Best Of Istanbul: 1, 2 Or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

From
USD
Per Person
Book this tour with
Created with Fabric.js 5.2.4

Tour Information

Key Details

  • Mobile Voucher Accepted
  • Hotel pickup Available
  • Instant Confirmation
  • Lowest Price Guaranteed
  • Duration: 21 Hrs
  • Language:
    English
  • Departure Time :
    9:00 AM
  • Return Details :
    Returns to original departure point
  • Cancellation Policy :
    This activity is non-refundable Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Overview

Visit highlights of Istanbul with your private tour guide in 1, 2 or 3 days with a flexible itinerary.

Day 1 - Highlights of Topkapi Palace Museum, Byzantine Hippodrome / Sultanahmet Square, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar.

Day 2 - Bosphorus Cruise by Public Ferry, Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Cicek Passage, Galata Tower (from outside), Spice Market.

Day 3 - Suleymaniye Mosque, Fener and Balat Districts, St. Stephen Church (Iron Church), Pierre Lotti Panoramic Hill by Cable Car, Rahmi Koc Museum (or alternative sites).

Important Notes:

- Skip the line service is not available for active mosques - there is a queue for the entrance.

- If one of the mosques is not visited, Basilica Cistern will be visited as a replacement.

- For the tours that start later than 11 am, kindly note that you may have to skip one/a couple of sites as the sites are closed by 7 pm. Your guide will adjust the program according to your priorities.

Know More about this tour


Sultanahmet District
Hippodrome Square / AtmeydanıHippodrome; where the chariot races were held in the Roman Empire times, Egyptian Column from Byzantine Empire time and today German Fountain is the main cornerstone of the square of Ottoman Empire.
Germa Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
Sultanahmet Square
Hagia Sophia Museum / Ayasofya / Santa SofiaBuilt in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, played a very important role in the Christian and Islamic World. After the Ottoman conquest the bells, altar, iconoclastic, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over to convert the church into a mosque then a museum and now it’s a mosque for the second time. The most important stop of an Istanbul tour is operated in Old City Istanbul / Constantinople.*Please note that as it's not a museum anymore, tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority there. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.
Blue Mosque / Sultanahmet Camii Built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmet I of the Ottoman Empire, the Blue Mosque is truly a magnificent masterpiece of architecture with amazingly delicate proportions for a building of such massive scale.
Have to skip one of the mosques to save time to visit the interior of The Basilica Cistern.A former water storage chamber and one of Istanbul's greatest surviving Byzantine sites.
Grand Bazaar / Kapalı ÇarşıOne of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with over 4,000 shops with colorful products of ceramic, leather, rugs, carpets, handicrafts, clothes, silver, and gold.
Bosphorus Cruise by Public Ferry or Private Cruise ( if option is chosen)Take the public ferry for Bosphorus Cruise to see both Istanbul’s European and Asian sides, Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, the Rumeli Fortress, old Ottoman villas, Bosphorus bridges, mosques. Your best Istanbul tour memories will definitely include the Bosphorus.
Dolmabahce Palace / Dolmabahçe SarayıElegance and beauty with the most luxury decoration, chandeliers, rugs, crystals, ceramic fireplaces. Beautiful palace, right on the Bosphorus with gorgeous furnishings, paintings, porcelains made in particular to Dolmabahce.
Taksim Square / Taksim MeydanıA great place defining modern Turkey which witnessed important historical moments. Close to Istiklal Street (Istiklal Caddesi) and Galata Tower along with embassies of European countries in Taxim. Cicek Passage has very good food joints, cafes, shops, bars, night clubs around Taksim.
Topkapi Palace Museum / Topkapı SarayıMore than just an Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, it was the seat of the Supreme Executive and Judiciary Council for almost 400 years long. Topkapi Palace is a great monument of Oriental architecture which resembles the power of the Ottoman Empire.
Istiklal Street is the modern and colorful face of Turkey with churches, modern art galeries, embassies, pubs, cafes and shops selling different kind of products.
We will see the tower FROM OUTSIDE, due to the regulations unfortunately tour guides don't have skip the line priority here so it takes long time to wait queue. Your tour guide will make you explanation about tower.
Spice Market / Mısır ÇarşısıEgyptian Bazaar is a colorful indoor bazaar and has lots of shops offering a variety of spices, purses, flavored teas, Turkish delight, nuts, as well as ceramics, and small souvenirs. Spice Bazaar is located in Eminonu Square which is the connection point of Bosphorus and Golden Horn.
Cicek Passage / Flower PassageOriginally named as Cite de Pera, a combined structure of traditional and modern construction methods and architectural style by Ottoman Empire is reflected and today we see the small shops and cafes here.
Suleymaniye Mosque / Süleymaniye Camii is the largest mosque in Istanbul and is as impressive on the inside as it is on the outside. In the garden behind the mosque, the Suleymaniye terrace offers lovely views of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus.
Fener-Balat Neighborhood backstreet walk Continue exploring Istanbul’s rich religious history with a stop at the Church of St. George. Since the 1600s, the church has been the location of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is recognized as the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Religion.Balat District; lines of drying laundry stretch across steep, winding streets. Century-old Ottoman houses lean against each other in a combination of reds, blues, and greens. And art galleries and design shops dot the area along the water.
Orthodox Patriarch
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Pierre Loti Hill and Cable Car are some of the most popular sights to visit since it offers great views for visitors. Take the cable car to reach the top and enjoy the beautiful scenery while sipping your Turkish coffee or tea.
Rahmi Koc Museum is on the northern part of Golden Horn, here we visit industrial and cultural museum built by famous family of Koc who were the leading power of Turkish Republic in industrial field since early period of 20th century.
Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.
St. Stephen Church; Located on the shore of the Golden Horn, the church is also known as the Iron Church due to the fact that it’s made entirely of prefabricated cast iron in 19th century.

