K
Istanbul with Zeynel
Zeynel Unsal was excellent. Well spoken, very knowledgeable, attentive to our needs and flexible. He did a great job walking us through all the major spots in just a half day. Highly highly recommend.
Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour
+15 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 4–5 hours
- Price from
- $375 / person
- Location
- Istanbul, Türkiye
- Rating
- 5.0 / 5 · 13 reviews
- Languages
- DE, EN, FR, ES
- Group
- Private
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Sayga Travel
- Meeting point
- In front of the Cagaloglu Hamam.
Description
This is the ultimate tour for first-time visitors to Istanbul. Visit the fascinating sights of Istanbul in this specially curated one or two-day tour that provides the perfect introduction to Istanbul. This tour takes in Istanbul’s highlights and goes beyond them to show you the bustling energy of the city’s bazaars, streets and hidden spots. Itinerary: Hagia Sophia-Basilica Cistern-Blue Mosque-Hippodrome-Grand Bazaar • Customize the itinerary according to your personal interests and preferences • Enjoy the private tour flexibility with a dedicated licensed tour guide
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Start times
- 13 times a day, 8:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 14
- Group price
- $375 per group of up to 10
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
The Hagia Sophia with its innovative architecture, rich history, religious significance and extraordinary characteristics has been fighting against time for centuries. Constructed three times in the same location, it is the world’s oldest and fastest-completed cathedral. With its breathtaking domes that look like hanging in the air, monolithic marble columns and unparalleled mosaics are one of the wonders of the world’s architectural history. The sheer dazzling beauty of the mosque with its magnificent play on space, light, and color provokes worship in the believer. *Reminding that as it's not a museum anymore, tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority. You may need to wait in the security line up to 1 hour.
Basilica Cistern
There are hundreds of ancient cisterns hidden underneath the streets and houses of Istanbul. Of the two that are open to the public, the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) is the largest and Istanbul’s most unusual tourist attraction. Built-in 532 by Emperor Justinian, it was constructed using 336 columns, many of which were salvaged from ruined temples and feature finely carved capitals. Its symmetry and sheer grandeur of conception are quite breathtaking, and its cavernous depths make a great retreat on summer days.
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque
Hippodrome
Hippodrome - German Fountain - Obelisk of Theodosius - Serpent Column - Walled Obelisk
Grand Bazaar
Welcome to The Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops, attracting more than 300,000 visitors daily. Sellers hawk their wares at the top of the voice, and everyone has their own technique to entice you in, the colors, lights, and sounds create an exotic and unique atmosphere. Get ready to experience it.
What's included
Included
Pick-up by guide from central hotels or Galataport (on foot)
Licensed Professional Tour Guide
Not included
Gratuities
Museum entrance fees
Lunch
Transportation from/back to hotel and between sites
Pickup Locations & Times
-Your guide will meet with you at your hotel which is located on the European side city center (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Karaköy, Galata, Taksim) or Galataport. If your hotel is not located in the mentioned area above, the meeting point is in front of the Cagaloglu Hamam. -Your guide will pick you up at city center hotels on foot and will help to arrange to find a taxi or public transport to Old Town.
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
5.0
13 reviews
How it compares in Istanbul
- Rated higher than 80% of 987 reviewed tours in Istanbul
Excurgo comparison of 3,635 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- 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
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with Spice Market.
- This is a private tour. Your group will be the only one with the guide for all day.
- Guests can customize the itinerary according to their personel interest.
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 Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour take?
Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour lasts about 4–5 hours. The itinerary has 5 stops.
How much does Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour cost?
Prices start at $375 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 Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 13 departures a day between 8:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Can I cancel Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City 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. -Your guide will meet with you at your hotel which is located on the European side city center (Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Karaköy, Galata, Taksim) or Galataport. If your hotel is not located in the mentioned area above, the meeting point is in front of the Cagaloglu Hamam. -Your guide will pick you up at city center hotels on foot and will help to arrange to find a taxi or public transport to Old Town. Pickup points include Vardar Palace Hotel.
What languages is Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour offered in?
The experience is available in DE, EN, FR, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Specialized infant seats are available
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Istanbul Essential : Private Guided Old City Tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 13 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Sayga Travel.
Reviews(13)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
D
Malik is an incredible tour guide!
This is a fabulous tour to start to get familiar with the ancient city of Istanbul. I can’t say enough wonderful things about our guide, Malik. He was so incredibly knowledgeable and we felt like we had made a new friend!
S
Absolutely recommended professional guide/transport to visit Istanbul
We have utilized Sayga Travel for a trip in Istanbul with friends and Our reference person was Cihan. Everything has been perfectly organized, from the airport transport to the tour of the city held by an experienced local guide (italian speaker). As we had little kids, Sayga also provided a minibus during the visit of the city. Chian is very nice and available h24 for any issue. In a nutshell, 100% recommended
G
Best experience with lovely people
Sayga has a hodophile young team who love to travel. They all are very interested, fun and care to make this “experience” not ordinary but memorable. What makes them different is that they make even extremely histroical and touristic routes entertaining with interesting information and some delicious surprises. They are reliable and kind, open and reachable whenever you need them. I’ve been to many Sayga tours and had the best time. I am looking forward to new ones.
H
A Magnificent Tour in Istanbul Old Town
First of all the booking and payment experience was easy and straightforward. Quick response time from Sayga Travel Tours, and level of communication we received was excellent. Our private guide Cengiz was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and everything he showed and told us was easy to understand. On top of that we had interesting conversations with him about the life in Istanbul and other topics covering food, transportation, housing, curent politics and international relations. I highly recommend the tours of Sayga Travel.
K
Excellent and informative well spent day!!!
Cihan’s warm welcome and excellent knowledge. We had a very interesting and fun tour. the sights was amazing and so diverse. Our experience in Istanbul was wonderful thanks to Sayga Travel K.Ingle
6
İstanbul Tour
My friends came to visit me from abroad. I chose this tour for surprise them. They loved it! A great experience for us. Thank you for everything...
P
Amazing tour!
Cihan is knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture of this city, making the tour so much more enjoyable. He was very accommodating and made sure we were comfortable throughout the tour. If you have never experienced Istanbul and would like a friend to introduce you to this city, he is the one!!!
K
Amazing experience
As someone interested in history a city like Istanbul has a lot to offer. Cihan our guide does a tremendous job in not just understanding what his audience wants but at the same time help us outside of his work hours. Cihan was our scriptwriter on our visit to this fabled city. He blended in the elements of history of the city so well into our tour and I don't think I missed out on any hole in the wall restaurants nor did I miss out on the big touristy spots. If you're in Istanbul I highly recommend Cihan and his private tour.
S
Highly recommended tour
I had great experience with the tour. Highly recommended it! The tour guy is very responsible and nice.
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from$375
5.0(13) Free cancellation