Exotic Istanbul – Chora Church Tour, Imperial Mosques, Bazaars, Fener and Balat
- Basilica Cistern (a.k.a. Underground Cistern)
- Suleymaniye Mosque
- Walk through backstreets of Grand Bazaar
- Spice Market
- Lunch at Asitane Restaurant
- Chora Church (Kariye Museum)
- City Walls
- Fener and Balat neighborhoods
What to expect from Exotic Istanbul Tour?
- A 7km Chora Church walking tour viewing Imperial mosques, the bazaar district and the heart of Byzantine Orthodox Istanbul
- In-depth commentary on the complex and diverse history of the city
- The knowledge and expertise of a guide who helps you make the most of your time
Discover the streets of exotic Istanbul on our Chora Church tour. Stroll from the old Ottoman city centre past the Imperial mosques. Visit the university district. Dive into the colour and chaos of the bazaar neighbourhood. Feast like an Ottoman. Get lost in the suburbs of Fener and Balat. Discover Chora church, centre of the Eastern Orthodox world.
The Chora Church tour starts in Sultanhamet. You’ll go deep underground to the Basilica Cistern before heading up Divan Yolu. We pass through Cemberlitas, Beyazid square and the mosque of the same name, and Istanbul University.
Our path takes us to the stately Suleymaniye mosque, built between 1550 and 1557 AD. Suleymaniye the Magnificent ordered its construction and it’s an impressive legacy.
Back down the hill immerse yourself in the everyday hustle and bustle of the Eminonu. Keep an eye out for a bargain in the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market.
From the shores of the Golden Horn it’s just a short taxi ride to Asitane Restaurant for lunch. Their specially curated tasting courses allow you to experience what it was like to dine with the sultans. Each item on the menu has been painstaking recreated from authentic Ottoman documents of the time.
The Chora Church, also known as the Kariye Museum, is just next door. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century AD. Much altered over the centuries, it’s one of the most beautiful and unique Greek Orthodox Byzantine structures in the city. The superb interior mosaics were completed in the 13th century and depict scenes from the Old Testament.
On the Chora Church tour we wind our way through the narrow streets of Fener and Balat. Our guide will take you to St George’s Cathedral. As the Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church it contains some of the most significant relics the church owns. Local Turkish born Greeks, known as Rum, still worship here.
From your hotel or port
To your hotel or port
- Sun protection (or umbrella depending on the season/weather)
- Hat and sunglasses
- Camera
- Cash/credit cards
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Digital device storage cards and/or power bank
- Sea Pass card and photo identification (these are for cruise ship passangers)
- Professional, Licensed Guiding Services
- Admission Fees
- Skip the ticket line
- Tester's menu at Asitane Restaurant
- Taxi transportation up to 3 people
- Private van transportation between 4-12 people
- Personal Expenses
Dynamic Pricing:
Basically the dynamic pricing is the reduction of per person price when the number of people in your party increases. The more people in your group, the less you would pay person.
We use taxi for up to 3 people;
- 1 Adult - $225
- 2 Adults - $135 pp
- 3 Adults - $120 pp
We use half day private van for groups between 4-12 poople;
- 4 Adults - $125 pp
- 5 Adults - $110 pp
- 6 Adults - $100 pp
- 7 - 9 Adults - $90 pp
- 10 - 12 Adults - $80 pp
Legal Notice:
This tour is organized within the legal scope of the Turkish Law concerning Travel Agencies And The Association Of Travel Agencies (TURSAB) numbered 1618, and Vocational Tour Guides Law numbered 6326. Guiding without a license (issued by Ministry of Culture and Tourism) is illegal!
You may cancel your tour reservation up to 3 days before the planned start of the tour. No cancellation charge is issued within the allowed deadline. Please read our cancellation policy at “Booking Terms & Conditions“.