Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour
5
Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour
By Guided Istanbul Tours
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About
The bridge between east and west, Istanbul is a vibrant city with magnificent architecture and a rich history as the former capital of the Ottoman empire. Cover top sites like the Blue Mosque and the Spice Market on this action-packed guided trip, which offers 1-, 2-, or 3-day itineraries to best suit your schedule. Because it’s a private tour, you have plenty of time for questions along the way.
Here you can see the flexible daily tour itineraries below (7 hours per day):
Day 1 - Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square, German Fountain, Blue Mosque, 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, Kadıkoy Market (or alternative sites).
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99
Duration: 7–21 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: German, English, French, Spanish
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Highlights
- A comprehensive tour of Istanbul, with 1-, 2-, and 3-day options
- Marvel at Ottoman sites like Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque
- Shop like a local at the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar
- Private tour means plenty of personal attention
- Private tour
- Professional local guide
- Guide meets you at central hotels
What's not included- Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
- Museum/Ferry/Cable Car Tickets
- Lunch
- Gratitude (suggested)
- Entry/Admission - Hagia Sophia Mosque
- Entry/Admission - Bosphorus Strait
- Entry/Admission - Dolmabahce Palace
- Entry/Admission - Topkapı Palace
- Entry/Admission - Galata Tower
- Entry/Admission - Pierre Loti Tepesi
- Entry/Admission - Kadıköy Çarşısı
- Entry/Admission - Haliç
- Day one begins with a visit to the Hagia Sophia, a 6th-century Byzantine cathedral adorned in spectacular gold mosaics. Learn how the Blue Mosque got its nickname. You also have time to explore the treasures of Topkapi Palace, once home to the Ottoman sultans and their famous harems. If you opt for a 2-day tour, begin with a visit to the bustling Spice Market, where you can haggle for saffron alongside shoppers. Cruise down the famous Bosphorus, where you might catch sight of river dolphins, explore the vibrant pedestrian street of Istiklal, and make a stop at Galata Tower, a medieval stone monument with incredible panoramas over the city. The third day covers the Suleymaniye Mosque, the most beautiful of the Ottoman mosques, as well as the Byzantine frescoes in Chora Church. You also enjoy sweeping city views on a cable car ride on Pierre Loti Hill.
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Pickup details
- *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.
Port pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included ports.- Istanbul Cruise Port
- Galataport Istanbul, Kılıçali Paşa, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd. No: 8 İç Kapı No: 102, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Pushchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 11522P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- Skip the line service is not available for active mosques - there is a queue for the entrance.
- 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.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 11522P1
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- nathanielmadarang0 contributionsOne of the best family vacation we’ve ever had organized by the best travel company we’ve worked with!The tour arranged for us by Guided Istanbul Tours was top-notch. The itinerary maximized our time in Turkey which included stops in Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale. Our guides Merve, Hatice and Ceyla were very knowledgeable about the history and culture of each place that we visited. Every logistical detail was taken care of including airport transfers, private transport, venue tickets and domestic flights. All in all, a highly stress-free and relaxing family vacation for me and my family. I highly recommend Guided Istanbul Tours for anyone looking to travel to Turkey!Written 6 October 2024
- 953suanner0 contributionsA lesson for todayIt was certainly worth taking the private day tour to Gallipoliand the surrounding sites. Sercan was a great and knowledgeable guide. I valued the flexibility of being alone and being able to say how long I wanted to spend somewhere. Quite an emotional experience. I highly recommend this tour and guideWritten 3 October 2024
- I8821AAmarcb0 contributionsWhirlwind trip to CappadociaGuided Istanbul Tours did a great job for us. Our guide in Cappadocia was Ali Can Who was very knowledgeable, friendly and enjoyable to be with. We took this trip from a cruise ship that was docked in Istanbul for two nights, so it was quite a whirlwind trip. Guided Istanbul tours did a great job about making sure we saw the highlights and still made it back to the ship in time. We were even able to fit in the balloon ride at sunrise, which was spectacularWritten 28 September 2024
- ShariLKB0 contributionsA Street Food AdventureWith Atahan as our guide, we had a wonderful day exploring Istanbul! From the Rustem Pasha Mosque in Eminou, to the Spice Market, the ferry to Kadikoy and back to Karakoy with great food all along the way! Atahan offered many foods we’d be reluctant to try on our own, but were delighted to find that we enjoyed! Very flexible in adapting to our interested and time frame. Great way to spend my birthday! Highly recommend this tour with him!Written 27 September 2024
- Compass7777260 contributionsBook this company if in Istanbul or Ephesus!!!!We did a 2 day private tour in Istanbul with this company and had a wonderful experience!!! Our cruise ship cancelled the shore excursion we signed up for in Ephesus on short notice so we spoke to our guide in Istanbul (Ulke) to ask her what we should do there. She called her company and helped us arrange a private guide with a van & driver for the whole day! (And it cost less than 4 excursions by our cruise line!) Our guide’s name in Ephesus wasTigen Oral. can I please give her 10 STARS?!?!? She was so helpful, smart and full of energy! The 4 of us all agreed that this tour surpassed our expectations! So fun! So all I can say is don’t hesitate to book with this company! They are honest, reliable and have great guides and drivers. Thank you for the wonderful memories!Written 20 September 2024
