Skip-the-Line Istanbul: Private Tour from Cruise Ship & Hotel
- 6 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Our tours have earned the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence for 15 consecutive years (2009–2025) and we are the most reviewed tour operator for Istanbul, with over 2.000 excellent reviews. Tick off all of Istanbul’s must-see sights in one private guided tour: visit Hagia Sophia, the Underground Cistern, Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar, all with an expert local guide. We ensure a seamless experience by arranging your tickets in advance—skip the long public lines at major attractions when you book with us. For Hagia Sophia and the Underground Cistern, tickets will be pre-purchased so you won’t have to queue. Please note: There is no skip-the-line option for the Blue Mosque, as all visitors must wait in the same entrance line. Save time, see more, and travel with one of Istanbul’s most trusted and acclaimed tour companies.
Inclusions
What's included
- Private Expert Local Guide
- Private Driver
- Private New Model Mercedes Van with AC
- Private Pick up and Drop off at your Hotel or Cruise Port by Airconditioned New Model Vans
What's not
- Local Payment: Entrance Fees and Lunch
- Gratuities to the guide and driver
- Basilica Cistern entrance fee
- Hagia Sophia entrance fee
Itinerary
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque also known as Blue Mosque, one of the most revered masterpieces of the Islamic world, is famous with its blue ceramic tiles and six minarets.
The Hagia Sophia, also known as Ayasofya in Turkish, is a famous historic building located in the old city. It was originally built as the biggest cathedral in the world by Byzantine Empire in the 6th century and later converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire after the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. The building is renowned for its massive dome and beautiful mosaics that reflect its rich history and architectural significance. In 1935, it was converted into a museum and in 2020, it was converted into a mosque again. We will prepurchase the tickets for Hagia Sophia for you not to wait at the long ticket lines.
The cistern was known in Byzantium as thebasilica Cistern, Justinian was the founder of the largest underground cistern, built after the Nika Revolt in 532.The number of the inhabitants of Constantinople increased and bring a problem of water supply. Basilica Cistern was used to store water for the Great Palace.
The center for entertainment, amusement and sports in the city during the Roman and Byzantine Empires. The Egyptian Obelisk, the serpentine column and the German fountain of Willhelm II are sites to be visited.
The oldest and the largest covered market place in the world with more almost 4000 shops owing rich collection of handmade carpets, jewelery, leather and souvenirs. Here's the last stop of
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 5502
- 427
- 39
- 21
- 12
Ratings come from 541 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
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Daily Istanbul Tours
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note that we are boutique small family run tour company and have limited guides, during the summer months and special holidays our tours do fill up quickly. We suggest you try to book as soon as you can, once your plans are firm.
- ***Please note that we will arrange tickets without waiting at the public tickeet line, so you will skip long public ticket lines and save time.
How it compares in Istanbul
- Its from-price is 70% below the median of the 3649 experiences we list in Istanbul.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 53 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.
