Tours/Istanbul/Full-Day Bosphorus Cruise, Dolmabahçe Palace&Two Continents Tour
Full-Day Bosphorus Cruise, Dolmabahçe Palace&Two Continents Tour
4.2(18)Istanbul8 hours
VIATOR4.4(7)TRIPADVISOR4.1(11)
+7 photos
At a glance
Duration
8 hours
Price from
$137 / person
Location
Istanbul, Türkiye
Rating
4.2 / 5 · 18 reviews
Languages
DE, EN, FR, ES
Group
Small group, up to 20
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Local Experiences Istanbul
Meeting point
The marmara Hotel is located at Taksim Square and guests should be ready in front of The Marmara Hotel aroud 08:00
Description
A Journey Between Two Continents
Live and breathe the vibrant spirit of Istanbul as you take in its sights, sounds, and aromas on this comprehensive journey. Straddling Europe and Asia, this dazzling city of more than 14 million people is truly a melting pot of cultures.
Spice Bazaar
Step into one of Istanbul’s most colorful markets. With strong Egyptian influence, the air is filled with exotic aromas of spices, herbs, dried fruits, and flowers.
Bosphorus Cruise
Sail along the legendary strait dividing Europe and Asia. Admire the Ottoman palaces, marble mansions, and centuries-old wooden villas lining the shores.
Lunch at a Traditional Turkish Restaurant
Savor authentic local flavors in a warm and traditional setting.
Dolmabahce Palace.
Marvel at the grandeur of the Ottoman sultans’ last residence, highlighted by its 4.5-ton crystal chandelier.
Camlica Hill
End the day with an awe-inspiring panoramic view over the city and the Bosphorus. A perfect spot for photos and memories.
Schedule & prices
Runs
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, and Sun
Start times
8:30 AM
Next available
Thu, Oct 15
Adult (ages 8+)
$137
Child (ages 3–7)
$96
Infant (ages 0–2)
Free
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 14.
Tour Options
Full-Day Bosphorus Cruise, Dolmabahçe Palace&Two Continents Tour
Pickup included
Itinerary
Misir Carsisi
45 min
Guests will find chance to buy Turkish Delights, Turkish spices and souvenirs
Aside, from the spices, there are: rosebud, jasmine, and fruit teas; >Turkish delight in every color and flavor; herbal remedies; dried fruits such as apricots, figs, dates and even strawberries and kiwis; honey and nut soaked baklava; olive oil soaps; Turkish coffee; and much more besides.
Bosphorus Cruise
Admission included90 min
Pass the marble palaces and ancient wooden villas, which date back to the Ottoman Empire. Glide past the imposing Rumeli Fortress, built in the 15th century by Sultan Mehmed II as he prepared to conquer Constantinople
Dolmabahce Palace
Admission included90 min
Dolmabahce Palace, home to the sultans of the powerful Ottoman Empire and featuring an incredible 4.5 ton chandelier
Camlica Hill
30 min
Çamlica Hill for an awe-inspiring panoramic view over the city and the Bosphorus.
Bosphorus Bridge
Pass by
Imagine, in 2 minutes you will be between Europe and Asia,
The Bosphorus Bridge is one of three bridges that spans the Bosphorus Strait, connecting the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. It stretches from Ortakoy on the European side to Beylerbeyi on the Asian side and is sometimes referred to as the First Bosphorus Bridge.
What's included
Included
All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle
Turkish Lunch served
Not included
all drinks are extra to pay by the guests
Gratuties
Pickup Locations & Times
Tour starts between 08:30 – 08:45. We offer complimentary pick-up service from centrally located hotels between 08:00 – 08:30.
Guests who do not require hotel pick-up are kindly requested to come directly to one of the following meeting points at 08:30:
• In front of The Marmara Taksim at Taksim Square
• In front of Tamara Restaurant in Sultanahmet (Old City)
Please kindly advise your preferred meeting point at the time of reservation.