- 543lubnad0 contributionsGulgun Travels TurkeyThis was the second time we have selected Gulgun Travels to organize trip for us. The travel agent Mr. Sarfaraz was knowledgeable, cooperative, caring, and extremely respectful. Gulgun Travels are always very responsive and attentive to your needs 24/7. The reason we have selected them each time was the best planning they had for us, safety, and reasonable rates. On top of everything the services they always provide you throughout your stay is amazing. They are very flexible and always willing to modify the itinerary according to our wish and needs.They have arranged group tours as well as private tours, and their transportation services were excellent. We are family of five, and I always trusted their expertise and their travel planning for my family. Highly recommended if you truly want to enjoy a family trip with fun and safety. Lubna and Hassan USAWritten 15 September 2024
- lindajm20170 contributionsMust do for Anzac TouristsIt was an incredibly moving and emotional experience and we were all thrilled to have been able to have the opportunity to share it. Our guide Ekrem was superb, knowledgeable and informative and the trip was made better with his humour and he looked after us well. The driver was awesome, dealing with some very gnarly city traffic to get us there and back safely. A very highly recommended trip for any Anzac touristWritten 12 September 2024
- jeremyhugha0 contributionsGreat tour, comfortable vehicle and good guide who spoke good English.Great tour, the guide spoke good English and was very informative. It was a long drive from Istanbul, however the vehicle was very comfortable.Written 3 September 2024
- ArielleL380 contributionsExcellent tour in IstanbulThis trip is a must. We were only in Istanbul for 22 hours and this tour allowed us to see many of the highlights! Ozlem, our incredible guide, was so knowledgeable and congenial. She was able to explain many of the important details, as well as historical and little known facts. We preferred to spend the extra money for the driver, but a walking tour only is also an option. The driver allowed us to learn more in the transitional times, and allowed a brief rest due to our jet lag.Written 31 August 2024
- Mark S0 contributionsQuick stop in IstanbulOur guide (Gurkan) was on time to meet us, knowledgeable, friendly, and interesting. He listened to our needs and got us back on time. A great tour of Istanbul on our long layover.Written 26 August 2024
- mixar20240 contributionsTotally worth it!I went with a friend and I had the best time in Turkey! This company took care of all of it, answered all my questions in time and I could not emphasize how highly I recommend them. I knew what I was looking for and they put a package together for my and my friend where they took care of all guided tours and transportation and even when our flights were cancelled last minute they were attentive to get us transportation to another airport and on a different flight. I am so thankful to them for the great experience I had on my first time in Turkey.Written 4 August 2024
- CBMAL0 contributionsMagical cruise stop in Istanbul made possible by the best tour guideOur group of 7 visited Istanbul with a cruise and only had a short amount of time (8-5) in port, we were lucky to have the best tour guide Ozzie to show us around and make us visit all the highlights. Ozzie is one of the best tour guides we've had in all our travels, it felt like touring with a friend. We learned and saw so much of this magical city. He went above and beyond in so many little ways (providing tram tickets, cutting the line at the attractions, changing our turkish liras into euros at the end,...) to make the whole day seamless and easy for us. I can't believe how much we managed to see in that short time, yet we never felt rushed and we got back to the cruise port with time to spare.Written 3 August 2024
- M8046PYstephend0 contributionsExcellent experience in this facinating country.Well worth it to book a private tour. Makes the trip so much more informative an enjoyable in this country steeped in history. Our guide Enver was very smart and friendly and it was nice to spend time with him touring the country. He is also a connoisseur of Turkish food and we ate at some great restaurants.Written 23 July 2024
- urswl0 contributionsBest Tour Organization in IstanbulWe hired a private tour and had all 4 days an absolutely fabulous experience with our guides Gaye in Istanbul and Ilyas en Cappadocia (both in fully spanish), including the excellent van drivers. The entire organization starting from the first contact with the office until boarding our flight back home, just exceeded by far our expectations. Congrats to all of them! You made our trip unforgettable!Written 16 July 2024
- posysilas0 contributionsGreat one day tour!Great tour! Ahmed was kind, knowledgeable, and experienced. I fully enjoyed the experience and will highly recommend his services!Written 16 July 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Marie O
Los Angeles, CA19 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
We chose the 2Day tour of Istanbul. Our tour guide was Oscar and he was amazing! One in our party has breathing difficulty due to asthma and Oscar was professional, knowledgeable and most importantly - patient! He pretty much anticipated our needs and adjusted the pace of the tour accordingly. I think his long-time experience as a guide has given him the natural instincts to work cohesively with his client's and provide excellent service. Oscar was forthright for us to manage our expectation with regards to the Blue Mosque as it was going thru renovation. Furthermore, he arranged for our Spice Market purchases to be delivered to our hotel so we need not lug them around with us as we continued with the Bosphorus Tour and D. Palace. Towards the end of the tour he surprised us with a pit stop at the best Baklava vendor in all of Istanbul! Thank you, Oscar for making our Istanbul experience special and memorable!
