TOUR 3: HEART OF HISTORY - THE TREASURES OF SULTANAHMET

A journey through millennia, where Byzantine and Ottoman heritage meet.

Tour 3 is a concentrated historical route designed to reveal Istanbul’s civilizational core in 4 to 5 hours. You will move from imperial monuments to underground engineering and from state power to lived urban memory.

Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)

We begin with Hagia Sophia, one of the most important monuments in world history.

Built as a Byzantine basilica, later transformed into an imperial mosque, and today functioning again as a mosque, it preserves 1,500 years of layered history under one immense dome.

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque)

Facing Hagia Sophia stands the Blue Mosque, known for its six minarets and masterful use of Iznik tilework.

Its interior creates a calm, luminous atmosphere and remains one of the strongest examples of classical Ottoman religious architecture.

Hippodrome of Constantinople

We continue to the former Hippodrome, once the social and political arena of Byzantine Constantinople.

The Egyptian Obelisk and Serpent Column still mark the scale of what was once one of the empire’s central gathering grounds.

Theodosius Cistern (Serefiye)

Away from the largest crowds, we enter the Theodosius Cistern.

With atmospheric lighting and preserved columns, this underground space offers a quieter but equally powerful perspective on Byzantine infrastructure.

Nakkas Stop: Art and Craft Heritage

At Nakkas, we connect architecture to material culture through carpet artistry, antiques, and preserved historical layers.

This stop expands the route beyond monuments into the city’s long craft tradition.

Bosphorus Cruise Finale

We end with a Bosphorus cruise to read the city from the waterline between Europe and Asia.

After walking through imperial sites, the maritime perspective completes the historical picture.

Why Choose Tour 3

This route is compact but dense. It gives first-time and returning visitors a structured understanding of Istanbul’s historical DNA.

👉 Book now for a high-value historical deep dive in one half-day.