Unlock Istanbul's Soul: Private 1-3 Day Guided Discovery
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, Chora Church (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.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
3 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
annettemH8567RN, 10/22/2025 1:56:12 PM
This was such a wonderful experience. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and passionate in regard of his native land. He tailored the excursion to optimize our time and still include so many wonderful sites in the historic, bustling city of Istanbul. I highly recommend this tour - 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
Yelena K, 10/22/2025 9:47:39 AM
It was a spectacular tour of Istanbul. Gizem is a perfect guide! Knowledge, fun, and patient. Also very helpful. My husband and I enjoy every minute of this walking tour! Very highly recommended!
jessicat750, 10/21/2025 3:38:48 PM
We loved our tour of Istanbul! Sema was gracious and very knowledgeable. She timed our tour to the various sites so that we never really encountered long lines or crowded venues. When we decided we needed to stop for a break and get a coffee she brought us to a tucked away local place. She handily answered all of our questions and gave us great recommendations for places to eat and even helped us book a wonderful Turkish bath. I would very highly recommend Sema!
stuartsW6054RH, 10/21/2025 2:39:48 PM
Hakan did a wonderful job showing us the city highlights. We were a party of four and chose the 1-day tour with van. He picked us up at our hotel on time, and was flexible to answer our questions, stay as long as we needed at the stops to take them in and get photos. We never felt rushed. He was engaging and friendly, always the gentleman and did a great job teaching us about the city of Istanbul, then getting us back to our hotel at the end. Highly recommended!!
Stephan_M, 10/21/2025 11:45:21 AM
Fantastic service from our guide. Well organized, good historical information, and we really appreciated being able to skip lines and get in more quickly.
Ray C, 10/21/2025 10:26:43 AM
Had a very nice holiday in Istanbul at the Taxi Goren hotel just 5 minutes away from taxi square. A very busy city but fill of life from morning to late at night. Close ta all amenities from restaurants offering s variety of local and intercontinental cuisine to a large shopping area where you can find all sorts of items. Money changing bureaus giving a good exchange rate where present as well. Historical areas and palaces where only a few minutes drive away. All in all Avery nice experience to have to last you a lifetime.
jgR2676JE, 10/21/2025 9:31:42 AM
I had a great private tour with Bahri Onur for one day in Istanbul. Bahri was incredibly knowledgeable and kind and adjusted to my interests and pacing as we explored the old city sites. He speaks both English and Indonesian so it was fun to practice a bit of Indonesian with him as well!
Marianne_G, 10/21/2025 9:07:51 AM
Hagia Sophia was amazing. We enjoyed riding the tram to and from our ship. We also very much enjoyed the sisterne. Istanbul is a fascinating city and having a guide is helpful. Our guide was good, but not great. Also he kept coughing and told us he had a virus. If he had a virus, he shouldn't have been taking us on the tour. We didn't have time to go to the Blue Mosque.
Lei_H, 10/21/2025 4:06:47 AM
It was a perfect day for us. Our guide, Ada, is very knowledgeable and experienced. She arranged the schedule perfectly so that we don’t need to spend lots of time waiting in the line.
323susanna, 10/21/2025 3:12:01 AM
We had a wonderful two day tour of Istanbul with our guide Ozzy. The first day we had a driver and we were on foot the second day. Izzy was very knowledgeable and we learned so much about the history of the area and the top attractions. He showed us all the highlights and he knew which sights to see first to avoid the crowds. Ozzy gave us great dining recommendations and knew the best shops. By the end of our two days we considered him a friend and we can’t recommend him enough!
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The suggested first-day tour is designed as a walking tour, with transportation needed only between the hotel and the Old Town if the hotel is outside old town.
- The suggested second-day tour can be easily managed by public transportation
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives such as Turkish And Islamic Arts Museum or Archaeological Museum or Basilica Cistern.
- If one of the mosques or museums is not visited, Basilica Cistern will be visited as a replacement.
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and replaced with Spice Market.
- Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Due to museum regulations, live guide service is not available at Dolmabahce Palace.
- 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.
- On Fridays, Blue Mosque will be visited in the afternoon.
- Grand Bazaar and Spice Market is closed during Eid. (March 20-22, May 27-30 in 2026)
Departure point
Contact details of your tour guide will be provided ahead of your trip. This will allow you to get in touch directly to clarify any questions, confirm meeting points, or coordinate arrival times.Return details
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, Chora Church (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.No redemption information available
24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund