Private Istanbul Tour with Local Expert Guide & Hidden Gems
- 6–8 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Have your own private guide to discover Istanbul’s magnificent architecture, rich history, eclectic bazaars and the unmissable highlights of the Old City. Flexiable daily itinerary that can be customized according to your schedule. AVOID THE TICKET LINES for HAGIA SOPHIA, TOPKAPI PALACE and BASILICA CISTERN * Enjoy the flexibility of your day * Discover the city and learn about everything from Expert Guides * Enjoy the Turkish Cuisine * Explore the Bazaars and local streets and more.... Recommended Itinerary; Day 1 - Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, St Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar
Inclusions
What's included
- Guides meet you at the central hotels
- Private Tour - Only for your Group Members
- Avoid Ticket Lines at Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace
- Professional Licenced Tour Guide
What's not
- Gratuties (Recommended)
- Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
- Meals during the tour
- Museum/Ferry/Cable Car Tickets
Itinerary
Hippodrome was the arena for chariot races back in the Roman time. Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Coloum, Obelisk of Constantinople will be seen.
Blue Mosque is the most decorative mosque built by Ottomans in 1616AD. Its name was derived from almost 20k blue colored, imperial tiles that decorates the interior.
Hagia Sophia was the greatest catedrel of medival age and it is such a structure where you can see the islamic and christian icons side by side. Upper Galleries are open to the visitors as museum and main ground is being used as mosque. Entrance fee is 25 Euros. *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.
Topkapi Palace was the main palace of Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years. You will see one of the best treaury collection in the world including 86 carats spoonmakers" diamond. Holly Relics, Kitchen, Clock and some other sections will be visited too. Closed on Tuesdays - Entrance fee is about 50usd
Basilica cistern was built in 6th century as an underground water reservuar for the city. As the pagan temples were recyled for the cunstraction, it houses the head of medusa from 3rd century AD. Entrance fee is about 30usd pp
Grand Bazaar is the biggest and oldest shopping mall in the world. It was built in 1461 and has more than 4000 shops in there. You can shop for good quality carpets, leather products, souveniours and more. Closed on Sundays
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 57
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Ratings come from 7 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
- Meeting point
- It is in the hearth of the old city, just by the Blue Mosque
- Pickup
- Pickup is offered, or you can meet at the starting point.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Bosphorus Gate
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Skip the line service is not available for active mosques - there is a line for the entrance.
- Ladies needs to cover their head with a scarf during mosque visits
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays
- Our Tour guides can provide Hagia Sophia QR tickets to skip the ticket line in Hagia Sophia. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.
- For the tours that start after 10:30 am, kindly note that you may have to skip one/ couple of sites as the sites are closed by 5 pm in winters and 7pm in Summers. Your guide will adjust the program according to your priorities.
How it compares in Istanbul
- Its from-price is 41% below the median of the 3649 experiences we list in Istanbul.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 1150 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).
Special offers in Istanbul
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
