Shore Excursion: Istanbul Hidden Highlights Private Tour

While you’re in port in Istanbul, discover some of the city’s hidden and historical highlights on this 5-hour private shore excursion. Enjoy personalized attention from your expert, private guide on a tour that looks beyond the city’s headline attractions, casting the spotlight on three Istanbul sights sometimes missed by visitors. Admire the exquisite late Byzantine mosaics of the beautiful Chora Church; descend into the magnificent Basilica Cistern to see its marble columns and pools; and finish at the mesmerizing Egyptian Bazaar — a whirl of spice, food and souvenir stalls.

Meet your private guide at Istanbul cruise port and board your private, air-conditioned minivan. As you head for the European side of the city, listen to enlightening facts about this Asian-European metropolis that, as Constantinople, was the capital of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman Empires.

Your first stop is the Chora Church, also called the Kariye Museum, in the Fatih district. Originally built in the 5th century, before being rebuilt between the 11th and 14th centuries, this Byzantine gem is adorned with magnificent mosaics and frescoes. Head inside to marvel at the gold 14th-century masterpieces, including those on the domes depicting Christ’s genealogy and Mary with the baby Jesus.

Continue to the city’s Sultanahmet area and Basilica Cistern. Descend into this underground, 6th-century water facility and discover how it once brought water into Istanbul before being shut down and forgotten for centuries. Explore the illuminated, pillar-packed interior and see the Roman-era Medusa heads that the cistern’s Byzantine builders regarded merely as rubble and used as bases for two pillars.

Continue to the Egyptian Bazaar, also known as the Spice Bazaar, in the Eminönü district. With your guide, delve into this colorful labyrinth of stalls that was first established in 1664. Absorb the heady aromas of the nut, spice, oil and sweets stalls, and perhaps bargain for baskets, jewelry and other souvenirs with help from your guide.

Afterward, return to your minivan and drive back to the cruise port, where your tour ends.

Please note: The Chora Church is closed on Wednesdays. If your tour falls on a Wednesday, the Hagia Sophia Museum will be visited instead.

Worry-free Shore Excursion:

We will ensure your timely return to Istanbul cruise port for this activity.

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• It is highly recommended to wear comfortable clothes and shoes

• Shore Excursion: Istanbul Hidden Highlights Private Tour
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  Pickup included

• Professional guide
• Port pickup and drop-off
• Transport by air-conditioned minivan
• Covered by Viator’s worry-free policy

• Food and drinks, unless specified
• Entrance Fees

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• This Tour is Provided by Fez Travel.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Europe/Istanbul.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 1 valid reviews on VIATOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 9 Travelers is accepted for booking.