Istanbul: Private City Highlights Guided Tour
Description
Make your Istanbul adventure totally unique with a 1 day private sightseeing tour. for a single day and see the whole of the Old City, plus the Grand Bazaar. Please note that your guide is happy to alter the itinerary completely to accommodate your personal interests. **A comprehensive tour of Istanbul, with 1 day **Marvel at Ottoman sites like Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque **Shop like a local at the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar **Private tour means plenty of personal attention.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Church of Holy Wisdom, undoubtedly one of the greatest architectural creations in the world, was used as a mosque during Ottomans and now serves as a museum.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, one of the most revered masterpieces of the Islamic world, is famous with its blue ceramic tiles and six minarets.
The center for entertainment, amusement and sports in the city during the Roman and Byzantine Empires. The Egyptian Obelisk, the serpentine column and the German fountain of Willhelm II are sites to be visited.
The oldest and the largest covered market place in the world with more almost 4000 shops owing rich collection of handmade carpets, jewelery, leather and souvenirs.
The former imperial residence of Ottoman Sultans and the oldest and the largest remaining palaces in the world. Today, it is used as a museum to exhibit works of art and many priceless artifacts. The harem section is not included in this tour, but we can include it upon your request.
Karaköy is located right in front of the old town, near the Galata Bridge and down the famous Tower of the same name. It covers an area from the banks of the Golden Horn to the Bosphorus. The first traces of urbanization dates back to the Byzantine Empire, it is therefore one of the most historical and important places of the city. It is still a condensed of Istanbul with different populations living close to each other.
The German Fountain is a gazebo styled fountain in the northern end of old hippodrome, Istanbul, Turkey and across from the Mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I. It was constructed to commemorate the second anniversary of German Emperor Wilhelm II's visit to Istanbul in 1898.
Over the centuries, many cultures have added their mark to Istanbul. Today, you can experience those influences firsthand by exploring its mahalles (neighborhoods). From the holy sites of Sultanahmet and the 19th-century European elegance of Beyoğlu to the high fashion of Nişantaşı, the vibrant cafe society of Kadıköy and the football-loving streets of Beşiktaş, it’s easy to see why travelers say that Istanbul isn’t just one city, but multiple cities within one.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Tour guide meets you at central Istanbul hotels or port. If hotel is not centrally located, meeting point with tour guide is the front of Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya).
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The following attractions will be closed on Grand Bazaar Sundays, Topkapi Palace Tuesdays and Dolmabace Palace Mondays and Thursdays. If the museum is closed on your chosen day, the local supplier will move the itinerary to the next available day. If not, they will replace the tour with a trip to the underground cistern or Galata tower
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Reviews(10)
pros are beautiful mosques. cons are guide who was more interested in making commissions by directing us to his high end jewelers, rug dealers and handbag merchants in bazaar that was otherwise closed on Sunday. Yet claimed we didn't have enough time to see palace even though listed in itinerary.
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful mosques and historic sites of Istanbul. We would also like to clarify a few points regarding your comments. The Grand Bazaar is included in our itinerary as one of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks. While the main bazaar building is closed on Sundays, many carpet shops, jewelry stores, souvenir shops, and local artisan boutiques located around and within the Grand Bazaar area remain open and continue to welcome visitors. Our guide simply followed the advertised itinerary and introduced guests to local Turkish handicrafts and cultural traditions. Regarding Topkapi Palace, visiting times may vary depending on crowds, traffic conditions, opening hours, and the pace of the group on the day of the tour. It was never our intention to omit any advertised highlight, and we regret if the schedule did not meet your expectations. We appreciate your feedback and are pleased that you enjoyed Istanbul’s magnificent mosques and the time spent with your guide. Your comments help us continue improving our tours and services.
