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

based on 4957 reviews

Duration:7 hours to 21 hours (approx.)
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

From $200

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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.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Sultanahmet District
Sultanahmet District
2. Hippodrome
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.
3. German Fountain
Germa Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
4. Sultanahmet Square
Sultanahmet Square
5. Hagia Sophia Mosque
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.
6. Blue Mosque
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.
7. Basilica Cistern
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.
8. Grand Bazaar
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.
9. Bosphorus Strait
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.
10. Dolmabahce Palace
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.
11. Taksim Square
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.
12. Topkapi Palace
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.
13. Istiklal Caddesi
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.
14. Galata Tower
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.
15. Misir Carsisi (Spice Market)
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.
16. Cicek Pasaji
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.
17.
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.
18. Balat
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.
19. Fener Rum Patrikhanesi
Orthodox Patriarch
20. Historic Areas of Istanbul
Historic Areas of Istanbul
21. Pierre Loti Tepesi
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.
22. Kadikoy Carsisi
Kadikoy's Fish Market and its well-known "Bahariye Street" are the best places to visit in Istanbul's Asian side, Kadikoy
23. Halic
Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.
24. Bulgarian Orthodox Church
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.

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.
• Tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority in Hagia Sophia. 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.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : patriciasl2016
Atahan exceeded all our expectations as the private guide of our 2-day tour of Istanbul for 6 people. He is knowledgeable, gives the necessary details without delving into minutiae, reliable and always helpful. Atahan's love for Turkey and his passion for his heritage and culture comes through - such a treat for us since this is the first trip to Turkey for all but one in our group. He is also very flexible and eager to please - after all the usual jaunts in Istanbul, he brought us to the charming Kuzguncuk Village on the Asia side for lunch and a really nice stroll round the tree-canopied town dotted with cafes, bakeries and local quaint shops. What a treat!

Suat our gallant driver works with Atahan perfectly. Always punctual, ever polite, and a true professional.

We would recommend both Atahan and Suat wholeheartedly for a good time in Istanbul!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 15:14:18

Posted By : Susan_E
Fatma Salvi was an awesome guide. She is so knowledgeable without giving you too much information to make it too much to take it. Well done Fatma
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 13:21:20

Posted By : SabyasachiB67
Ceren our guide was wonderful and help us understand the significance of Turkish culture, Hagia Sofia and other places
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 12:16:58

Posted By : Suemerve
We booked through Viator who use a third party who sent Fatma Selvi. We had the best time. Fatma was excellent & very knowledgeable about so much of Turkish history. Although she didn’t try to give it to us as overload so we were able to take it all in
She bartered for the best prices & took us to the best places for coffee & food. She also pointed out a good pub (Red River) for my friends love of beer.
Many thanks Fatma
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 12:12:30

Posted By : TTueller2
Ali was knowledgeable and friendly. We learned so much! We were so grateful for his international perspective as well as his love for country and culture.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 11:21:38

Posted By : Relax625177
Merve did a wonderful job! We would highly recommend her as a guide in Istanbul. Her knowledge of the mosques, Topaki Palace, and the Basilca Cisterns was superb!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 11:02:30

Posted By : JuliaO1171
Private tour with Ekrem was fantastic. He was so knowledgeable and really wanted to make sure we saw the best of everything. Highly recommend.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 09:31:06

Posted By : Wander140172
Hakan was a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable, obliging and attentive to our requests and itinerary. We wouldn't have been able to cover what we did without him in a day. I can thoroughly recommend Hakan and the private 1 day guided tour of Istanbul. Thank you Hakan for everything. You made our day very special.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-13 08:40:53

Posted By : Elizabeth W
It was a fabulous day of fantastic sights and the best part was our guide, Tibet. She was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, interesting, and fun. We had the best day with her and it was a highlight of our time in Istanbul. Tibet also navigated our day so we avoided lines and crowds, making the most of our time. She was THE BEST!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-12 14:24:28

Posted By : Richard_D
Our tour guide Umran was excellent , she assisted us in getting out istanbul kart which helped us for the full trip in istanbul, tour was good, alot of knowledge and history given to us.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-12 13:22:30