Istanbul: Guided Byzantine Empire Churches Tour

Feel the history of the former capital of the Byzantium Empire. You will visit the Hagia Sophia, the Chora Church and the Church of St. Mary of the Mongols, learning about the history of Byzantine churches in Istanbul.
Your tour will begin as your are picked up between 8:30AM and 9:00AM in a private air-conditioned and non-smoking van. Your professional and licensed guide will be waiting for you at your hotel lobby.

The first stop on your tour will be Haigha Sophia, often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world. The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish) in Sultanahmet is easily one of Istanbul's most impressive sights, and it also has one of the most turbulent histories of any museum in the world. To find out why, it's best to delve back through its previous incarnations with your guide.

Following the Haigha Sophia Museum, you will head to Chora Museum. This attraction is a church building that constitutes the center of the Chora Monastery, which was a great building complex in the Eastern Roman Empire period and was dedicated to Jesus Christ. Since it stood outside of the city walls built by Constantine, the building was called “Chora”, which means “in the country” or “outside of the city” in Greek. You can then eat lunch in any restaurant of your choosing, being able to ask your guide for the best food and restaurant recommendations.

The last stop will be The Church of St. Mary of the Mongols. The Church of St. Mary of the Mongols is an Eastern Orthodox Church located in the Fatih District in the neighborhood of Fener. It stands on the summit of a slope, and overlooks the Golden Horn. The Church of St. Mary of the Mongols is the only surviving Byzantine Church of Constantinople, which the Ottomans never converted into a Mosque. It has always been open to the Greek Orthodox Christians, and its conversion into a mosque was saved by a personal decree of Mehmet the Conqueror. Your tour will then conclude, as your guide and van drop you anywhere in the city center .

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 48 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 48 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.