Grand Bazaar Self-Guided Audio Walk: Suleymaniye, the Spice Bazaar and the Golden Horn





Duration
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
Audio guide
Guided tour
- Walk Istanbul's old market quarter from the Grand Bazaar's gates down to the Golden Horn.
- See Constantine's iron-bound column, the Beyazit, Suleymaniye, Rustem Pasha and New Mosques, and the Spice Bazaar.
- Discover how markets paid for mosques: shops, hans and bazaars whose rents kept the great domes standing.
- Look out from the Suleymaniye terrace over the Golden Horn, a short walk from the architect Sinan's own tomb.
- 11 stops over 3.5 km, about 110 minutes, with English audio you start whenever you like.
- Self-guided audio tour in English
- 11 stops, 3.5 km, 110 minutes
- Constantine's column, Beyazit, Suleymaniye, Grand/Spice Bazaars, Golden Horn
- GPS map, walking directions on phone browser, no app
- Lifetime access to tour, flexible start
- Live guide services
- Museum and monument tickets
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
In old Istanbul, a mosque rarely stood alone. Rows of shops, merchants' inns and whole markets were built with it, and their rents kept the domes standing.
This walk follows that money downhill, from the ridge by the Grand Bazaar to the Golden Horn. Circle the Grand Bazaar from outside, gate by gate, past Constantine's iron-bound column, the Beyazit Mosque and the old book market. Look down the street of the great hans, built by a queen mother and a sultan to fund their mosques. Then walk round Sinan's Suleymaniye, stand on its terrace over the Golden Horn, and drop through the market lanes to Rustem Pasha, a mosque raised on its own shops, the Spice Bazaar and the New Mosque at Eminonu.
Eleven stops, about 3.5 km and 110 minutes, in English and at your own pace. Mostly downhill, with steps. Works on Sundays, when the Grand Bazaar is closed. Mosque visits are free outside prayer times.
What to bring
- Ticket code: Enter your ticket code on the Roamer redemption page before you start the walk.
- Phone and charger: Ensure your phone is fully charged before setting off on the 3.5 km route.
- Earphones: Bring earphones so you can clearly hear the self-guided audio tour.
- Mobile data or Wi-Fi prep: Use mobile data, or open the tour on Wi-Fi in advance if you will be offline.
- Modest clothing: Wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees, and avoid shorts or sleeveless tops for mosque visits.
- Headscarf for women: Women should bring a scarf to cover their hair inside mosques, although scarves are usually lent at the door.
- Comfortable walking shoes: Wear sturdy, comfortable shoes as you will walk 3.5 km with steps and cobbled lanes.
What's not allowed
- Prayer times in mosques: Do not enter mosques during prayers, and avoid visiting at Friday midday when they are very crowded.
Accessibility
- Step-free access: The route is not step-free; expect steps and steep, crowded cobbled lanes throughout the walk.
Additional information
- Tour format: This is a self-guided audio tour, so there is no live guide and you set your own pace and pauses.
- Start time: There is no fixed start time, so you can begin the tour any day and at any hour.
- Tour access: You get lifetime access to the tour, so you can replay it or revisit stops whenever you like.
- Best time to go: Plan your walk for a weekday morning, Monday to Saturday, when the Grand Bazaar gates are open.
- Friday timing: Avoid Friday midday, when mosques close for the main prayer and courtyards become very crowded.
- Daylight advice: Aim to finish in daylight since Suleymaniye terrace has no clearly published closing time.
- Sundays: On Sundays, the walk is possible, but bazaar gates and most shops along the route are closed.
- Getting there: Take the T1 tram to Cemberlitas or Beyazit-Kapalicarsi for the easiest access to the starting area.
- Route safety: Keep your bags closed and carried in front of you on the crowded market lanes.
- Mosque entry rules: Mosques are free to visit outside prayer times, but expect courtyards to fill up at Friday midday.
- Dress code details: Everyone must cover shoulders and knees, women must cover hair, and shoes must be removed inside mosques.
- Tickets and extras: Museum and monument tickets, food, drinks, and gratuities are not included and remain optional extras.
- Please check your final voucher for the redemption details and specific instructions.
- Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.
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