Mehmet from the head office was so pleasant to work with. We were initially caught off guard with the idea that the first day was completely a "walking tour". Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace are in and around "pedestrian only" zones. It's a good thing our hotel is in between HS and T Palace. Nonetheless, Mehmet was flexible with the booking and offered the option of cancelling the 2nd day should the first day's all day walking tour prove too much for us to handle. We truly appreciated his concern and flexibility.
We highly recommend this tour company as well as the tours they offer. We wish we stayed longer in Istanbul. We would've booked the 3day tour for certain.
Mehmet from the head office was so pleasant to work with. We were initially caught off guard with the idea that the first day was completely a "walking tour". Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace are in and around "pedestrian only" zones. It's a good thing our hotel is in between HS and T Palace. Nonetheless, Mehmet was flexible with the booking and offered the option of cancelling the 2nd day should the first day's all day walking tour prove too much for us to handle. We truly appreciated his concern and flexibility.
We highly recommend this tour company as well as the tours they offer. We wish we stayed longer in Istanbul. We would've booked the 3day tour for certain.
Written 20 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rishi
Chicago, IL45 contributions
Jan 2020
I paid for the 3 day package. Here's the itinerary for the 3 days:
Day 1: Dolmabahce Palace, Spice Market, Bosphorus Cruise, Taksim Square with Istiklal Street. (Duration is approximately 7 hours)
Day 2: Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace Museum, Basilica Cistern Museum, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar. (Tour will be operated mostly as walking tour and duration is approximately 7 hours).
Day 3: Pierre Lotti Hill, Chora Church Museum, Fener-Balat District Walk, Suleymaniye Mosque. (Duration is approximately 7 hours)
Day one and two are walking or taking a cab to the sites with your tour guide. For day 3, we purchased the transport service which is definitely necessary. You don't need to purchase transport for day 1-2. Cabs and metro are very cheap and easy. You can't do this on day 3, because the sites are remote. Our tour guide Emre was great! Would recommend him.
Couple of things: There's definite value in hiring a tour guide. Lines are long at some places and the tour guides can skip the lines and get you in ASAP. Its more efficient. Overall, the only downside was the weather. Most of Istanbul can be seen by walking and its hard to do when its snowing, raining or freezing outside. Its definitely pricey, but would strongly suggest for anyone who's never been to Instabul. Also a strong recommendation - get the pocket WIFI. I thought that was very helpful. Note that lunch is not included in tour package (and neither are tickets).
Day 1: Dolmabahce Palace, Spice Market, Bosphorus Cruise, Taksim Square with Istiklal Street. (Duration is approximately 7 hours)
Day 2: Hagia Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace Museum, Basilica Cistern Museum, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar. (Tour will be operated mostly as walking tour and duration is approximately 7 hours).
Day 3: Pierre Lotti Hill, Chora Church Museum, Fener-Balat District Walk, Suleymaniye Mosque. (Duration is approximately 7 hours)
Day one and two are walking or taking a cab to the sites with your tour guide. For day 3, we purchased the transport service which is definitely necessary. You don't need to purchase transport for day 1-2. Cabs and metro are very cheap and easy. You can't do this on day 3, because the sites are remote. Our tour guide Emre was great! Would recommend him.
