Istanbul Ottoman Relics Tour: Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia Sultan Tombs
Istanbul, Turkey
Rating: 
Trip Type: Cultural Tours
Duration: 3 hours
Travel back in time to the days of the Ottoman sultans on this 3-hour sightseeing tour of Istanbul's Topkapi Palace and Sultan Tombs! Listen to tales of the extravagant sultans as you explore the spectacular Topkapi Palace, home to many of these gilded rulers for more than 400 years. Marvel at the priceless hauls of jewels, weaponry, robes and sacred Islamic relics in its Treasury and see its ornate courtyards and chambers. Finish with a visit to the opulent mausoleums at the Hagia Sophia where five sultans are buried.
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Travel back in time to the days of the Ottoman sultans on this 3-hour sightseeing tour of Istanbul's Topkapi Palace and Sultan Tombs! Listen to tales of the extravagant sultans as you explore the spectacular Topkapi Palace, home to many of these gilded rulers for more than 400 years. Marvel at the priceless hauls of jewels, weaponry, robes and sacred Islamic relics in its Treasury and see its ornate courtyards and chambers. Finish with a visit to the opulent mausoleums at the Hagia Sophia where five sultans are buried.
Start your tour in the early afternoon with a pickup from your centrally located Istanbul hotel or meet your professional guide near Istanbul’s Old City (Sultanahmet).
Travel by air-conditioned coach to the Topkapi Palace, overlooking the Golden Horn. This former residence of the Ottoman sultans makes a magical sight with its cylindrical turrets and imperial gate.
Head inside with your guide and hear about the sultans who lived here with their families between 1453 and 1839. Wander around the chambers and courtyards, and visit the eye-popping Treasury. Here, marvel at the arrays of priceless objects on show: they include everything from enormous diamond candlesticks to the famous, emerald-encrusted Topkapi Dagger and sacred Islamic relics such as the Prophet Mohammed’s footprint set in clay. Other must-sees include the great kitchens and collections of imperial robes and manuscripts.
Next, follow your guide to the courtyard of the nearby Hagia Sophia. Here, view the five recently restored mausoleums of the Sultans Mehmed III, Selim II, Murad III, Ibrahim I and Mustafa I and their families. The interiors are adorned with 16th-century tiles painted with vivid purple, red, green and blue florals. Also, approach the tombs themselves to see priceless fragments of each sultan’s robes and parts of the original rugs of the Kaaba in Mecca.
Return to your coach for a drop-off either at your hotel or the starting point near Istanbul’s Old City (Sultanahmet).
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