This Istanbul day trip from Pamukkale is a private full-day tour of Sultanahmet, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar, travelling by air. It flies you from Denizli Cardak Airport to Istanbul in the morning, guides you around the highlights of the historic Sultanahmet district and brings you back to your hotel in Pamukkale the same evening. It is the most practical way to add the former capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires to a holiday in western Turkey when there is no time for an overnight stay.
On arrival at Istanbul Airport, a representative waiting with a name sign escorts you to the vehicle for the drive to the Old City. The tour begins in Sultanahmet Square, the site of the ancient Hippodrome, where the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Walled Obelisk of Constantine, the Serpentine Column and the German Fountain still stand. You then enter the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, famous worldwide as the Blue Mosque for its tiled interior, see Hagia Sophia from the outside across the square and visit Topkapi Palace, built in the 15th century by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and home to the Ottoman sultans for more than 400 years.
After a lunch break you explore the Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi), one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with over 4,000 shops selling gold, carpets, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brassware, onyx and meerschaum pipes. In the evening you fly back to Denizli and are driven to your hotel. Please note that Topkapi Palace closes on Tuesdays and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays, and flights are booked separately, which keeps this private Istanbul city tour flexible.
Your full day programme — click to see every stop.
Istanbul from Pamukkale Programme You are picked up from your hotel in Pamukkale early in the morning, with the exact time confirmed the evening before, and transferred to Denizli Cardak Airport for your domestic flight to Istanbul; online or self check-in is required. At Istanbul Airport our representative greets you with a name placard and accompanies you to the tour vehicle for the drive to Sultanahmet, the Old City that served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire and, after 1453, of the Ottoman Empire. Your guide starts in Sultanahmet Square on the site of the ancient Hippodrome, pointing out the Walled Obelisk of Constantine, the Serpentine Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius and the German Fountain. Next you visit the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Blue Mosque, named for the blue tiles that cover its interior, and look across to the exterior of Hagia Sophia. The tour continues at Topkapi Palace, founded in the 15th century by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror and the residence of the sultans for over four centuries, with remarkable architecture and collections; the palace is closed on Tuesdays. After a break for lunch, you walk through the Grand Bazaar, with more than 4,000 shops of goldsmiths, carpet dealers, ceramics, copper, brass, onyx and meerschaum crafts; it is closed on Sundays. At the end of the day you are driven to Istanbul Airport for the flight back to Denizli Cardak Airport, where a driver meets you and takes you back to your hotel in Pamukkale.
Pamukkale → Bazaar
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!