Couple of things: There's definite value in hiring a tour guide. Lines are long at some places and the tour guides can skip the lines and get you in ASAP. Its more efficient. Overall, the only downside was the weather. Most of Istanbul can be seen by walking and its hard to do when its snowing, raining or freezing outside. Its definitely pricey, but would strongly suggest for anyone who's never been to Instabul. Also a strong recommendation - get the pocket WIFI. I thought that was very helpful. Note that lunch is not included in tour package (and neither are tickets).
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mahmood1991
Nelson, UK2 contributions
Apr 2021
I booked this tour for a large family group of about 10-12 people. I contacted the company via whatsapp to adjust the itinerary as I thought some of the children might get tired walking around for the whole tour which they had no problem with.
We were met by Oscar in the lobby of our hotel. He was very patient with us and really good with the children in the group throughout the whole tour!!!
Throughout the tour Oscar explained everything in detail and even stopped for questions, his English is great and I would definitely recommend booking him as you will miss out on so much information and history without a guide. We caught some of these places at quiet time due to Covid and were not stuck in any queues or rush. We got to visit all sites without any waiting around and got to enjoy each area!! I would definitely recommend visiting Topkapi palace and Aya Sofia! both very beautiful places with so much history!
At the end of the tour, Oscar added a few more stops when he realised we were not tired out - Thank you for this!! We finished the tour a little earlier so he was even willing to take us to another area if we were up for walking a little further out but by this time the group was ready for food! ( even though he would have waited for us to finish eating.)
I would definitely recommend asking for Oscar if you book this tour - he has a lot of knowledge of the history in Istanbul and was amazing with group!
We were met by Oscar in the lobby of our hotel. He was very patient with us and really good with the children in the group throughout the whole tour!!!
Throughout the tour Oscar explained everything in detail and even stopped for questions, his English is great and I would definitely recommend booking him as you will miss out on so much information and history without a guide. We caught some of these places at quiet time due to Covid and were not stuck in any queues or rush. We got to visit all sites without any waiting around and got to enjoy each area!! I would definitely recommend visiting Topkapi palace and Aya Sofia! both very beautiful places with so much history!
At the end of the tour, Oscar added a few more stops when he realised we were not tired out - Thank you for this!! We finished the tour a little earlier so he was even willing to take us to another area if we were up for walking a little further out but by this time the group was ready for food! ( even though he would have waited for us to finish eating.)
I would definitely recommend asking for Oscar if you book this tour - he has a lot of knowledge of the history in Istanbul and was amazing with group!
Written 4 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Crystina G
Texas43 contributions
We booked the 1 day tour without transport (our hotel was located close proximity to all stops). Our guide, Kamel, met us at the lobby right in time. We walked to the palace first, he explained the history as we went along the journey. He was extremely knowledgeable and fun with his delivery with the time line and background of the Palace. We then headed off toward the church nearby. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) was next. It was under renovation so we were not able to see the dome ceiling, but it still is worth it. So much history and energy here. We then went over to the Hagia Sophia, Kamel continued to explain how good was originally a church, and later converted into a mosque. You are able to see the original mosaics and paintings of angels. Very magical place. We opted out of the grand Bazaar as we happened to go on our own the day before. But Kamel did go over the history of it with us over lunch.
Overall, Kamel provided one of the most pleasant and relaxed tour I have ever been on. The private tour is the way to go here.
Few tips: Men and women cannot show legs above the knee, and if you are wearing leggings, you will need to cover as well. All places will have coverings available for head and legs if needed.
Bring cash, it will be 200tl per person for the Palace and church.
Hagia Sophia will charge 20tl for a disposable coverings.
Overall, Kamel provided one of the most pleasant and relaxed tour I have ever been on. The private tour is the way to go here.
Few tips: Men and women cannot show legs above the knee, and if you are wearing leggings, you will need to cover as well. All places will have coverings available for head and legs if needed.
Bring cash, it will be 200tl per person for the Palace and church.
Hagia Sophia will charge 20tl for a disposable coverings.
Written 22 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Victoria C
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Friends
We booked the 2 day private tour of Istanbul, and we are convinced there is no better way of being introduced to the city! Our tour guide, Caner, was excellent. He was very attentive and knowledgeable about the history of the city. He was also very flexible and accommodating to our itinerary, which we customized each day, based on what we wanted to see, and how long we wanted to stay at a particular location. Caner made our experience so memorable - we got a city tour, shopping tour, local food tour, Bosphorus tour, and cultural tour all in 2 days! With a local (who also served as our private translator and photographer!) who knew the best places to go, at the best times, to avoid lines. Even at Hagia Sohphia! Also, adding the option of private van is a must! Taxis and public transportation are challenging in a city of 20 million, and it made the entire experience an absolute delight. I highly recommend Guided Istanbul Tours for anyone who is experiencing Istanbul for the first time!!!
