Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Guided Tour with the Hippodrome

For travellers who want to see Sultanahmet's key sights with a knowledgeable guide, this Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia guided tour meets in the heart of the old city and covers the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia in one programme. Entrance fees are included.

The Blue Mosque

Your first stop is the Blue Mosque, famous for its blue tiles. As your guide explains its history, you pause in the courtyard to take in the view of modern Istanbul, then walk through the historic streets towards the Hippodrome.

The Hippodrome

In Byzantine times the Hippodrome was the centre of the city's social and political life. Here your guide tells the story of the races, ceremonies and riots that took place in the square.

Hagia Sophia

At the final stop you learn about the remarkable transformation of Hagia Sophia from a cathedral into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. You see the blend of mosque and church architecture in its domes, minarets and mosaics, and hear about its ornate Iznik tiles, the famous Virgin Mary mosaic and the sultans' tombs in its courtyard.

Good to know

Please be on time: if you are more than five minutes late the guide cannot wait, and late arrivals cannot join once the tour has started. Once the tour begins, the guide focuses on the group and cannot answer phone calls. The tour needs a moderate level of fitness and is not wheelchair accessible. Transport, food and drinks are not included.

To round off your trip, browse more experiences on our Istanbul tours page, and find somewhere to stay among our hotels in Istanbul.