Istanbul Old City Private Tour: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Bazaar

5.00

(2 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The air felt cool and a bit salty as we stepped out near Sultanahmet Square just after 9am. Our guide, Cem, greeted us with a grin and a quick tip—always keep some lira handy for the little shops around the Hippodrome. The square was already buzzing, pigeons darting between groups of locals and early risers like us. First stop: the Blue Mosque. I’d seen photos before, but standing under those domes, you really notice the soft blue light filtering through stained glass. There’s this faint scent of old stone mixed with incense—hard to describe until you’re right there.

We wandered over to Hagia Sophia next. Cem pointed out tiny details in the mosaics I’d have missed—like how some gold tiles catch the morning sun differently depending on where you stand. The place is massive, but it’s the echoes that stick with you; every footstep seems to bounce off centuries-old marble. After a quick break for Turkish tea at a café tucked behind Caferağa Medresesi (the apple tea is sweeter than I expected), we explored Topkapi Palace. The treasury rooms are packed with stories—Cem shared tales about sultans and their daily routines that made it all feel real.

By midday, we ducked into the Grand Bazaar just as the call to prayer drifted in from outside. It’s easy to get lost here—lanes twist past stalls selling everything from hand-painted ceramics to leather slippers. I haggled for a scarf (not very well), but our guide helped me out with a few Turkish phrases that broke the ice with the vendor. We wrapped up around 5pm, feet tired but minds buzzing from all we’d seen and heard.