Written 8 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jhpayawal
1 contribution
Nov 2020
We enjoyed a beautiful fall day with our tour guide, Ceren. She met us at our hotel lobby and we took a taxi over to the Old City for what would be a very informative but relaxing tour of Istanbul's major historic sites. The tour was paced well and there was plenty of opportunity to stop, sit, and just enjoy the surroundings. Ceren was very knowledgeable about the history of all the sites we toured. She was friendly and personable. I liked that we got to know her as a person too. We had lunch at a local restaurant where the food was delicious and tasted home-cooked. The staff at the restaurant were very attentive and hospitable. We enjoyed shopping at the Grand Bazaar and with local state-sponsored artisans outside of the Bazaar. We never felt rushed with Ceren- in fact, we went over the 8hrs! Overall, I would highly recommend a private tour of the historic sites, unless you yourself are a history buff and know all the history already. Even if that, a tour guide can assist you in getting comfortable with the layout, customs of Istanbul so that you feel comfortable exploring on your own! looking forward to returning to Turkey and seeing more of the country.
Written 13 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kentman1964
Snodland43 contributions
Mar 2022
Gizem was a great guide and introduced us to many different aspects of life in Istanbul. We had the two day tour and opted for transport on the second day. The pace Gizem set was just right and the amount of information she passed over was pitched at the perfect level. A small private tour such as this is well worth the cost as it becomes tailored personally too you.
If we were to do this again we wouldn’t use the private transport on day two. A mini bus to carry about 12 really was overkill and we could have simply used taxis which would reduce the cost by about $100.
This was an excellent tour and we wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the tour and especially Gizem our guide.
If we were to do this again we wouldn’t use the private transport on day two. A mini bus to carry about 12 really was overkill and we could have simply used taxis which would reduce the cost by about $100.
This was an excellent tour and we wouldn’t hesitate in recommending the tour and especially Gizem our guide.
Written 1 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GlobeTrotting738458
2 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We started our tour at 9 am. Ozgur came to our hotel and so we started our day. We saw Aya Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Palace, the Basilisque Cistern and Grand Bazaar. Ozgur was really friendly and he knew pretty much everything about the city and whatever extra we asked him, always answering with a smile. We can highly recommend him if you want to see the city on a nice pace with just the right amount of information. Thank you so much man, all the best!
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dreww
4 contributions
Jun 2022
I had a one day tour with Caner and he was a excellent tour guide. Caner is very passionate about history, culture, and his love of the city of Istanbul that you cannot help but also love Istanbul more at the end of the tour than when you started.
I went during a high tourist season and Caner did a great job of navigating through the historical sights so we got the shortest lines/ least waits. as a solo travaler i appreciated the many photos Caner took for me at many of the famous landmarks. my Family & Friends agreed that the best photos of my trip were the ones Caner took.
we actually we able to see more sights than was planned so you get great value out of this tour. I had some hard to find gift and Caner was able to take me to the right places to buy them. at the end of the tour i can vouch that he knows really good places to eat ( my best rooftop bar was one of his recommendations!)
Caner really cares about his guest , after the entire day of walking up and down hills i was exhausted and Caner made sure i made it back to my hotel safe.
I would book Caner again when i'm back in Istanbul for the 2 or 3 day tours he is a excellent tour guide ,with Caner its not like other tours where its a dude with a flag reading a script, with Caner its like having a friend show you around his city
I went during a high tourist season and Caner did a great job of navigating through the historical sights so we got the shortest lines/ least waits. as a solo travaler i appreciated the many photos Caner took for me at many of the famous landmarks. my Family & Friends agreed that the best photos of my trip were the ones Caner took.
we actually we able to see more sights than was planned so you get great value out of this tour. I had some hard to find gift and Caner was able to take me to the right places to buy them. at the end of the tour i can vouch that he knows really good places to eat ( my best rooftop bar was one of his recommendations!)
Caner really cares about his guest , after the entire day of walking up and down hills i was exhausted and Caner made sure i made it back to my hotel safe.
