Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Layover Flight. Transfer incl.

based on 207 reviews

Duration:4 hours to 8 hours (approx.)
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

From $160

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Infant (Age : 0 to 6)

CHILD (Age : 7 to 12)

ADULT (Age : 13 to 99)

Free Cancellation

Upto 24 hours in Advance.

Mobile or paper ticket accepted

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PRODUCT DETAILS
TRAVELER REVIEWS
TRAVELER PHOTOS

Istanbul Layover Tours is mainly specialized on layover tours from Istanbul Airports.

Meet and Greet: It is easier to find your driver at the airport now. You will be met and accompanied to the vehicle by a welcome host at a spesific spot / time.

Timely & Safe Logistic; Enjoy comfortable round-trip transfer from/to airport with private and spacious van. .

Fast Track Entry: Be VIP and save precious time at the museums ticket desks thanks to the accredited tour guides from Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Professional and Enthusiastic Guides: Our guides are not only a good historian but also your travel companion. Learn about culture, politics & religion through personal stories and anecdotes.

Eat like a local: Taste delicious, reasonable non-touristy local food at the eatiers where the only locals eat. Various food restrictions are welcomed

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Istanbul
All listed attractions below are not meant to be visited on every tour scenario due to the time limitations and the tour itinerary can be shortened and altered by the guide's suggestion or traveler's instructions with traveler's consent due to the crowds or restoration work at the sites /museums, personal interests & fitness level, weather conditions & closure times of the places, public gatherings, political rallies, religious/public holidays, marathons, traffic situation and flight arrival times. A tentative itinerary will be communicated prior to the day.
2. Hippodrome
The equivalent of Maxiumus Circus, city of Rome was immitated in new capital of Roman Empire as we call Byzantine Hippodrome; Hear the stories of glory chariot riders and amazed with monuments erected by the ambitios Roman engineers; Egpytian Obelisk, Serpent Colomn and Colomn of Constantine.
3. Blue Mosque
As an operating mosque, your guide will take you inside of mosque complex in between praying times and help you to barrow a scarf or skirt if needed. it is closed until 14.00 pm on Fridays due to Friday noon prayer service. Attention; There is ongoing restoration and the view is blocked by scaffolding.
4. Hagia Sophia Mosque
Explore the architectural marvel of Hagia Sophia Mosque with our licensed tour guide, delving into its significance in terms of architecture, religion, and politics. Note that Hagia Sophia opens at 10:00 am, closes on Fridays until 14:00 pm, and welcomes visitors until 22:00 pm. Hagia Sophia serves a dual purpose today, operating as an active mosque for Muslim worshippers and a museum for international visitors. Please be aware that the admission fee is 850 TL or 28 USD, and the duration of this enlightening experience is approximately 45 minutes. Admission ticket is not included.
5. Basilica Cistern
Descending the stairs, you'll encounter a palace-like underground water system, crafted by the Romans in the 6th century. Its colossal dimensions allowed it to store ample water, catering to the needs of the Roman Palace and the surrounding neighborhood until it faded into obscurity. Today, it patiently awaits rediscovery. The admission fee for this historical site is 600 TL or 20 USD.
6. Grand Bazaar Jewelers
The world's oldest shopping mall was buit in 1460s by the order of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqurer, in order to generate income for maintaining their newly converted mosque. The city, being in the meeting point of oriental trade routes made the bazaar Grand and Famous. Today, with 3000 thousand shops offer huge range of colourful item from simple souviners to expensive items such as jewelery, carpets, mosaic lamps, magnets, leather. Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
7.
The mosque is active since 1556 and named after its commissioner, the famous sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. It is located on the 3rd hill of the old city. In a short walk from Grand Bazaar along the wall of Istanbul University, you will be guided through and rest by the amazing view of Asian side and new city from the terrace.
8. Misir Carsisi (Spice Market)
Taste delicious Turkish Delights, nuts and dried fruits while passing through a 400 year old stracture, Spice Market will help you to understand the origin of spices and Turkish Food.
9. Bosphorus Strait
Hop on a public ferry and make the fastest intercontinental trip to Asian Side of Istanbul. See Istanbul from old to new while passing by Bosphorus Bridge in distance.
10. Kadikoy Carsisi
Explore hip neigborhood of Kadıkoy and eat your way through Kadıkoy Food Market. Sample Turkish food sourced from local suppliers. Maybe you would like to try some home cooked style in Ciya Sofrası, which has been recently featured in Netflix.
11. Topkapi Palace
Visit Iconic Topkapi Palace; Learn about Ottoman History and see impressive collections of pieces from treasury to medieval weapons in this massive museum. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. Admission Fee is 1500 TL or 50 USD.
12. Galata Tower
Get a panaromic view of city form this iconic tower, built late 13th Century by Genoise Colony as a part of defence and watch tower.
13. Yeni Camii
The New Mosque and later New Valide Sultan Mosque after its partial reconstruction and completion between 1660 and 1665, is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü quarter of Istanbul

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : dowsyp
I had a six-hour layover in Turkey Istanbul. My flight came late at night around 11 PM. I was extremely surprised with how flexible the staff were not only picking me up late at night, but making sure that I get back to my flight on time.

