Istanbul Shore Excursion : Best Seller Private Istanbul Tour
Description
See the best of Istanbul in a short amount of time with this Private Istanbul Tour, which is perfect for cruise passengers looking for a Shore Excursion. Easily meet your licensed guide at the cruise port, hop into your private transportation, and begin your guided city tour. Visit the Hagia Sophia Mosque on a guided visit, explore the Blue Mosque Tour area, enjoy a Skip-the-Line style entry approach at major sites when possible, and discover the history of the Topkapi Palace along with many other highlights before returning to your ship right on time with this cruise-friendly itinerary. Note that some admission is included and others you must pay on the spot. Visit several top spots in Istanbul on this private guided shore excursion Purchase authentic souvenirs at the Grand Bazaar or around the Sultanahmet District Go at your own pace on this fully private, customizable tour
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hagia Sophia Museum / Ayasofya / Santa Sofia — Built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, it played a very important role in both the Christian and Islamic world. It has recently changed its regulation for non-believer visitors; with your ticket, you will get a headset provided by the mosque. When visiting Istanbul, one must make sure to include a shore excursion to the iconic Hagia Sophia. Its historical significance and breathtaking architecture make it a must-see for any visitor. With Istanbul shore excursions, guests can enjoy a guided visit to Hagia Sophia, experiencing this ancient and stunning building while also taking in the beauty of the city's shoreline. An unforgettable highlight of any Private Istanbul Tour.
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. A monumental example of Oriental architecture that reflects the power of the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul shore excursions to Topkapi Palace offer visitors the chance to explore one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. This historical site, once home to Ottoman sultans, is now a museum showcasing a vast collection of treasures. A guided Topkapi Palace tour allows guests to immerse themselves in Istanbul’s rich heritage while enjoying its stunning courtyards and gardens. A must-see destination and a highlight of any cruise-friendly itinerary.
Blue Mosque / Sultanahmet Camii — Built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmet I, the Blue Mosque is a masterpiece of architecture with delicate proportions for such a grand structure. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul offers shore excursion visitors the opportunity to admire its beautiful design, iconic blue tiles, and majestic domes. Its perfect location near the cruise-friendly Sultanahmet area makes it an ideal stop for those on a private guided tour. This is one of Istanbul’s most photographed landmarks and should not be missed.
The Serpent Column (Ancient Greek: Τρικάρηνος Ὄφις), also known as the Serpentine Column or Plataean Tripod, is an ancient bronze monument at the Hippodrome of Constantinople. A historically significant stop often included in walking portions of private Istanbul tours.
The Hippodrome of Constantinople (Greek: Ἱππόδρομος τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, romanized: Hippódromos tēs Kōnstantinoupóleōs; Latin: Circus Maximus Constantinopolitanus; Turkish: Hipodrom), was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square in Istanbul, Turkey, known as Sultanahmet Square (Turkish: Sultanahmet Meydanı).
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.
The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica (Greek: Βασιλική Κινστέρνα, Turkish: Yerebatan Sarnıcı or Yerebatan Saray, "Subterranean Cistern" or "Subterranean Palace"), is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The cistern, located 150 metres (490 ft) southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space.
Unique time to Discover Turkish Handcrafts ( Turkish Carpets, Leathers, ceramics) shopping opportunities
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Traveler pickup is offered. Guaranteed On-Time Return To Your Ship *FOR LAST MINUTE BOOKINGS AND LATE DEPARTURES, as museums and some sites will be closed around 17:00 pm, alternative tour sites will be advised by the tour guide during the tour. *Tour guide meets you at central Istanbul hotels or Galata Port. If the hotel is not centrally located, the meeting point will be in front of the Binbirdirek, **GERMAN FOUNTAIN**, Fatih/İstanbul, If van service is not chosen your guide will pick you up at centrally located hotels on foot. We pick up all guests from CRUISE PORT Ports: Istanbul Cruise Port Galataport Istanbul, Kılıçali Paşa Mah. Meclis-i Mebusan Cad. No: 8 İç Kapı No: 102, Kılıçali Paşa, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Guaranteed On-Time Return To Your Ship
Reviews(287)
What an informative day in Istanbul
Kerem Oztutuncu was knowledgeable with the deep rooted history of Turkey. He was also personable and easy to talk to. His English was exceptional and he was able to answer all of our questions. We thoroughly enjoyed our time touring Istanbul with Kerem as our guide and feeling the real culture of the city.
I was not prepared for our guide having no car. But we understand it better seeing the traffic in the city, it was just not made clear that this would be the case. Having said that, he was very good as guide. Friendly and with great knowledge.
Excellent tour and guide. Very friendly, very knowledgeable and very helpful. Highly recommended.
Walking tour also guide has good knowledge But transport needs improvement As on our way back we got lost
Great guide, friendly and knowledgeable. Emeryy spoke in detail about what we were seeing and why it was significant. We learned a great deal. His enthusiasm made it interesting, not just a list of facts. Emeryy has a love of history and his country. We had only one day in Istanbul; our was a layover for us. We wanted to see as much as we could in that brief time. I can highly recommend him.
This is a walking tour. You will do a lot of walking throughout the city. Our guide Savas was an amazing young man. He had passion for his city and was an absolute pleasure. We visited during a religious holiday so many attractions were closed or had extensive waiting lines. He was flexible with the plans and was extremely accommodating for any requests we had. He also respected any additional cost that we could incur for bypassing lines or having lunch. We could not recommend this guide any more!
Mert was a fantastic tour guide! It was very busy in Istanbul due to Eid, and his navigation and ability to get us to the sites we wanted to see, help us purchase tickets quickly was so valuable! Mert was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much about the history of each site we visited, he was willing to alter and accommodate the tour in any way that suited our needs and even checked in the night before to make sure we were all set! He showed us to a fantastic local restaurant where we had an amazing lunch! Would highly recommend as we would never have been able to manage all of this without his guidance, just a lovely human being to spend the day with as well!
Mert was an amazing tour host. We had him for a private walking tour of Istanbul, and had we been on our own, we would never have been able to see all the things or navigate as easily as we did with his help and knowledge. He was extremely friendly, including checking in the night before to make sure we were all set and letting us know where to meet him. Istanbul was extremely busy due to Eid and he helped us navigate an extremely crowded city, and we still managed to see all the things we hoped for! Mert was a wealth of knowledge, sharing extensive history for all of the places we visited, showing us to a fantastic local restaurant for lunch and helping us quickly get tickets and in line for historical sites. Would highly recommend. Thank you for a great day Mert!! 😊
We had the best day in Istanbul! Elif was very knowledgeable and so friendly. She met us right outside the port area. We traveled to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, The Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and so much more! We had a Fabulous lunch at Galeyan. Elif gave us so much information about the cities culture and just a lovely experience in Istanbul. Highly recommend the tour and especially with Elif!
