Tours/Istanbul/Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems
Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems
5.0(50)Istanbul7–8 hours
VIATOR5.0(1)TRIPADVISOR5.0(49)
+37 photos
At a glance
Duration
7–8 hours
Price from
$100 / person
Location
Istanbul, Türkiye
Rating
5.0 / 5 · 50 reviews
Languages
EN, TR
Group
Private
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
City Tours with tuGuide
Meeting point
we are meeting in front of the entrance of the Gulhane Park on Alemdar Street.
Description
Istanbul is very chaotic and going through a well-thought city route that covers a lot of good spots both hidden and must-see ones is a great opportunity to make. It would save a great time for the visitor and also localize the experience. You can learn a lot about the current news, trends, culture which might be broader and more open-minded that what you could find available on a blog post or a old time youtube vlog.
Schedule & prices
Runs
Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat
Start times
8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 10:30 AM
Next available
Fri, Oct 16
Adult (ages 18+)
$100
Child (ages 5–17)
Free
Infant (ages 0–4)
Free
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $140.
Larger groups pay less per person.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 15.
Tour Options
Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems
Itinerary
Topkapi Palace Museum
Admission not included120 min
This visit to the 15th-century palace is very telling to understand the life and culture during Ottoman Empire that took Istanbul from Romans in 1453 and ruled until the foundation of Republic of Turkey in 1923.
Topkapı Palace Fee > 1500 Lira
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
60 min
We will learn about Hagia Sophia, which was an imperial worship place both for Islam and Christianity. No admission fee.
Hippodrome
30 min
At Hippodrome Area we will learn about the culture and entertainment hub of Roman and Ottoman Empire and also learn the background story of the interesting monuments such as Serpent Column and Obelisk of Theodosius.
Blue Mosque
45 min
This 17th-century mosque is worth to pay visit to get familiar with religion of Islam. It a complex of tomb, school and market place 'Arasta Bazaar' with small street full of little shops. There is a great variety of goods to buy great souvenirs. No admission fee for the mosque. It is suitable to carry a scarf to cover the head during the visit.
Basilica Cistern
Admission not included30 min
We are discovering underground Istanbul, here we will see the remains of the biggest Roman cistern in Istanbul
Grand Bazaar
15 min
After a walk with highlights of the market and assistance for the specific product you intend to buy, we complete the trip in a special venue where we have a turkish coffee or a tea and a traditional dessert in a great ambiance.
What's included
Included
All Fees and Taxes
Tour Guidance Service
Not included
Museum Fees
Lunch
Tips
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
5.0
50 reviews
5
50
4
0
3
0
2
0
1
0
How it compares in Istanbul
Rated higher than 80% of 988 reviewed tours in Istanbul
Starting price $100 is 32% below the typical $147 for tours of similar length in Istanbul
Excurgo comparison of 3,635 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
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 Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems take?
Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems lasts about 7–8 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
How much does Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems cost?
Prices start at $100 per person for this Istanbul experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $140. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 10:30 AM.
How much does Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems cost for children?
Children aged 5–17 pay nothing, adults from $100. Infants go free.
Can I cancel Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is we are meeting in front of the entrance of the Gulhane Park on Alemdar Street. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems offered in?
The experience is available in EN, TR.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 10 travellers can book together.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 50 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by City Tours with tuGuide.
Reviews(50)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
3
327candacec
March 2, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
From old town to copper street
Tugce was the best tour guide ever! I got into town last min and was travelling alone. She was able to meet me and took me on a tour of old town. She even added some extra stops because I really wanted to get a copper water bottle. She took me to "copper street" and I was able to purchase 2 gorgeous bottle and meet the artisans who made them. Will absolutely book her again.
P
P5878FQdavidn
February 27, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Tuğçe was very knowledgeable on all ancient and current history of Istanbul, Turkey, and neighboring countries.
Tuğçe was the best guide ever!
M
maajidh
December 17, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Istanbul tour with ms. Touche
Ms. Toche is a professional and well experienced tour guide.. more than showing the place she carries a huge knowledge about the history and the relevance of the place... very calm and patient and let's you explore and understand the place in a better way...
C
cmh34
November 8, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Fabulous tour through the old Istanbul
Tuğçe did an amazing job in getting us to know the most important sights of old Istanbul/Constantinople in about 6 hrs, we all enjoyed it, as we also enjoyed the two breaks interspersed into the program. Thanks again, and highly recommended, especially for cruise ship tourists at Galataport.
M
M5094CZelkes
November 6, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
This great guided tour with Tuğçe is a highlight to the top sights in the old city of Istanbul.
We went on a private guided sightseeing tour with Tuğçe Uçar through the old town of Istanbul and were very impressed. The tour program included Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar.
Tuğçe is a very friendly, sympathetic and excellent guide. With her extensive knowledge, she showed us the sights very well and explained the historical and religious context very clearly and brilliantly.
This gave us a very good overview of the top sights in the old city of Istanbul. Tuğçe gave us a great introduction to Istanbul. We had a lot of fun and highly recommend this interesting tour with Tuğçe.
T
thomastL3193EX
October 3, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Amazing Tour of Old Istanbul with tuGuide
My wife Tanya and had a wonderful tour of Old Istanbul with Tuğçe. Our tour included visits to the Topkapi Palace, St Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome area and The Grand Bazaar. Tuğçe was awesome, she explained the history and the details as we walked along. In her magic bag of tricks she had additional maps and pictures along with her tablet to provide us with additional information. She did great at answering all our questions from history, to food, to growing up and life in Turkey today. We are slow walkers and she was very happy doing the tour at our pace. We highly recommend an Old Istanbul city tour with tuGuide.
E
Escape767935
September 19, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
A fabulous informative day
Wow what an amazing day spent with Tugce walking and visiting the main attractions in the old town
We requested this particular tour as we didn’t have much time staying in Istanbul and we didn’t want to book a big group tour as we wanted something more personal
Tugce is a lovely smiley highly informative lady
She is very flexible with what you want to see and experience which was great and a great communication via WhatsApp
She helps with the fast track ticket system which is a must as it gets very busy
She organised a delicious lunch which is extra money and she ordered food that perhaps we wouldn’t
I would highly recommend Tugce private tour
S
Sherpa00710161817
September 16, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Istanbul life and culture
Tugce is a generous and warm tour guide with a depth of knowledge. We really valued her genuine desire to ensure our experience in Istanbul was filled with history, culture, traditions and food. Thank you for all your energy and making sure our stay in Istanbul was so memorable. Angela
N
ndavo
September 14, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Absolutely fabulous
I had such a great day learning so much history and seeing amazing sights with a wonderful caring guide. Thank you so much!!
A
Ana M
August 11, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Fantastic, knowledgeable guide who made our Istanbul tour efficient and enjoyable.
We had a fantastic experience with Tugçe in Istanbul. She was extremely friendly and always available to help with any questions or needs we had. Her knowledge of the city is impressive, and she shared valuable information in a clear and engaging way. Thanks to her suggestions and advice, we were able to explore the most interesting spots in Istanbul without wasting time on less significant places. The tour was well-organized and exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend it!
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Tour
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Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems