Best of Istanbul Private Guided Tour
FromTRY 100
1 days – 3 days
Istanbul, Turkey
About this activity
Experience Istanbul's rich history and vibrant culture with a private guided tour, customizable over 1 to 3 days, featuring iconic landmarks and personalized insights.
Highlights
- Explore the majestic Hagia Sophia
- Wander through the opulent Topkapi Palace
- Marvel at the intricate Blue Mosque
- Shop at the bustling Grand Bazaar
- Cruise along the scenic Bosphorus Strait
Full description
Dive into the heart of Istanbul with a private guided tour that brings the city's storied past and lively present to life. Choose between 1, 2, or 3-day itineraries tailored to your interests. Visit the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia, the lavish Topkapi Palace, and the stunning Blue Mosque. Lose yourself in the vibrant Grand Bazaar, a haven for shoppers and culture enthusiasts alike. Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, offering panoramic views of the city's skyline. This tour offers a personalized experience, ensuring you see the best of Istanbul at your own pace.
Included / Excluded
- Private guided tour of Istanbul's historic sites
- Flexible 1, 2, or 3-day itinerary options
- Personalized experience tailored to your interests
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
1
Sultanahmet District
Duration: 15 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
2
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 hourAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
3
Germa Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
Duration: 15 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
4
Sultanahmet Square
Duration: 15 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
5
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 hourAdmission: NO
6
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 hoursAdmission: NO
7
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 hourAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
8
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 hoursAdmission: NO
9
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 hourAdmission: NO
10
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 hourAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
11
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 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
12
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 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
13
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 minAdmission: NO
14
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 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
15
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 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
16
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 hourAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
17
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 hoursAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
18
Orthodox Patriarch
Duration: 45 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
19
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Duration: 10 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
20
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 minAdmission: NO
21
Formerly Church of St. Saviour in Chora is renowned worldwide for its well-preserved mosaics and frescoes. It presents important and beautiful examples of East Roman painting in its last period. The idea of depth in mosaics and the moving style in figures are of outstanding artistic significance in the Middle Ages, foretelling the Renaissance period.
Duration: 1h 30mAdmission: NO
22
Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.
Duration: 30 minAdmission: NO
23
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 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE
Meeting point
Start Location
German Fountain, Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour availability may vary; check the latest schedule
- Confirm the duration and itinerary with the tour operator
- Be aware of any local holidays that might affect site access
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for exploring historic sites
- Bring a hat and sunscreen for outdoor activities
- Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated during the tour
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 1 days before the activity starts
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Stroller Accessible
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
- Infant Seats Available
Good to know
- 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)
Traveler reviews
5.09,418 reviews
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Atilim did an amazing tour…highly recommend!
Atilim was just perfect. He is very knowledgeable, patiently answered all of our many questions and generously offered us so much of his time. You can tell he has a love for Istanbul and the Turkish people (we agree!). We learned a ton and enjoyed his company. Thank you, Atilim!
Erin CMay 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Family vacation to Istanbul, Turkey
Our tour guide Kadir Kurt was so knowledgeable and accommodating! One person in our group had knee problems and he took us through alternate routes so we could stay together as a family and still see everything. Would highly recommended!!
whitecamel74May 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Our guide Sude was...
Our guide Sude was absolutely lovely and her knowledge was reflected in her passion on the tour. She had an amazing ability to bring to life every attraction.
Kim_EMay 25, 2026VIATOR
Great experience!
We had a great experience with Aisha Ozlem Yesildag!
HarryNigRosenMay 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Great 2 day tour of Istanbul
Excellent tour with knowlegeable tour guide Murat.
DominikB2177May 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR
Additional information
If one of the mosques or museums is not visited, Basilica Cistern will be visited as a replacement.
On Fridays, Hagia Sophia and/or Blue Mosque will be visited in the afternoon.
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives such as Turkish And Islamic Arts Museum or Archaeological Museum or Basilica Cistern.
Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be 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.
Grand Bazaar and Spice Market is closed during Eid. (March 30, 31, April 1, June 6, 7, 8, 9 in 2025)
Openings of museums may be affected from National Holidays.