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Istanbul Small-Group City and Secret Streets Tour with Guide

194 Reviews 4.90 out of 5 stars Based on 194 reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 98% of reviewers |
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards.
Istanbul, Turkey
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 20 (0) days in advance.

3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Instant confirmation

Overview

The former capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul is a vibrant city filled with magnificent architecture and a rich history as the bridge between east and west. Perfect for first-time visitors, this in-depth guided walking tour covers the main attractions while also venturing to hard-to-find secret spots. Leave the navigation to your guide, who also provides illuminating commentary.

After meeting your guide at Sultanahmet Square, head off on a scenic stroll through one of the world’s most spectacular cities. Your guide will tell stories from the heyday of Byzantine and Ottoman rule as you wander the picturesque streets. This tour aims to give you an overview of the city, its historic attractions, museums, local arts and traditions etc.

What's Included

  • Small-group or private tour (depending on option chosen)
  • English Speaking Professional Guide
  • Gratuities (Recommended)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Alemdar
Muhterem Efendi Sk. No:13, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

Rüstem Paşa
34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

Our tour concludes after visiting Spice Market in Eminönü and leaving you free to continue your Istanbul sightseeing

What To Expect

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Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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Basilica Cistern

This spacious Roman built cistern shows off impressive Roman engineering was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul has been backdrop for many movies over time. Its cavernous depths make a great retreat on hot summer days.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Sogukcesme Sokak

This is a small street with beautiful historic houses which are leaning against the wall of Topkapi Palace.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Caferaga Medresesi

The Caferağa Medresseh is a former medrese and now recognised as an important centre of Turkish classical arts where traditional Turkish handicrafts such as calligraphy, ceramics, jewelry and so forth are taught, made and sold.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Began its life as a church in 532 AD, converted into a mosque after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453 and now a museum since 1935. By general consensus, it is the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments built under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage site in Istanbul and famous for its lofty interior, stunning surviving mosaics and the massive dome...
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

TopkapI Palace

Imperial residence of Ottoman sultans is the subject of more colorful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines and scheming eunuchs lived and worked here between the 15th and 19th centuries when it was the court of the Ottoman empire. About 24 sultans ruled from the Topkapı Palace for nearly four centuries during the Ottoman Empire's 600-year reign
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Sultanahmet District

"Sultan Ahmet Center", the heart of the "Old City" from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Walled Obelisk

The Walled Obelisk or Masonry Obelisk (Turkish: Örme Dikilitaş) is a Roman monument in the form of an obelisk. It is situated at the southern end of the ancient chariot-racing track of Constantinople's central barrier, beside the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpentine Column.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

German Fountain

Constructed as a present from German Emperor Wilhelm II in 1898, it represents one of the most beautiful monuments in Istanbul.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Hippodrome

The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that was the sporting and social center of Constantinople. Today it is a square with a few fragments of the original structure surviving. Monuments decorating the Hippodrome include the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column...
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Blue Mosque

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque by many tourists because of its bluish interior decoration( blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design), is the most important mosque of Istanbul standing next to the Byzantine Hippodrome in the old city center..
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Serpent Column

Also known as the Serpentine Column, Plataean Tripod or Delphi Tripod, is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople (known as Atmeydanı "Horse Square" in the Ottoman period). It is part of an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally in Delphi and relocated to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in 324.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Sultanahmet Square

This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Tahtakale District

"Shop till you drop" in Tahtakale, a sub-district of Istanbul's Eminönü, where you can find anything and everything you are looking for, all for resonable prices.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Misir Carsisi (Spice Market)

No visit to Istanbul is complete without stopping by the atmospheric Spice Bazaar with roots dating back to 1660, this is one Istanbul's most famous bazaars. Vividly coloured spices are displayed alongside jewel-like lokum (Turkish delight) at this Ottoman-era marketplace, providing eye candy for the thousands of tourists and locals who make their way here every day. Stalls also sell caviar, dried herbs, honey, nuts and dried fruits.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Show 13 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • There is a moderate amount of walking involved
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions (8)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Istanbul Small-Group City and Secret Streets Tour with Guide?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03).This tour requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

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Activity code: C-15459P6

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.90
194 reviews

Average 4.90 out of 5 stars based on 194 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
179
4 stars
11
3 stars
3
2 stars
1
1 star
0
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 20 (0) days in advance.

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What's Included

Activity name

  • Small-group or private tour (depending on option chosen)
  • English Speaking Professional Guide
  • Gratuities (Recommended)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • There is a moderate amount of walking involved
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

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Activity name