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

We asked the impossible - to see Istanbul's highlights in just 2 days; half days really. Istanbul needs something more like a week to do it any kind of justice. That didn't stop our guide, Can, from trying his damndest to be sure we saw everything. He moved at an impossible pace. That said, he was very knowledgeable - I thought I was safe with Viator but Can pointedly brought us into 3 stores to be given the hard sell for Turkish goods. While the stores were nice: pottery, rugs, and spices, the relationship between Can and the store owners was obvious. This was not really welcome from a tour guide.

Gülşen was fab for the two full day tour. I learned alot and also had a lot of fun. Thank you Gulsen

Gulsen was amazing guide , helpful and informative and supportive

This tour was a mixed bag. We were a bit of a challenging client as we had someone with a wheelchair in the group. The guide was really good in the beginning and seemed to lose interest towards the end. She bailed out before our drop off, leaving us with a non-English speaking driver. The driver was pretty bad. Didn't research the hotel he was supposed to drop us off at and got lost. It was a challenge to help him figure out the correct route. Was constantly cursing and seemed generally unhappy. We did end up visiting all the places we wanted to and the guide was really great at helping us navigate various challenges we encountered.

Amaaazing experience as a first-timer in Turkey! Our great guide Kemal has explained everything so clearly and showed us all the historical sites, as well as taken us to the best panoramic view of Istanbul for lunch. A true culinary delight in Turkey, from street vendors, to the bazaar to the panoramic restaurant…I can’t fault this tour!

Our guide Oze was excellent. He took us to see the entire itinerary, with all the explanations and cultural facts. He speaks perfect Spanish, was punctual, and kept us at a good pace. He was in no rush to finish. I highly recommend him!!

An Absolute Must-Book in Istanbul – Kerim is the Ultimate Guide! ​If you are planning a trip to Istanbul and want an seamless, deeply insightful, and completely stress-free experience, do yourself a huge favor and book Kerim. We spent an incredible time exploring the city’s most iconic sights with him as our private guide, and he completely transformed our trip. ​Our itinerary was packed, but Kerim paced everything perfectly. We started in the historic heart of the city, where his depth of knowledge truly brought Topkapi Palace and the breathtaking Hagia Sophia to life. Instead of just rattling off dry historical facts, he shared fascinating stories about the Sultans, the architecture, and the rich cultural layers of Constantinople and Istanbul. He also helped us navigate the vibrant energy of the Blue Mosque area and the local markets seamlessly. ​One of the absolute highlights was our Bosphorus River Cruise. After walking through history, being out on the water was the perfect way to unwind. Kerim continued to point out incredible landmarks along both the European and Asian shores, giving us a fantastic perspective of the city's unique geography. ​We also visited the spectacular Dolmabahçe Palace, where Kerim’s expertise shone through yet again, navigating the grandeur of the Ottoman Empire's later history. Finally, exploring Taksim Square and its bustling surroundings gave us a wonderful taste of modern Istanbul's vibrant energy. ​Why you should book Kerim: ​Line Navigation: He knows exactly how to navigate the busiest crowds and entry points, saving us massive amounts of time. ​Flawless English & Warm Personality: He is an absolute gentleman—engaging, highly professional, patient, and incredibly easy to talk to. ​Tailored Experience: He listens to what you want out of the day and adapts the pace so you never feel rushed, yet you get to see it all. ​Thank you, Kerim, for making our time in Istanbul so unforgettable. We couldn't recommend him highly enough! ​Date of experience: July 2026 Tour Type: Private Custom Tour

Absolutely excellent day. Mustafa was lovely to be around. Listened to what we wanted to do and was incredibly informative. Visited everything we wanted to do as well as going the extra mile and taking my husband who arrived late back to the Cistern. A really good day.

This was a fabulous Private Walking Tour of Istanbul. Idylle met us at our hotel and we discussed what we could like to do and how we would do it. This was great to do this on the hotel out of the hot sun. Idylle took us to Topkapi, Hagia Sofia, The Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Pottery Demonstration and showed us much more about Istanbul. We didn’t feel rushed, we travelled at our own pace and felt very safe. To summarise, Idylle is knowledgable, articulate, professional, friendly and fun. If you can request Idylle then in our opinion you won’t get a better guide. .

Amazing 3 day guided tour for our family with Mustafa Gok! He was very knowledgeable, kind, easy going and accommodated our times, rest, meals, shopping and needs, considering we had 3 children with us. Would definitely recommend him! Great guide !!