I would book Caner again when i'm back in Istanbul for the 2 or 3 day tours he is a excellent tour guide ,with Caner its not like other tours where its a dude with a flag reading a script, with Caner its like having a friend show you around his city
Written 24 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Omar S
Springfield, IL5 contributions
Feb 2020
Emri was a fantastic guide who helped my whole family truly understand and appreciate the history and beauty behind the various sites we visited. His historical tour through Topaki Palace was the highlight. He was very patient with questions and looked up information for us to help us for the rest of our trip in Istanbul.
Mehmet from Istanbul Guided Tours was able to put together a luxury minivan, diligent driver, and Emri as a guide within an hour; we booked the tour the morning of (last minute plans on our part). After having used this tour company today, I can understand why they are so highly rated. I look forward to using their services again when I plan a visit to other parts of Turkey later this year.
Mehmet from Istanbul Guided Tours was able to put together a luxury minivan, diligent driver, and Emri as a guide within an hour; we booked the tour the morning of (last minute plans on our part). After having used this tour company today, I can understand why they are so highly rated. I look forward to using their services again when I plan a visit to other parts of Turkey later this year.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Please let me know the price of 2 options for 1 & 2 days tour of Istanbul top attractions.
1. With entrance fee
2. Without entrance fee
Written 21 September 2024
Is Istanbul safe right now for a solo female traveler? (If I do not go out after dark or drink alcohol).
Written 26 August 2024
Yes, but, you will get hit on relentlessly.
Written 17 September 2024
How's the TripCorner travel agency, anyone used this for vacation/trip in the past, any insight feedback appreciate it.
Written 9 March 2024
It is our first time to Istanbul for my daughter and me, and we will have one full day there. Your tour looks perfect! We have not booked our hotel and would love recommendations in the range of $100-125 USD/night. Kindly, Rose Rosenthal
Written 9 January 2024
I would highly recommend the Hilton Doubletree at Istanbul Sirkeci.
Large rooms, clean, convenient breakfast included.
Just stayed there the beginning of Dec. 2023
Written 12 January 2024
Salve mi occorre prenotare una guida per un giorno con lingua italiana domenica 10 mi date disponibilità grazie mille
Written 8 December 2023
Salve mi occorre prenotare una guida per un giorno con lingua italiana domenica 10 mi date disponibilità grazie
Written 8 December 2023
I recommend hiring guide for day 1 as the next day we knew where everything was located and walking distance and we had the lay of the land, we were able to navigate the spice market, cruise and bazaar on our own leisure. She took us for 8 hours to see all the important sites as you mentioned and she got mobile tickets, fast queue and navigated the prayer times so we maximized our visits. The Hagia Sophia was about $30 each? And mosque free. Cistern you could do on your own, we walked past it when she took us thru the park. Everywhere in Istanbul take local and American dollars. Email me if you need more info
Written 31 October 2023
My partner and I are keen to cover several historical sites in Istanbul over two days (2 and 3 November), and your 2-day tour looks very comprehensive, flexible, and well-reviewed.
Before we book, we wanted to confirm the following:
To what extent is the itinerary flexible? We are keen to focus on the historical sites - Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahce Palace, Suleymaniye Mosque, Hippodrome etc. We're happy to visit the Grand Bazaar/Spice Market if there is time, but this isn't a priority for us. We don't want to do any shopping. We do want to do the Bosphorus cruise.
We understand that museum fees are extra, please could you confirm if the guide will queue for us to get these tickets, and also how much the fees are for each site?
The itinerary says that we will be 'walking by' Basilica Cistern. Please could you confirm if there is a way to go inside? As mentioned above, we are happy to skip the markets/shops to prioritise this.
Day 2 (3 November) is a Friday. There don't seem to be any mosques on the itinerary for this day - please could you confirm that we can cover all the mosques on Day 1?
Thanks!
Written 30 October 2023
Hi there ,
The guide can only cut the queue for you for the Baslilica .
The mosques are all open to the public ( between prayers ) and the guides cannot do anything but wait in the queue with you .
DAY1 is more than enough to do the Hagia , Blue mosque , Topkapi and Basilica as all within spitting distance of each other . ( and the Grand bazaar is a short walk ) . The Basilica is open to the public and wonderful to see so not sure why your tour is a walk past . ( Friday is prayer day ) .
Mosques are free , and the Topkapi and Baslilica cost but it was very reasonable so don’t ven remember what it cost .
Grand Bazaar can easily be missed - just shopping and the Spice market can be done in 30 mins as really just rinse and repeat after the first 20 stalls .
Written 9 December 2023
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