Photos: Alexxx Malev, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Antonio Cristofaro, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Alexxx Malev, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Antonio Cristofaro, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Süleymaniye and the backstreets below the Grand Bazaar
Your local guide
Elif Yılmaz
View profile
Highlights
- The Süleymaniye mosque, Sinan's largest dome
- The tombs of Süleyman and Hürrem in the garden
- Old caravanserais still holding working workshops
- A back gate into the Grand Bazaar
- The Spice Bazaar and the streets of Tahtakale
About this tour
This session walks from the Süleymaniye mosque down through the backstreets to the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar. The camera takes in Sinan's largest dome, the tombs in the mosque garden, and the old caravanserais where workshops still work behind their courtyard walls. It is a route through the working side of the old city rather than its main shopping streets.
The call opens with a sound check, then moves downhill stop by stop from the mosque toward the markets, with questions taken along the way. A short list of what was covered follows once the call ends.
This suits anyone interested in Ottoman architecture or the working history of Istanbul's old trades. It also suits returning visitors who want to see past the main bazaar aisles.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Istanbul before heading out.
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Süleymaniye mosque 21 min
Inside the Süleymaniye mosque, the camera takes in the wide dome designed by the architect Sinan, and outside in the garden the guide points out the tombs of Süleyman and his wife Hürrem.
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Old caravanserais 21 min
Behind the mosque, the camera moves through a courtyard of old caravanserais where workshops still operate today, and the guide explains what trades have survived here since Ottoman times.
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Backstreets to the bazaars 21 min
Walking down through the backstreets, the camera slips through a lesser used gate into the Grand Bazaar, then out again toward the Spice Bazaar and the Tahtakale district, and the guide points out what each street once traded in.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Istanbul: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Turkish delight (lokum) and Beyoğlu, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Istanbul time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Istanbul, showing you Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Istanbul live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Istanbul time (GMT+3)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Sat 31 Oct · 10 seats left From 29,00 €
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