Hagia Sophia & Hippodrome Walking Tour in Istanbul

4.26

(23 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

It’s just after 9am when we meet our guide, Selim, right by the tram stop in Sultanahmet Square. The air’s got that salty tang from the Bosphorus, and you can hear the seagulls squabbling overhead. We start at the Hippodrome—honestly, I’d walked past it before and never realized how much happened here. Selim points out the Serpent Column, its bronze coils still twisted after centuries, and tells us about the wild chariot races that once filled this space with noise and dust. There’s a local simit vendor nearby, and the smell of toasted sesame drifts over as we stand by the Egyptian Obelisk, sunlight glinting off its pink granite.

We cross to the German Fountain—its green dome looks almost out of place, but up close, you notice the gold mosaics inside. The Blue Mosque is next. I’d seen photos, but stepping inside is something else. The carpet’s soft underfoot, and there’s this hush, even with visitors around. Selim explains why it’s called “blue”—the tiles above us really do glow when the morning light hits them right. Shoes off, scarf on, we wander quietly, catching snippets of prayer and the faint scent of lemon cleaning polish.

Last stop: Hagia Sophia. The line moves quickly this morning. Inside, it’s cooler and smells faintly of old stone. You can see layers of history—Christian mosaics peeking out behind Islamic calligraphy. Selim shares stories about emperors and sultans; he even points out a tiny graffiti Viking left behind (I’d have missed it). We linger a bit longer than planned—no one rushes us—before heading back out into the square, where street cats weave between our legs and the city feels both ancient and alive.