Daily Istanbul Tour from Kusadasi by Flight – Topkapi & Blue Mosque

Istanbul Day Trip from Kusadasi by Flight – Palaces, Mosques and Bazaars

This Istanbul day trip from Kusadasi by flight brings the highlights of the old city within reach in a single day, without having to leave your Aegean hotel for the night. A short domestic flight from Izmir connects you to a guided walk through Sultanahmet, the historic heart of Istanbul, before you fly back the same evening on this daily Istanbul tour and daily excursion.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Kuşadası

Arriving in Kuşadası on a cruise ship? The Istanbul Tour is one of the shore excursions we regularly arrange for cruise guests calling at the port of Kuşadası. Because it runs as a private tour, we plan the timing around your ship: your guide and driver meet you at the cruise terminal, and the programme is adjusted to your all-aboard time. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Send us your ship name and the date of your call in Kuşadası and we will confirm availability.

Day Trip to Kuşadası from the Greek Islands (Samos and Patmos)

Holidaying on Samos or Patmos? The Istanbul Tour is an easy day trip from the Greek islands: take the morning ferry to Kuşadası, join the tour, and sail back in the evening (from Samos the ferry takes 45 minutes; from Patmos the ferry takes about 3 hours). We meet you at the Kuşadası ferry port with your private guide and vehicle and time the programme to the ferry schedule. For longer itineraries we check the ferry timetable first and confirm that the full programme fits your day. Please bring your passport and check the Turkish entry requirements for your nationality before travelling.

• Topkapi Palace: seat of the Ottoman sultans, with the Imperial Treasury and the Holy Relics
• Blue Mosque: the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque and its blue Iznik tiles
• Hippodrome: the former chariot-racing ground of Byzantine Constantinople
• Three monuments: the Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and Constantine's walled column
• Spice Bazaar: a lively market of spices, baklava, Turkish delight and coffee

Topkapi Palace was home to the Ottoman dynasty from the 15th to the 19th century. Its courtyards and pavilions now display porcelain, silverware, imperial robes, miniatures and the dazzling jewels of the Treasury, as well as sacred relics of the Prophet Muhammad. Facing Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque was built in the early 17th century by the architect Sedefkar Mehmet Agha, and its interior glows with thousands of hand-painted Iznik tiles. Next door, the Hippodrome was the stage of chariot races and public life for centuries; the Egyptian obelisk, the bronze Serpentine Column from Delphi and the stone Column of Constantine still mark its line.

After lunch this day tour ends in the fragrant Spice Bazaar. Note that Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, when Hagia Sophia is visited instead. Modest dress is required in mosques: shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women. Please note that the Izmir–Istanbul flights are booked separately and are not part of the tour package. Comfortable shoes are recommended, as the day involves plenty of walking.