Hello. We will be in Istanbul for two full days, May 17 and 18. We are interested in touring Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Looking for any advice: Get a tour giude? Purchase tickets as a package deal? Purchase tickets separately? We have other things planned too, but these 3 landmarks may take additional planning.
We are also looking into food tours and will take advice here as well!
Any advice is welcome!
Julie
Are you specifically wanting a guided tour? The RS book offers many suggestions for private guides. SRM Travel is the company RS uses for his Turkey guides and they also do private tours. I did a food tour with them and it was fantastic. Do a quick forum search for other food tour recommendations. There have been some recent technical communication problems with Lale the owner but hopefully that will be resolved soon.
There are no tickets required for Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque. They are both working mosques and are open and closed for about 30-40 minutes for each prayer time. In May it will be approx. 3:24 a.m., 5:25 a.m., 1:10 p.m., 5:10 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., along with a longer Friday noon prayer time (so don't try to go midday on the 17th). Hagia Sophia has a security check which typically causes a long line to get in - it moves relatively fast but the lines are longest midday. I went to both Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia on the morning just after the second morning prayer. There was hardly anyone at Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia was crowded but not as much as a return visit later in the day. Come prepared wearing appropriate clothing (no shorts, no bare shoulders), headscarves for the females, and a plastic bag to carry your shoes (easier than leaving in a cubbie).
Topkapi Palace does have an admission fee but I'm not sure if you can purchase in advance (I was on a RS tour and they provided museum passes). It is an enormous place - we did a partially guided tour and then had time on our own. The RS Istanbul guide offers a decent self-guided tour.
If you're looking for a guided tour that goes to all three you can take a look at this one from GetYourGuide: https://www.getyourguide.com/istanbul-l56/best-of-istanbul-in-1-day-t326411/?ranking_uuid=6a2dffc3-64b7-4171-b090-5898bf41b305. It's an all day tour so wouldn't leave time for anything else but it would be convenient and it does give you lunch (albeit at a very touristy restaurant), it also gives you an hour at the grand bazaar at the end of the tour. It's quite reasonably priced and pretty inclusive.
Private tours will run you $200-300 per person but will be more flexible and give you more or less time at a venue based on your preferences.
Read the RS Istanbul guidebook and then visit all three on your own. A couple of months ago we were in Istanbul with two other couples. They hired guides while we did things on our own. We were in control while they were under the control of their guides - including meals and shops. If you familiarize yourself in advance you don't need a guide in Istanbul IMO.
Hello. I really appreciate all of the advice!
Thank you! Julie
A tour guide I highly recommend for Istanbul is Metin Koca. He speaks English excellently, he is funny, and honest. Metin has hundreds of fantastic reviews on Trip Advisor. His email: metinkoca@gmail.com