This tour says private car, but what this means is that its a taxi to and from hotel. It is not for you to go to each site with the car. The title and description is misleading. I booked this tour with my elderly mum and brother, due to my mother not being able to walk long distances and hills, we decided not to do the walking tour and do the private car tour. I reached out to the provider to ask what the tour includes exactly as it just gives me the itinerary of each place we're going, and not much more. The provider didn't reach out until about 10 hours before our tour (you can't cancel with less than 24 hours notice) and all they'd said was lunch and entrance tickets were not included. Our guide messaged to say he was at the hotel in the morning, once we got to our first site, which is literally a 2 minute drive and 5 minute walk from the hotel, the guide said that we would be walking to each site, after seeing the first site, we'd said that due to my mums mobility we would need to take the car, and that was why we booked the private car, he said that's not possible as the areas are restricted. Then he showed us the messages of him communicating with the tour provider asking why a car was included when everything is in walking distance and it doesn't make sense, the provider just said that's whats booked. As my mum had to walk to the next site, which is hills, her legs didn't manage it so we had to stop the tour. This was 1 hour into the tour. We then cancelled the tour with the guide, even he was shocked at how much we paid, over 290 pounds. I normally don't mind paying for the experience and have always used viator to book excursions and tours, but this i felt was disgusting by both the tour provider and viator, as when i reached out to them, they said the tour provider is refusing to give a refund and so they can't refund
We had a great time and the staff was super friendly and helpful! Definitely a fun activity to share with friends and be creative! They offer ton of other cool workshops to check out as well!
Thank you very much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your Istanbul Private City Highlights Guided Tour. Our goal is to provide a personalized, informative, and unforgettable experience, and it’s great to know we met your expectations. Exploring Istanbul’s rich history, iconic landmarks, and vibrant culture with our professional guide truly makes the tour special. We hope to welcome you again on another private guided tour in Istanbul in the future. Highly appreciated and safe travels!
Kerim is very professional and great tour guide! We really enjoyed his service! His knowledge and attitude are really helpful! Even after our service, he still continued to help us, gave us more details help!
Thank you very much for your positive review of our Istanbul: Private City Highlights Guided Tour.Our goal is to provide an in-depth and comfortable experience, covering the city’s rich history, cultural heritage, and famous highlights with the guidance of professional local experts.Your kind feedback motivates us to continue offering high-quality private Istanbul tours and unforgettable sightseeing experiences. Thank you for choosing our Istanbul Private City Highlights Guided Tour, and we look forward to welcoming you again in Istanbul for another memorable journey.
Gülşen is a wonderful guide. Not only is her knowledge of the historic sites comprehensive but the way that she tells their story brings their history to life. She is also a friendly and caring person who looks after those in her charge and accommodates the tour to their needs. I went on this tour on my first day in the city and couldn’t have asked for a better introduction and welcome. I had a fabulous day seeing the sights of Istanbul with this amazing lady.
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your Istanbul: Private City Highlights Guided Tour. Exploring iconic landmarks such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and the Bosphorus with one of our professional local guides is the best way to experience the heart of Istanbul. We’re happy that our team helped make your visit smooth, informative, and memorable. We hope to see you again soon for more unforgettable private tours in Istanbul and throughout Turkey!
We booked a 7 hr tour through GetYourGuide for Blue Mosque/Hagia Sophia/Topkapi Palace/Grand Bazaar. Because it was a personal tour it was only my husband and me in the group. Kenan (Ken) was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and great company for the day. He told us about the history and also about modern day Turkey. Skip the Line was especially helpful as we didn't have to stand in the sun for very long. The only down side was that I hadn't realised we had to book tickets and that increased the price of the tour. The whole day was well worth the cost.
Guide was pleasant and knowledgeable . Although I had a bad experience probably will not go back to istanbul
Great service, excellent experience and very loving guides. Ali is a great person to be around his knowledge is immense. Will always go back to him to see more of Istanbul.
Cicek (her name means flower) guided my son and me on a wonderful one day introduction to Istanbul. We really appreciated the balance of information, history and insight into current and past Turkish life. Really appreciated the advice on getting around – she introduced us to the Istanbul card and the tram system which we used a lot in the following two days. We would really recommend her and the tour.
Thank you for taking the time to get in touch with us to share your recent experience about our Acency we are looking forward to welcoming you in your next trip in the very near future. best regards, Unique Ephesus Tours
