Private Tour of Istanbul With Hotel Pickup and Drop-off

Your friendly guide will meet you at the Cruise port, from where your shore excursion will start. We will visit Hippodrome Square. This was where chariot races took place and also the Byzantine riots in Roman and Byzantine times. A further short walk takes us to Hagia Sophia, built by the Roman Emperor Justinian 1 in 532 AD, and the incredible Blue Mosque adorned with stunning blue Iznik tiles. Topkapi Palace is next, the official residence of the Ottoman sultans and the state center for administration and education, constructed between 1460 and 1478 by the conqueror of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II. During this visit, we will view the treasury, priceless Chinese porcelain, and the weapons section. The Grand Bazaar follows, spread over an area of 58 covered streets with more than 1,200 shops. It is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world.