The Guide was extremely informative about Istanbul’s history from the neolithic era all the way to modern times. it was like having a scholar, teach me personally about historical events that happened in the city.

The guide even took my Instagram pictures, which was great lol

i Definitely recommend this to anybody

and when I come back to Istanbul, I will be taking this company again for another tour!!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-03 20:39:42

Posted By : 936brandonl
Latif was fantastic! We had a 12-hour layover in Istanbul, and he made sure we were able to see all the main sites and still get back to the airport with plenty of time to make our flight. He was able to work with our specific flight schedule, and we were able to see all of the major sites. We got to go to the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and then we were able to take the ferry to the Asian side for dinner. When we initially got the itinerary, we didn't think we'd be able to do all of that during our layover. But Latif made it happen. We were able to cut the lines to most of the sites, and he was able to answer all of our questions. We learned a lot about Turkey's history, all the way up to the present day.

Latif is also an excellent photographer! My wife and I got so many great pictures from our short time in Istanbul. He also took us to an excellent restaurant for dinner on the Asian side of the city, with a chef who was featured on Netflix!

The car service to transport us to and from the airport was very nice as well.

If you've got a layover in Istanbul and want to see all the main sights, definitely use Istanbul Layover Tours.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-30 21:53:46

Posted By : Pioneer34715727249
My wife and I had an 11 hour layover for our flight on Turkish Airlines from Washington, DC via Istanbul to China. Latif, the owner, provided complete Instructions on how to navigate the airport and contact his agents at the airport. We stored our luggage at the airport. His agents directed us to a taxi/van which took us to the Galata area where we picked him up. The ride is an hour each way along the Golden Horn. He provided an excellent, knowledgeable walking tour of Sultanamet and we finished with a ferry ride to an excellent restaurant. Tips: charge cards work for entries, stop by a Bank ATM for Latif’s fee by debit card (some cards reimburse bank fees), you don’t need to convert to Turkish Lire, and you can contact Latif by FaceTime or WhatsApp for a worry free, healthy break in your long flight. Istanbul and Turkey is beautiful and fascinating for a return trip.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-27 17:23:50

Posted By : Summer_G
We enjoyed learning about the history of Istanbul, the tour guide was very knowledgeable of the area.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-26 12:24:12

Posted By : FLORENCE_F
We were picked up from the airport at 630am, and by 8am we were at the city. Burak, our guide was very accommodating and brought us to all the places that I wanted to visit, even Galata Tower, which Latif (the person i corresponded with) told me might not be possible as it is quite far. Sadly, the Grand Bazaar was closed for Eid Mubarak. In just a little bit over 4 hours, we took a short cruise across the sea, went to Gulhane Tulips Garden, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Byzantine Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, took the underwater tram to Galata Tower and had lunch around Galata area. Burak was quite informative and speaks good English. It was worth every dime taking this private tour during our layover in Istanbul! Will definitely use this tour operator again on my next trip! Tip: Start early morning to avoid the crowd^-^
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-19 04:08:07

Posted By : Andrew_D
We had a long layover in Istanbul, and so I wanted to show my family a glimpse of the city I fell in love with in 2017. This tour company exceeded my expectations and made the experience easy for me from a planning point of view -- whether it be working with me in advance to tailor and tweak the itinerary, giving me very detailed instructions on where the link-up with the driver would be, giving us an easy-going tour guide with great knowledge and a phenomenal command of English, communicating with the restaurant about my son's severe food allergies, or adjusting the itinerary because of Ramadan and a visit from Turkey's President, this tour company did a great job of ensuring my family had memories of Istanbul as wonderful as I do. The next time I have a long layover in Istanbul, I'll reach out to these folks first. Thanks!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-08 10:42:10

Posted By : Auset_P
Flying in for one day, I needed a bit of hand holding on my first solo trip to this busy city and Burak definitely took great care of me. We visited all the sites together, he was my own personal photographer and my dinner companion. He helped me negotiate better prices and ensured my Turkish bath experience was safe and genuine. Driver was on time and drive safely. The only thing I wish we better was my greeting at the airport. Greeters were on their phone the entire time and barely spoke to me. But the driver and actual guide were top notch. The company also reached out to me several times to notify me my hotel was too far and saved me from a super long commute. Definitely recommend. Money well spent.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-03-31 02:35:38

Posted By : Bridget_C
Istanbul was so spectacular! I arrived at 4:10 pm and had 8 hrs to spare. I was worried about missing out due to an evening tour. I got to see so much and had an awesome meal. Thanks to my guide, Latif! I recommend this layover tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-03-26 12:47:21

Posted By : Shasta_B
We had a great layover tour. I wasn't sure what to expect. We were happily surprised by how easy the whole process was. We received plenty of instructions for leaving our bags and locating the driver at the airport. Things went perfectly. Once we got into the city, we were met by the greatest tour guide ever. Miev was awesome!! She was friendly and made sure we saw all the things we wanted to. Thank you for making our afternoon in Istanbul a wonderful memory.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-03-21 09:48:48

Posted By : Shelley_C
Absolutely world class. Burak was extremely knowledgeable, well-spoken and conversational. And he could not have been kinder to or more patient with my 92-year old aunt. Bravo!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-03-19 10:29:33