Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

Summary

If you are looking for a comprehensive and private tour of Istanbul, then the 1 or 3-day Private Guided Istanbul Tour is the perfect option for you. Our experienced and knowledgeable guides will take you to all the highlights of the city, including the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, and the Hagia Sophia. You will also have the opportunity to explore the city's fascinating neighbourhoods, such as Beyoglu and Sultanahmet.

Description

Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

Visit highlights of Istanbul with your private tour guide in 1, 2 or 3 days with flexible itinerary. Here you can see the daily tour itineraries below (7 hours per day); Day 1 - Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome Square, German Fountain, Blue Mosque(temporarily under restoration), Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar. Day 2 - Bosphorus Cruise by Public Ferry, Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Cicek Passage, Galata Tower (from outside), Spice Market. Day 3 - Suleymaniye Mosque, Fener and Balat Districts, St. Stephen Church (Iron Church), Pierre Lotti Panoramic Hill by Cable Car, Rahmi Koc Museum (or alterntive sites). *As Hagia Sophia is 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.

What's included

Below are items that the provider has stated are included with Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour at no additional cost

What's NOT included

Below are items that the tour provider of Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour has stated that may cost an additional fee if desired.

Points Of Interest

• 15 minutes: Sultanahmet District
• 15 minutes: 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.
• 15 minutes: Germa Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
• 15 minutes: Sultanahmet Square
• 60 minutes: 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.
• 60 minutes: Blue Mosque / Sultanahmet Camii (TEMPORARILY CLOSED BETWEEN JANUARY 1 - APRIL 1 ON 2023) Built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmet I of the Ottoman Empire, the Blue Mosque is truly a magnificent masterpiece of architecture with amazingly delicate proportions for a building of such massive scale.
• 60 minutes: Byzantine Cistern; was the water storage of Byzantine Empire providing clean drinking water to the citizens of city, especially during period of siege. Binbirdirek and Serefiye Cisterns are the options that you can visit by talking with your tour guide on tour day. *Please remember that Basilica Cistern is under restoration until end of 2022 so it's not open to visit.
• 120 minutes: 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.
• 60 minutes: Grand Bazaar / Kapalı Çarşı One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with over 4,000 shops with colorful products of ceramic, leather, rugs, carpets, handicrafts, clothes, silver, and gold.
• 120 minutes: 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.
• 60 minutes: Dolmabahce Palace / Dolmabahçe Sarayı Elegance and beauty with the most luxury decoration, chandeliers, rugs, crystals, ceramic fireplaces. Beautiful palace, right on the Bosphorus with gorgeous furnishings, paintings, porcelains made in particular to Dolmabahce.
• 60 minutes: 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.
• 45 minutes: 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.
• 10 minutes: 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.
• 10 minutes: 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.
• 45 minutes: 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.
• 10 minutes: Historic Areas of Istanbul
• 60 minutes: Suleymaniye Mosque / Süleymaniye Camii is the largest mosque in Istanbul and is as impressive on the inside as it is on the outside. In the garden behind the mosque, the Suleymaniye terrace offers lovely views of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus.
• 120 minutes: 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.
• 45 minutes: Orthodox Patriarch
• 45 minutes: 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.
• 30 minutes: 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.
• 90 minutes: Rahmi Koc Museum is on the northern part of Golden Horn, here we visit industrial and cultural museum built by famous family of Koc who were the leading power of Turkish Republic in industrial field since early period of 20th century.
• 30 minutes: Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.

Additional Information

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• For last minute bookings, tour starting time can be flexible.
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with Spice Market.
• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives.
• Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia closed until 2pm on Fridays, will be visited in the afternoon.
• For multiple day booking, private van service will be advised according to your hotel location and size of your group.
• Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Due to museum regulations, live guide service is not available at Dolmabahce Palace.
• Galata Tower will be visited from outside unless you would like to pay entrance fee there.
• When booking the tour with van, if your hotel is located in Sultanahmet you will be steps away from the museums, so the van will not be used as much.
• Annual Closing Dates of museums and bazaars in Istanbul are; January 1 – New Year April 21, 22, 23 – Ramadan Celebrations June 28, 29, 30, July 1 – Eid al-Fitr Celebrations October 29 – Republic Day
• *As Hagia Sophia is 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.
• Face masks required for travellers in public areas
• Face masks required for guides in public areas
• Social distancing enforced throughout experience
• Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
• Guides required to regularly wash hands
• Regular temperature checks for staff