Itinerary:


Sultanahmet District
Hippodrome Square / Atmeydanı Hippodrome; where the chariot races were held in the Roman Empire times, Egyptian Column from Byzantine Empire time and today German Fountain is the main cornerstone of the square of Ottoman Empire.
Germa Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
Sultanahmet Square
Hagia Sophia Museum / Ayasofya / Santa Sofia Built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, played a very important role in the Christian and Islamic World. After the Ottoman conquest the bells, altar, iconoclastic, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over to convert the church into a mosque then a museum and now it’s a mosque for the second time. The most important stop of an Istanbul tour is operated in Old City Istanbul / Constantinople. *Please note that as it's not a museum anymore, tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority there. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.
Blue Mosque / Sultanahmet Camii Built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmet I of the Ottoman Empire, the Blue Mosque is truly a magnificent masterpiece of architecture with amazingly delicate proportions for a building of such massive scale.
Have to skip one of the mosques to save time to visit the interior of The Basilica Cistern. A former water storage chamber and one of Istanbul's greatest surviving Byzantine sites.
Grand Bazaar / Kapalı Çarşı One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with over 4,000 shops with colorful products of ceramic, leather, rugs, carpets, handicrafts, clothes, silver, and gold.
Bosphorus Cruise by Public Ferry or Private Cruise ( if option is chosen) Take the public ferry for Bosphorus Cruise to see both Istanbul’s European and Asian sides, Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, the Rumeli Fortress, old Ottoman villas, Bosphorus bridges, mosques. Your best Istanbul tour memories will definitely include the Bosphorus.
Dolmabahce Palace / Dolmabahçe Sarayı Elegance and beauty with the most luxury decoration, chandeliers, rugs, crystals, ceramic fireplaces. Beautiful palace, right on the Bosphorus with gorgeous furnishings, paintings, porcelains made in particular to Dolmabahce.
Taksim Square / Taksim Meydanı A great place defining modern Turkey which witnessed important historical moments. Close to Istiklal Street (Istiklal Caddesi) and Galata Tower along with embassies of European countries in Taxim. Cicek Passage has very good food joints, cafes, shops, bars, night clubs around Taksim.
Topkapi Palace Museum / Topkapı Sarayı More than just an Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, it was the seat of the Supreme Executive and Judiciary Council for almost 400 years long. Topkapi Palace is a great monument of Oriental architecture which resembles the power of the Ottoman Empire.
Istiklal Street is the modern and colorful face of Turkey with churches, modern art galeries, embassies, pubs, cafes and shops selling different kind of products.
We will see the tower FROM OUTSIDE, due to the regulations unfortunately tour guides don't have skip the line priority here so it takes long time to wait queue. Your tour guide will make you explanation about tower.
Spice Market / Mısır Çarşısı Egyptian Bazaar is a colorful indoor bazaar and has lots of shops offering a variety of spices, purses, flavored teas, Turkish delight, nuts, as well as ceramics, and small souvenirs. Spice Bazaar is located in Eminonu Square which is the connection point of Bosphorus and Golden Horn.
Cicek Passage / Flower Passage Originally named as Cite de Pera, a combined structure of traditional and modern construction methods and architectural style by Ottoman Empire is reflected and today we see the small shops and cafes here.
Suleymaniye Mosque / Süleymaniye Camii is the largest mosque in Istanbul and is as impressive on the inside as it is on the outside. In the garden behind the mosque, the Suleymaniye terrace offers lovely views of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus.
Fener-Balat Neighborhood backstreet walk Continue exploring Istanbul’s rich religious history with a stop at the Church of St. George. Since the 1600s, the church has been the location of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is recognized as the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Religion. Balat District; lines of drying laundry stretch across steep, winding streets. Century-old Ottoman houses lean against each other in a combination of reds, blues, and greens. And art galleries and design shops dot the area along the water.
Orthodox Patriarch
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Pierre Loti Hill and Cable Car are some of the most popular sights to visit since it offers great views for visitors. Take the cable car to reach the top and enjoy the beautiful scenery while sipping your Turkish coffee or tea.
Rahmi Koc Museum is on the northern part of Golden Horn, here we visit industrial and cultural museum built by famous family of Koc who were the leading power of Turkish Republic in industrial field since early period of 20th century.
Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.
St. Stephen Church; Located on the shore of the Golden Horn, the church is also known as the Iron Church due to the fact that it’s made entirely of prefabricated cast iron in 19th century.