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.2
18 reviews
5
10
4
4
3
3
2
0
1
1
How it compares in Istanbul
Starting price $137 is close to the typical $142 for tours of similar length in Istanbul
Excurgo comparison of 3,636 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
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
Dolmabahce Palace visit might be change with Beylerbeyi Palace because of presidential visit
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Full-Day Bosphorus Cruise, Dolmabahçe Palace&Two Continents Tour lasts about 8 hours. The itinerary has 5 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $137 per person for this Istanbul experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does this tour run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting at 8:30 AM.
How much does this tour cost for children?
Children aged 3–7 pay from $96, adults from $137. Infants go free.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. Tour starts between 08:30 – 08:45. We offer complimentary pick-up service from centrally located hotels between 08:00 – 08:30.
Guests who do not require hotel pick-up are kindly requested to come directly to one of the following meeting points at 08:30:
• In front of The Marmara Taksim at Taksim Square
• In front of Tamara Restaurant in Sultanahmet (Old City)
Please kindly advise your preferred meeting point at the time of reservation. Pickup points include Harbour Suites Old City.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in DE, EN, FR, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 20 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is this tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.2 out of 5 across 18 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Local Experiences Istanbul.
Reviews(18)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
D
Debra_F
May 19, 2025 · via Viator
Great mix of historical and modern Istanbul
It started off a little rough long shuttle rides to gather group and sight seeing tour of Asia side in rain had a few vision issues, add to that a holiday weekend traffic. But both our tour guide and bus driver kept calm. They got us through the complete itinerary. Our guide knew his stuff and added google translation for a few tour members struggling with English. I appreciate the knowledge and advice that was provided, I appreciate the overtime to get us through the content, even though delays were caused by weather, holidays and others. I loved this itinerary, a good mix of historical and current Istanbul. Our tour included lunch and everyone enjoyed it. Would recommend!
Operator response
Hi,
Thank you for yoıur valuable comments, they are very important for us
we look forward to see you and your friends again and again in İstanbul
All the best
J
jeans384
October 12, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Excellent tour organization in Turkey
Omer organized a superb 2 day tour for us in Istanbul followed by a 2 day trip to Cappadocia. Both exceeded our expectations and our tour guides, Eykut in Istanbul and Cihan in Cappadocia were great. Very knowledgeable and accommodating, we saw the best highlights, including the Old City, the Bosphorus cruise, several palaces (Beylerbeyi and Topkapi) Hagia Sofia. The Blue mosque. And the Patriarch Orthodox Church in Fener neighborhood near Balat, a must see.
In Cappadocia we were treated to the best hot air balloon ride which was spectacular. Thank you!
Operator response
Wowwww
What anice compliments :)
We do our best for our customers and look forward to see you inİstanbul and Türkiye because there are much more to see
All the best
A
AngloIrishRover
September 10, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Worth doing
Tacky, overpriced, but you have to do it. No better way to get your bearings and see the city from the water. Ferries are much cheaper and way more fun!
Operator response
Thank you
TRhis is not only a ferry ticket you are paying, you pay the services for guiding, transportation, safety and our guarantee
Thats why we take care about our guests more than everything
About funny visits, depends on the guests what is expecting for,
Just for your information, most of oıur guests are happy with the services
K
Kmt6537
October 27, 2023 · via Viator
Overall good time
The cruise was lovely. The staff were nice. Some crossed wires re: inclusions as it seems two diff tours assigned to same guide - not guides fault. They were very accomodating to fit in as much as they did
Operator response
Thank you
look forward to see you again in our tours and your comments are valuable to improve our services
L
laurasE3923ZR
September 20, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Long winded tour with a lot of waiting
Terrible long tour. We were first driven to a viewpoint in the Asian part (30 minutes), a few photos and you could drink coffee, it took 45 minutes, back to the European side we got into a traffic jam and it took 45 minutes to drive to Dolmabahce Palace (so it took us 2 hours). to take a few pictures at the viewpoint), a beautiful palace, we only had 40 minutes. Someone from the participants of our tour turned out to have left the palace at the exit, we searched for more than an hour and we waited in the sun, but it turned out that she had gone back to the hotel by taxi. As a result, more than 1.5 hours late for lunch, which had to be done quickly. With the bus in the traffic jam towards the boat, a beautiful 1.5 hour trip. Then in a traffic jam to a cable car/viewpoint, nice to see. Then back to the drop-off point again in traffic for an hour. We didn't get to the Spize market because we were already on the road 3 hours longer than we would have been. We really regretted booking the whole day as we saw little during the 11 hour trip!
