded by Emperor Constantine I, it could hold tens of thousands of spectators. Though much of the original structure is no longer visible, several historical monuments remain: - **The Obelisk of Theodosius**: A 3,500-year-old Egyptian obelisk brought to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius I. - **The Serpent Column**: Originally from Delphi, Greece, this bronze column commemorates a Greek victory over the Persians. - **The Walled Obelisk**: A less ornate stone obelisk built during the reign of Constantine VII. The Hippodrome was not only a place for races but also for political events and gatherings, making it a key hub in Byzantine social and political life.
Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern, located in Istanbul, is an ancient underground water storage facility built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. It is famous for its grand, cathedral-like architecture with 336 marble columns, arranged in 12 rows, that support the ceiling. The dimly lit, atmospheric space has vaulted ceilings and is partially filled with water, reflecting the columns beautifully. Two of the columns feature Medusa heads as their bases, adding a mysterious element to the cistern's allure.
What‘s Included
Private tour
Professional Tourist Guide
Entry/Admission - Basillica Cistern
Entry/Admission - Hagia Sophia
Entry/Admission - Topkapi Palace
Lunch
Options
Private Guided Walking Tour
Reviews
12 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Mehmet was so !
Deanna C,,Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00GUİDE Mehmet was incredibly knowledgeable and personal. He showered the all historical landmarks and created the shopping part as I wanted. Definitely book this tour and ask for mehmet.
Best tour experience
Kim B,,Oct 5, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It was the only tour I found that included a visit to Topkapi, which is huge and potentially overwhelming. It was great to have our guide to take us through everything more efficiently and tailored to us. This is true for the whole tour. Yaseen was a perfect fit for us. He focused on the things that were important to us instead of telling us everything about anything. Being a private tour was also worth it, Yaseen rearranged the itinerary so that we could include doing our afternoon prayer with the congregation at Hagia Sophia. In general there is some walking, but it was not taxing at all. We liked that the company was clear in the posting that there would be an additional cost for admission for some of the sites, so no surprise there. And we could pick which ones we actually wanted to tour in detail and which were good enough as a passby - Yaseen still was able to give us very interesting information even though we did go into everything. Yaseen made this one of the best tours we've ever been on.
Quite nice day in Istanbul old area. The organization helps a bit to face this though experience full of history
pierlupalm,,Sep 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We a nice experience on a one-day tour of Istanbul’s classic sites, and I owe it all to our fantastic guide Baris! From the very beginning, the tour was well-organized, informative, and full of unforgettable moments. He put really an effort to describe all the places and share all the incredible history of the city. Be aware that it is a long day walking, very tiring. There are some stops outside of the shared route, but it enriches the experience. Be ready to put on/off trousers and scarves.
Incredibly good!!
659cintyaf,,Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing, this package was a great experience, the guide knows a lot. He's attentive, he looks after you all the time. Very patient. I loved traveling with him. Super recommended. Very happy with the cost and experience. Thank you very much.
Awesome trip with Mahmet !
josephcG9429WJ,,Aug 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had my tour alone with Mehmet and it was an awesome experience , was full of knowledge and took me everywhere I wanted to go. Even took amazing photos of me ! Definitely recommend and you cannot beat the experience !
Great tour booked last minute 😊👌
mintysingh,,Dec 11, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Brilliant out, I had Sel as my guide and she was amazing. So knowledgeable, friendly, and Told me Some amazing history about Istanbul / Turkey, highly recommended
A Perfect Day in Istanbul
claudiauO2411GD,,Nov 13, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Zel, our guide, gave us the perfect day in Istanbul. Very friendly and very competent, as well as attentive to our wishes she designed the excursion. He is highly recommended !
Great tour for first-time visitors
Fearless202915,,Nov 10, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great choice for a full-day guided tour of the main must-see sights of Istanbul especially if it’s your first time in the city. Our guide Zeliha was knowledgeable and helpful. We did not visit the Grand Bazaar as it was closed and we did not stop for long for lunch, but the visits were well timed and organised. All in all, highly recommended.
Must do for introduction to Istanbul
vickisZ1230KV,,Oct 29, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did our walking tour with Erkan this morning and it was one of the best tours we have ever done. Erkan is so easy to get along with and he has incredible knowledge of Istanbul and everything we saw. The pace was at our speed, the tour was very interesting, with lots of laughs and many, many questions. We couldn’t have had a better introduction to Istanbul and I highly recommend this tour.
Highly recommend it!
IreneJ545,,Oct 24, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mushen was our tour guide and he was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and reasonable. He would make this private experience real PRIVATE. Learned so much from him and would love to recommend this tour to my friends and family.
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