A day in Constantinople: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the old Hippodrome and the Basilica Cistern, ending in the markets between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.
Istanbul is not a city of the Bible, but it is where the story that began in Acts carried on. Around AD 330 the emperor Constantine rebuilt the old town of Byzantium as his new capital, Constantinople, and for more than a thousand years it was the center of the Christian East. In 381 the Council of Constantinople met here and gave the church the fuller form of the Nicene Creed that many congregations still confess today.
Hagia Sophia is the heart of the day. Built under Justinian and dedicated in 537, it was the greatest church building in Christendom for almost a thousand years, until the Ottoman conquest of 1453 turned it into a mosque. From there we walk to the Blue Mosque, the old Hippodrome where the life of the city once gathered, and down into the Basilica Cistern beneath the streets. The day ends in the lively streets and markets between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.
Length:
day
Per person:
Prices are land only. Flights from the US often run $900–$1,400 per person, so a typical trip starts around $2,700 per person all in.
Prices are land only.Flights from the US often run $900–$1,400 per person, so a typical trip starts around $2,700 per person all in.
Region:
Route:
Pace:
Group size:
Per-person pricing scales with group size & season.
Dedicated in 537 under Justinian, the greatest church building in Christendom for almost a thousand years. A mosque since the Ottoman conquest of 1453.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, and beside it the old Hippodrome, where the life of Byzantine Constantinople once gathered.
Down into the great Byzantine cistern beneath the streets, then out to the lively markets between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.
A representative route. Exact sites and pace flex with your group and your leader.
A full day in the old city of Constantinople: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the old Hippodrome and the Basilica Cistern, then the streets and markets between the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Your guide and transit during the tour are included.
Want a teacher with your group? A pastor or scholar can join your group on site by arrangement, subject to availability. Let us know on the Plan your tour page.
Prefer email? hello@enjoybibletours.com
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