Operator response
Bedankt voor uw waardevolle commentaar. We hebben contact opgenomen met onze operatieafdeling en u krijgt de volledige service zoals aangekondigd in onze programma's
Helaas kunnen we de verkeersopstopping in zulke grote steden niet onder controle houden
we doen ons best voor het comfort van onze gasten
Nogmaals bedankt voor het maken van deze tour met ons
Het beste
K
karenmT2114GN
September 16, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Delightful birthday!
It was very interesting to be on the Bosphorus during the military conflict between Russia and the Ukraine. Significantly less shipping traffic on the waterway during this time.
Operator response
Thank you for your valıable comment and look forward to aee you again in our tours
P
P7364KBahmads
August 11, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Knowledgeable guide, poor transportation.
Aykut Gonul, our tour guide was really professional and informative. The pick and drop was not well organized.
Operator response
Thank you
we are happy to hear that you enjoyed our services, we will be here for your future travels
R
Relax58896494737
June 10, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
A successful daily program that was worth it for me.
The tour was very well organized. Both the pickup and the return to the hotel worked very well (after some confusion). The guide was very eager to provide information and information during the tours. All in all: "A successful daily programme."
Operator response
Vielen Dank für Ihre wertvollen Kommentare,
Wir verbessern unsere Dienstleistungen und versuchen, unseren Gästen den besten Service zu bieten
Wir freuen uns, Sie bei unseren Touren wiederzusehen
alles Gute
A
ahammad1
June 20, 2022 · via Tripadvisor
Not my top choice
Would not recommend as a top option while in Istanbul. Shuttle late 45 mins for pick up, went to Egyptian bazzar where guides took us to certain shops to get us to buy from their friends, does not visit top tourist destinations at Istanbul inclusing Hagia Sophia, Topkapi palace museum. Lunch place was not bad and destination visited at Asia side was ok!
Honestly, nice tour if you are bored and want something different. Overall 6-7/10.
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Hi,
Thank you for your valuable comments,
we are improving our tours with them
There is not Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and Blue Mosque visit in your tour program you choose, and the Spice bazaar visit is always an option to visit shops, there is no compulsory to visit and force to buy in any shops there, guests might visit wherever they want.
If you buy the city tour of course you will be able to visit the place you mentioned.
we are so sorry again we could not fullfill your requests which you did not buy as a tour
YOUR COMMENTS ARE VALUABLE
F
Franklyn_D
September 27, 2021 · via Viator
Full day bosphorus cruise with Spice bazaar and Dolmabahce palace
Good and very friendly tour guide, her name is EMEL.
The tour is ok, specially having a tour bus to pick you up and drop you off. Makes your trip comfortable. But the whole deal may be done cheaper on your own timing and phase specially if you're familiar with the place.The cruise was plainly a boat ride along the strait, the Lunch is so so, dropby spice bazaar to bring us to their commissioned shops and the Dolmabahce palace is okay to see, nothing really fancy. And taking pictures is not even allowed inside the palace.
Overall i find it pricey for the quality of the tour.
Operator response
Hi Franklyn,
Thank you very much for your valuable comments, that make to improve our services
We look forward to see you in our services again
all the best
Local Experiences İstanbul