Inclusions

  • Professional local guide
  • Private tour
  • Guide meets you at central hotels

Exclusions

  • Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
  • Museum Tickets
  • Lunch
  • Gratitude (suggested)

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Skip the line service is not available for active mosques - there is a queue for the entrance.

If one of the mosques is not visited, Basilica Cistern will be visited as a replacement.

On Fridays, Hagia Sophia or Blue Mosque will be visited from outside because of the worship.

Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Due to museum regulations, live guide service is not available at Dolmabahce Palace.

As Hagia Sophia is not a museum anymore, tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority there. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.

Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with Spice Market.

Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives.

For the tours that start later than 11 am, kindly note that you may have to skip one/a couple of sites as the sites are closed by 7 pm. Your guide will adjust the program according to your priorities.

Traveler Reviews

See all reviews
  • 24-Aug-2023

    The Best way to visit Istanbul. The guide very professional and we have the time to visit all best place of Istanbul

  • 24-Aug-2023

    The entire 1 day guided tour was very enjoyable; we enjoyed the historical background and explanations everywhere we went, the lunch, and the visit to the carpet store was special.

  • 24-Aug-2023

    I’ve gone on many private historical tours like this, including a couple in Istanbul itself. This tour — with the legendary Emre — was by far the best I’ve ever seen. He had deep insight about the sites, and told the stories in an engaging and intuitive way. And some tour guides provide lip service to catering to our needs, but he actually did. Only warning: don’t let him play backgammon with you if you want to keep your dignity in tact.

  • 24-Aug-2023

    Excellent day with Serdar. He is a gentleman. Very knowledgeable. Bring your walking shoes. I recommend this tour highly.

  • 24-Aug-2023

    Gamze was an awesome guide.. she was knowledgeable and patiently explained the history of the many sites we visited. She also kept our 8 and 11 yr old engaged, and helping them appreciate the history in a simplified way. Great recommendation for lunch as well. Highly recommend ! Getting a guide will certainly make your trip more enjoyable.

  • 23-Aug-2023

    Oyku guided my friend and I through the old city of Istanbul today with marvelous grace, humor, and knowledge. She managed to show us the Palace, Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, and Grand Bazaar in one packed day. She explained the rich history of every location, managing to answer our many questions. Not only were we able to skip the queues, but she also pointed us to a beloved döner kebab spot tucked away in the Grand Bazaar.

  • 22-Aug-2023

    This guided trip is not worth the money or effort. We had to pay for the palace entry for the guide on day 1. Since they dont provide transport we had to hire a car for a day at $ 200 and we used this only for about an hour. We could easily have used public transport if advised by the company or guide.

  • 22-Aug-2023

    Our tour guide was amazing. She was super knowledgeable and took us everywhere we wanted to see and a few hidden gems of her own. Would joy recommend this group.

  • 22-Aug-2023

    We did this with our husband and our two adult children and we had a great experience. Kubra, our guide, was very kind and knowledgeable!! The itinerary was also very well planned, highly recommend.

  • 22-Aug-2023

    Only my friend and I booked this tour so our tour guide, Kerim, really personalized it. I couldn’t have asked for a better tour. It was definitely worth the money. I highly recommend taking a tour with Kerim!

See all reviews