Private Guided Best of Istanbul Tour 1,2 or 3 Days, Istanbul

About this activity

Prepare to be awed by Istanbul’s magnificent architecture, rich history, and eclectic bazaars as you discover the unmissable highlights of the Old City on this 1-, 2-, or 3-day private tour.

Take the time to explore Istanbul’s most magnificent sites at your own pace with a full-day, guided tour of the city's historic places and landmarks. Follow in the footsteps of charioteers and Roman soldiers at the Hippodrome

Marvel over the glorious Hagia Sophia, learn how the Blue Mosque earned its famous nickname, and see the ancient Basilica Cistern. Tour Topkapi Palace to gain an insight into the lavish lifestyles of the Ottoman sultans and their harem, and browse the legendary Grand Bazaar, where you find everything from carpets to Turkish delight.

•Exclusive Istanbul tour led by a private guide

•Comprehensive tour of the city over one, two, or three days

•Explore the local streets on a walking tour of the city

•Customize the itinerary according to your schedule

Multi-day Tours Bus Tours Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Cultural Tours Historical Tours Ports of Call Tours City Tours

At a glance

Duration: 3 days
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: German, English, French, Spanish
Operated by: Tempel Travel

What is included

Included

Included: Professional local guide
Included: Private tour
Included: Guide meets you at central hotels

Not included

Not included: Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
Not included: Museum/Ferry/Cable Car Tickets
Not included: Lunch

Itinerary

Day 1 · 1- Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour ( Old City Tour)

Sultanahmet District

15 min

Sultanahmet District
German Fountain

15 min

German Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
Hippodrome

15 min

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.
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

one hour Admission not included

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.
Blue Mosque

one hour

Built between 1609-1616 for Sultan Ahmet I of the Ottoman Empire,, this impressive mosque has six minarets. Why is it called "Blue Mosque?" There are two stories: the first, more common one is that the interior is covered in Blue İznik tiles. The second is: many years ago, ancient sailors who sailed by the mosque on the Marmara Sea saw the blue colors of the sea reflected in the mosque.
Basilica Cistern

one hour Admission not included

The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns beneath the city that provided a water filtration system for the buildings nearby. This underground chamber measures approximately 138 meters (453 ft) by 64.6 meters (212 ft) and is capable of holding 80,000 cubic meters (2,800,000 cu ft) of water. The ceiling is supported by 336 marble columns.
TopkapI Palace

2 hours Admission not included

This enormous 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.
Grand Bazaar

one hour

Final destination is the world-famous authentic Grand Bazaar renowned being the biggest covered bazaar in the world. This colorful, one of a kind bazaar with more than 4000 shops bursting with traditional textiles, tiles, handmade products, jewelry and much more attract both local and tourists from all around the world.

Day 2 · 2- Days Private Guided Istanbul Tour – (Bosphorus Region Tour)

Bosphorus Strait

2 hours Admission not included

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.
Dolmabahce Palace

one hour Admission not included

This palace was built in the mid 1800s to replace an earlier structure that was made of wood. The new palace incorporated sixteen separate buildings with stables, a flour mill and a clock tower among them.
Taksim Square

one hour

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.
Istiklal Caddesi

45 min

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.
Galata Tower

10 min Admission not included

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. 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.
Misir Carsisi

45 min

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.

Day 3 · 3- Days Private Guided Istanbul Tour (Golden Horn Tour)

Historic Areas of Istanbul

10 min

Historic Areas of Istanbul
Suleymaniye Mosque

one hour

Famed architect Sinan built this majestic structure for one of the greatest rulers of the Ottoman Empire. Although this mosque is less ornate, there are many similarities between it and the Hagia Sophia since the same architect was responsible for both.
Balat

2 hours

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.
Fener Rum Patrikhanesi

45 min

Orthodox Patriarch
Bulgarian Orthodox Church

45 min

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.
Pierre Loti

30 min Admission not included

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.
Rahmi M. Koc Museum

1 h 30 min Admission not included

The Rahmi M. Koç Museum is the first major museum in Turkey dedicated to the history of Transport, Industry and Communications. Housed in magnificent buildings - themselves prime examples of industrial archaeology - on the shore of the historic Golden Horn, the collection contains thousands of items from gramophone needles to full size ships and aircraft.
Halic

30 min

Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.

Meeting point and pickup

You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.

Meeting point

End point

Pickup points

Harbour Suites Old City
Atlantis Royal Hotel
Han 1772 Hotel
Xenia Hotel Istanbul
AHC Ayasofya Hotel - Special Class
Meddusa Hotel
Gulhane Corner Hotel
Akdeniz Hotel
Faros Hotel Old City
Kupeli Hotel
The Hotel Istanbul
Best Town Palace

and 509 more pickup points

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

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Options

3-Days Private Istanbul Tour

3 Day Private Istanbul Tour : Istanbul Old City Tour + Istanbul Bosphorus Region Tour + Istanbul Golden Horn Tour
2-Days Private Istanbul Tour

2- Day Private Istanbul Tour: Istanbul Old City Tour and Istanbul Bosphorus Region Tour
1-Day Private Guide & Van Tour

Private Guide & Mercedes Vito

Pickup included
1-Day Private Istanbul Tour

Old City Tour : Istanbul Old City Tour: Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar