Secrets of Istanbul - half day walking tour - Off The Tourist Trails
Secrets of Istanbul - half day walking tour - Off The Tourist Trails
Get deep into the history of Istanbul and visit off the beaten track destinations with the Secrets of Istanbul walking tour. Discover the hidden gems of old Constantinople and explore its puzzled streets with an English-speaking expert guide who knows the secrets of the city very well. Visit places that are not easy to find on your own, hear stories of Istanbul legends and historical personalities and see the best attractions of Istanbul along the way.
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
Blue Mosque
P.S. Blue mosque is closed till the end of March due to renovation. It will be substituted with Rustem Paşa mosque.
30 minutesHippodrome
This is the Hippodrome which was built in 4 century A.D by Roman emperor Constantine for the chariots races. The hippodrome hasn’t survived but monuments from the Spina section ( Egyptian obelisk, Serpent column, Constantine column and German fountain ) have managed to survived despite the invasions and earthquakes. Your guide will give you historic information about the hippodrome and the city how the Greeks found their city Byzantium here in 7 B.C till today.
30 minutesForum of Constantine
We will walk on the ancient road of the Romans where the modern tram rail is built on top of it today. We will have a break at the forum of Constantine the Great where the true cross and many belongs to early Christians brought from Jerusalem by Helena and were buried underneath of the column which have survived.
15 minutesGrand Bazaar Jewelers
We will have walk through the Grand Bazaar without a shopping break! Our aim is not the shopping here but to show you the hidden parts of the bazaar amongst 4000 shops, and the tip on bargaining culture.
30 minutesCorlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi
We will have a tea/coffee and a shisha/hookah break here. We will also grab some local pastry on our way to here from a local pastry maker to eat it with your drink. The cafe is the former Medressa ( religion school ) and now it is a place where locals get social. Hookah smoking is optional here so please don’t think that you have to.
30 minutesSahaflar Carsisi
This is the historic book maker where the books were printed for ten first time in Arabic letters.
Istanbul Universitesi Rektorlugu
This used to be Roman palace dates back to 4 century A.D. After the Ottoman concurred the city in 1453, they turned it to a Ottoman palace, later a military training center and now Istanbul university. We will have a break here to talk about the history of the palace and education system in modern Turkey.
Suleymaniye Mosque
We will visit this lovely mosque from inside. The mosque was built on top of one of the seven hills of Istanbul and offers a spectacular view of Asian side, Bosporus strait and Golden Horn, Galata and Bosporus bridged, Galata and Maiden’s Tower and more..
30 minutesTahtakale District
We will walk down form Suleymaniye mosque and pass through the Tahtakale local market. This helps to see and understand the difference between the Grand Bazaar where local no longer shop and market where locals comes and shop daily.
Rustem Pasha Mosque
Visit this hidden mosque among Istanbul back streets which was built in 1560 by Rustem pasha which has over 20 thousands of best examples hand made Iznik tiles. P.S. The mosque is more blue than the actual Blue mosque.
15 minutesMisir Carsisi (Spice Market)
Misir Carisi is the Spice market which was built in 1664 by the Sultan’s mother in order to provide the world spices. It is an aromatic market and the small of the species is welcoming. Addition to spices Turkish delight, herbal teas, natural oils, nuts and many of the jewelry shops are the part of it. We will have break at a shop to sample Turkish delight and learn about the spices.
30 minutesIncluded
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Snacks - We will have a pastry filo stuffed with cheese
- Entry/Admission - Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi
Not Included
- Lunch
- Gratitude to the guide
Good to Know
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience 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
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.