Private Istanbul Shore Excursion: Old City Tour from Galataport
- 7 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Discover Istanbul’s iconic landmarks on a private Istanbul shore excursion for cruise passengers and hotel guests. Meet your licensed local guide at Galataport Cruise Port or a central hotel and explore the historic Old City comfortably. This private Istanbul sightseeing tour includes famous highlights such as Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome Square, Topkapi Palace, the Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar. Unlike crowded Istanbul historical tours, this private and personalized experience allows you to adjust the route according to your interests, walking pace, and available time. Your guide will carefully manage the schedule for cruise guests and assist with the return to Galataport before the ship’s departure. Guiding service and public tram transportation are included, while entrance tickets, meals, and personal expenses are excluded. Guide will allow you to skip-the-ticket line support at the entrances of Museum and it will be helpfull for cruise guests.
Inclusions
What's included
- Pickup from Galataport Cruise or centrally located hotels
- Pickup with A/C Car/Van
- Assistance with purchasing entrace tickets
- Professional Licensed Tour Guide
- Careful scheduling for your return to the cruise port
What's not
- Tips to guide is not included
- Food and Drinks are excluded our guide will recommend you best restaurant in Old City
- Museum and attraction entrance tickets
- Personal Expenses
Itinerary
Meet your licensed private guide at Galataport Cruise Port. After a brief introduction, travel to Istanbul’s historic Old City by public tram or private vehicle, depending on the option selected.
Visit one of the most famous landmarks included in Istanbul sightseeing tours. Admire the Blue Mosque’s elegant domes, six minarets, spacious courtyard, and beautiful blue İznik tiles. The mosque may be temporarily closed to visitors during prayer times.
Explore the courtyards of Topkapi Palace, the former residence and administrative center of the Ottoman sultans. Hear stories about palace life, imperial ceremonies, royal collections, and the powerful Ottoman Empire.
Begin your Istanbul historical tour at the former sporting and ceremonial center of Constantinople. See the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpent Column, and German Fountain while hearing stories about Roman chariot races, imperial ceremonies, and daily life in the Byzantine capital.
Descend beneath the streets of Istanbul to visit the atmospheric Basilica Cistern. Walk among hundreds of ancient marble columns and see the famous Medusa heads inside this impressive Byzantine underground reservoir
Explore one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world. Browse traditional Turkish ceramics, carpets, jewelry, leather products, and handicrafts while receiving practical shopping and bargaining advice from your private guide.
Unique time to Discover Turkish Handcrafts ( Turkish Carpets, Leathers, ceramics) shopping opportunities
Discover the history of Hagia Sophia, one of Istanbul’s most important monuments. Learn how this remarkable building served as a Byzantine cathedral, an Ottoman mosque, and a museum before becoming a mosque again.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- The Turkiye Tours
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Istanbul
- Its from-price is 35% below the median of the 3649 experiences we list in Istanbul.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- 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).
Special offers in Istanbul
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
