Highlights of Istanbul Old City

1. Day: Highlights of Istanbul Old City

Istanbul Tour for Cruise Passengers. The Istanbul tour for cruisers is arranged as a day excursion while the cruise decks in Istanbul Port.

Our Istanbul tour for cruise passengers starts and ends right at the Istanbul port. When listing things to do in Istanbul, specially for cruise passengers the tour of old Istanbul is a must to be added.

Our tour avoids the crowd of big bus tours, noise or mess and lack of operation. We arrange the easiest day excursions for cruise passengers in Istanbul, most comfortable things to do in Istanbul for cruisers.

Our aim is to make cruisers to see as much as possible during the limited time in Istanbul. Hence our day excursion for cruise passengers in Istanbul is a good option to take.

Please see our day our tour of highlights in Istanbul day excursion itinerary:

Your driver and licensed guide will meet you in front of Istanbul's port passenger Terminal.

You drive along the old city walls and under the ancient Roman aqueduct on the way to St. Sophia (Haghia Sophia), the splendid Church of Divine Wisdom built in the 4th century BC. St Sophia's dome was then the largest in the world.

After several conquests and pillages, the building was converted into a mosque, but fell into disrepair as centuries passed.

The brilliant Byzantine mosaics were uncovered in the 1900's and the church now is a breathtaking Byzantine-Ottoman museum.

Next you walk to the Hippodrome used for outdoor chariot races in Roman times. Today it is lined with parks, obelisks and monuments.

Next to the Hippodrome is the famous Blue Mosque, named for its richly adorned interior of magnificent Iznik tiles. Your guide will take you through the Blue Mosque and provide an explanation of this Western leaning Muslim country.

Finally you are taken to the Grand Bazaar which houses more than 4,000 stalls selling local goods.

Or, if you prefer, you can request to visit the Egyptian Spice Market instead.

• Timing: Please note that this half day tour must start before 9:30 AM or after 1:00 PM. (please ask for other options for cruisers)

• Monday Notes: St. Sophia Church is closed on Mondays. If your tour is on Monday you will be taken to the Church of Chora instead, which is smaller, but equally famous for its Byzantine mosaics.