Istanbul (TAN): What could be more boring than whiling away hours at an airport during a long layover. But if you are stuck at Istanbul Airport, consider it a doorway to adventures.
Turkish Airlines offers free city tours to passengers with layovers between six and 24 hours so that they can make the best use of their layovers and explore the historic city.
The six daily tours depart daily at 0800 hours, 0830 hours, 1200 hours, 1600 hours, and 1800 hours.
As part of the ‘Touristanbul’ programme, they take guests to the iconic sites such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Taksim Square, Yedikule Fortress, and Walls of Constantine.
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Since trip schedules vary, passengers’ flight timings will decide which trips they can sign up for.
To apply for such an Istanbul tour, travellers can sign up for a Touristanbul trip at the hotel desk of the International Arrivals Terminal of Istanbul Airport. While there is no need for booking a city tour in advance, travellers could get an e-visa before reaching Turkey.
The schedule is as follows:
Slot: 0800 hours to 1130 hours (sightseeing tour)
Tour itinerary (all 7 days of the week): Departure from Istanbul Airport, followed by visit to Yedikule Fortress, Old Samatya Armanian District, Yeni Kapı Harbour, Walls of Constantine, Eminonu District, photo break on Galata Bridge for 10 minutes, Dolmabahçe Palace, free time at Dolmabahçe Palace for 20 minutes, departure from Dolmabahçe Palace, Taksim Square, Galata Tower, Golden Horn, Aqueduct of Valens, and Yeni Kapı Harbour before returning to Istanbul Airport
Slot: 0830 hours to 1500 hours (tour)
Tour itinerary for Mondays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, and Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, and Hagia Sophia Museum before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Wednesdays and Sundays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, and Topkapı Palace before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Fridays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, Golden Horn and Bosphorus Cruise (operational between April 1 and November 30. For the rest of the year, whole day visit to Sultanahmet and Hagia Sophia Museum) before returning to Istanbul Airport
Slot: 0830 hours to 1800 hours (tour)
Itinerary for Mondays includes: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Topkapı Palace, lunch, Grand Covered Bazaar, return to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Tuesdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam, lunch, Spice Bazaar before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Wednesdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, Topkapı Palace, Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam,lunch, Spice Bazaar before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Thursdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam, Topkapı Palace, lunch, return to Istanbul Airport
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Itinerary for Fridays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, (operational between April 1 and November 30. For the rest of the year, whole day visit to Sultanahmet), Hagia Sophia Museum, Caferaga Medrese, Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam, before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Saturdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, Hagia Sophia Museum, Caferaga Medrese, Topkapı Palace, lunch, return to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Sundays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by breakfast, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Thedosius, Hagia Sophia Museum, Caferaga Medrese, lunch, return to Istanbul Airport
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Slot: 1200 hours to 1800 hours (tour)
Itinerary for Mondays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by lunch, visit to Pierre Loti Hill & Coffee House, Eyüp Sultan Mosque & Square, Byzantine City Walls, Ayvansaray Sahaba Tombs, Church of St. Mary (Panagia – Blachernae), Balat (a walk through the streets with ancient houses), Bulgarian St. Stephen Church (from outside), Ahrida Synagogue (from outside), Fener Greek Orthodox College (from outside), and Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Tuesdays and Wednesdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by lunch, visit to Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy Square, free time, return to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Thursdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by lunch, visit to Taksim Square, the Statue of Liberty, Consulate General of France, Aya Triada Church, Aga Mosque, Saint Antonine Church, Galata Mevlevihane (lodge used by Mevlevi dervishes), Galata Tower (from outside), free time, return to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Fridays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by lunch, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, and Hagia Sophia Museum before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Saturdays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by lunch, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, Caferaga Medrese, and Hagia Sophia Museum, before returning to Istanbul Airport
Itinerary for Sundays: Departure from Istanbul Airport followed by lunch, visit to Blue Mosque, Hippodrome – German Fountain, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, and Topkapı Palace, before returning to Istanbul Airport
Slot: 1600 hours to 2130 hours (walk tour)
Itinerary (all 7 days): Departure from Istanbul Airport, following the Coastal Road visit to Yeni Kapı Harbour, Beyazit Square, Istanbul University (outer visit), Beyazit Tower, Old Book Market, Grand Bazaar, Çorlulu Ali Pasha Mosque, Tomb of Mahmud the 2nd, Column of Constantine, Hippodrome Square, German Fountain, Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius, Blue Mosque (outer visit), Hagia Sophia (outer visit), dinner, return to Istanbul Airport
Slot: 1800 hours to 2300 hours (Bosphorus tour)
Itinerary (all 7 days of the week): Dinner and Bosphorus cruise
