Istanbul Shore Excursion: Small-Group Bosphorus Cruise and Istanbul Egyptian Bazaar

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Choose from a morning or afternoon tour, and then start your shore excursion with a pickup from the Port of Istanbul. As you travel through the city, sit back and relax as your onboard guide talks about Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar — your first destination of the tour. One of the city’s most colorful and bustling attractions, the market has operated since the 17th century and remains as popular with locals as it is with visitors. Hop out of your coach and head inside the market while breathing in its heady aromas of fragrant spices and herbs. Hear tips for interesting stalls to visit from your guide, and then enjoy roughly 45 minutes of free time to explore and shop at leisure. After shopping and sightseeing around the famous souk, travel by coach to the banks of the Bosphorus Strait for your cruise. Learn about the famous stretch of water that straddles both the Asian and European continents as you travel, and then board your sightseeing boat for the cruise. Take a seat out on deck or inside the cabin, and cruise past an impressive selection of Istanbul’s showpiece sights. Look out for Dolmabahçe Palace with its decadent façade, 15th-century Rumeli Hisarı Fortress and Beylerbeyi Palace where Ottoman-era sultans spent their summer vacations. Your route takes in sights on both the European and Asian shores and, in addition to Istanbul’s big-name attractions, the cruise also passes some the city’s lesser-known gems: mosques, fortresses, palaces and more. After admiring the sights of the Bosphorus Strait from the water, return to land and finally finish your experience with a port drop-off. Worry-Free Shore Excursion: We will ensure your timely return to the Port of Istanbul for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of-call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.

   1.5 hAdmission included

2. spice bazaar

   45 min

3. Passing through the Galata Bridge

   Passes by

4. Watching the golden horn crossing the bridge

   Passes by

5. Walkıng ın the hıstorıcal Eminonu square

   10 min

6. Pass under the Bosphorus brıdge that connects the two contınents

   Passes by

7. View the Palace outside

   Passes by

8. View the Palace outside

   Passes by

9. View the Fortress outside

   Passes by

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 23 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Istanbul

• Its from-price is 40% below the median of the 3649 experiences we list in Istanbul.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 659 of 3649.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Istanbul

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, with Byzantine and Ottoman monuments, busy bazaars and ferries crossing between continents.

The historic peninsula holds the greatest landmarks. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome face each other in Sultanahmet, the Basilica Cistern lies beneath the streets, and Topkapı Palace spreads across the hill above the Golden Horn. A short walk away, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar have traded for centuries, and Süleymaniye Mosque, built by the great Ottoman architect Sinan, crowns one of the city's seven hills.

Top-ranked sights in Istanbul: Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi), Bosphorus, Bosphorus Bridge (Bogazici Koprusu).

See all 3649 experiences in Istanbul