Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour


7 hours
Pick-up offered
Free cancellation
1 - 8
Mobile ticket

Overview

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

Here you can see the daily tour itineraries below (7 hours per day);

Day 1 - Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square, German Fountain, Blue Mosque(temporarily under restoration), Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, 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 alterntive sites).

*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.

Inclusions

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

What to expect

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Sultanahmet District, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

Sultanahmet District

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Hippodrome, Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet ParkI No:2, Istanbul Turkey

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.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: German Fountain, Hippodrome Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

Germa Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul Turkey

Sultanahmet Square

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Hagia Sophia Mosque, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya MeydanI No:1, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

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.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mah At Meydani Cad No 7, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

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.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Basilica Cistern, Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3, Istanbul 34410 Turkey

Byzantine Cistern; was the water storage of Byzantine Empire providing clean drinking water to the citizens of city, especially during period of siege. Binbirdirek and Serefiye Cisterns are the options that you can visit by talking with your tour guide on tour day.
*Please remember that Basilica Cistern is under restoration until end of 2022 so it's not open to visit.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Topkapi Palace, Cankurtaran Mahallesi Gulhane Park, Near Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

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.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Grand Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

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.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul 34122 Turkey

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.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Dolmabahce Palace, Visnezade Mahallesi Dolmabahce Cd, Istanbul 34357 Turkey

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.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Taksim Square, Gumussuyu Mh., Istanbul 34435 Turkey

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.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Istiklal Caddesi, Istiklal Street Taksim Beyoglu, Istanbul Turkey

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.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Cicek Pasaji, Huseyinaga Mh Beyoglu, Istanbul Turkey

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Galata Tower, Buyuk Hendek Cad. 2, Istanbul Turkey

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.

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Misir Carsisi (Spice Market), Rustem Pasa Mahallesi, Erzak Ambari Sok. No:92 Eminonu - Fatih, Istanbul 34116 Turkey

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.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Historic Areas of Istanbul, Istanbul Turkey

Historic Areas of Istanbul

Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Suleymaniye Mosque, Prof. SIddIk Sami Onar Cd. No:1 Süleymaniye Mah, Istanbul 34116 Turkey

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.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Balat, Istanbul Turkey

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.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Fener Rum Patrikhanesi, Dr. SadIk Ahmet Cd. No:44 Yavuz Sultan Selim Mahallesi, Istanbul 34083 Turkey

Orthodox Patriarch

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Balat Mahallesi, Murselpasa Cd. No:10, Istanbul 34087 Turkey

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.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Pierre Loti Tepesi, Idris Kosku Cad. Eyup, Istanbul 34050 Turkey

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.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Rahmi M. Koc Museum, Haskoy Cad. No: 5 Beyoglu, Haskoy, Istanbul 34445 Turkey

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.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Halic, Istanbul Turkey

Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.

Duration: 30 minutes

Meeting point

Traveler pickup is offered
*FOR LAST MINUTE BOOKINGS AND LATE DEPARTURES, as museums and some sites will be closed around 17:30 pm, alternative tour sites will be advised by the tour guide during the tour.

*Tour guide meets you at central Istanbul hotels or Galata Port. If the hotel is not centrally located, the meeting point will be in front of the German Fountain.

If van service is not chosen your guide will pick you up at centrally located hotels on foot.

If private van service is booked, please note that there will be a surcharge if your hotel is located outside of the city center or on the Asian Side.

Ports

  • Istanbul Cruise Port
  • Galataport Istanbul, Kılıçali Paşa Mah. Meclis-i Mebusan Cad. No: 8 İç Kapı No: 102, Kılıçali Paşa, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye

Additional information

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • For last minute bookings, tour starting time can be flexible.
  • Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with Spice Market.
  • Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives.
  • Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia closed until 2pm on Fridays, will be visited in the afternoon.
  • For multiple day booking, private van service will be advised according to your hotel location and size of your group.
  • Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Due to museum regulations, live guide service is not available at Dolmabahce Palace.
  • Galata Tower will be visited from outside unless you would like to pay entrance fee there.
  • When booking the tour with van, if your hotel is located in Sultanahmet you will be steps away from the museums, so the van will not be used as much.
  • Annual Closing Dates of museums and bazaars in Istanbul are; January 1 – New Year April 21, 22, 23 – Ramadan Celebrations June 28, 29, 30, July 1 – Eid al-Fitr Celebrations October 29 – Republic Day
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Infant seats available
  • Most travelers can participate
  • *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.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Regular temperature checks for staff

Exclusions

  • Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
  • Museum Tickets
  • Lunch
  • Gratitude (suggested)
  • Entry/Admission - Basilica Cistern
  • Entry/Admission - Topkapi Palace
  • Entry/Admission - Bosphorus Strait
  • Entry/Admission - Dolmabahce Palace
  • Entry/Admission - Galata Tower
  • Entry/Admission - Pierre Loti Tepesi
  • Entry/Admission - Rahmi M. Koc Museum
  • Entry/Admission - Halic

Ticket delivery

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
FrankTierney_K
May 2022

kemal my tour guide was fantastic. he showed me some of the amazing places during our 3 day private tour. he was also very knowledgeable and was able to answer several of the history questions. I would highly recommend this private tour.

gw6823
May 2022

Pelin was our guide and she was fabulous! She is very knowledgeable, kind, and personable. She accommodated our abbreviated schedule and we saw everything we wanted to see. We highly recommend her and her tour company. Shout out to our bus driver who deftly maneuvered the congested streets safely.

muhammadsD6649LY
May 2022

What can i say Emre our guide went above and beyond for us. He knew everything, geared the tour with what we wanted to do. He knew exactly when and what time to reach certain areas. Always avoided traffic, lines, and knew when certain attractions were less crowded. Through his guidance we visited...

Patty6611
May 2022

Ülkü was great!! Our tour was fun. Informative but not overwhelming. She is super friendly, therfore we felt comfortable and free to ask questions. She was also kind enough to look for and find a way for us to get our PCR test. I can't say enough about this experience, it was amazing!! 100% r...

Sergio EBS Q
May 2022

We went to see Istanbul with our guide ülkü. She was amazing. Really friendly, showed us the city. No rush at all, explained everything very well. Very knowledge. We Had a great time with her. Felt like Part of the family. Totally would recommend her for any tour in Istambul city

debdms
May 2022

We came to Istanbul for our first visit before going on a cruise. We were so fortunate to have Harkan as a guide. He was knowledgeable about the sites and added much to enhance our experience. We had a great lunch in a cafe at the Topaki Palace. Hakan spent 8 unforgettable hours and gave us the ...

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from US$237.50 / per group