Private Istanbul Tour – Full Day of Iconic Sights & Local Gems
Description
Make the most out of your stay in Istanbul with a local driver who will show you around. Admire the most popular attractions from the comfort of your own private car in a fully customizable tour. Your Welcomer will share historical facts and immerse you into the Turkish lifestyle. Explore the Historical Peninsula where the heart of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire once beat. The name might have changed - Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul - but the beauty remains timeless. Marvel at magnificent buildings such as the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Galata Tower, the Dolmabahçe Palace and unravel the past of the region. Finish off your tour admiring the view from the Bosphorus Bridge. Our drivers are not licensed to accompany you into the sights but are knowledgeable of the places visited and will provide all the necessary information and their local perspective. At the end of the ride, your friendly driver will drop you off at your accommodation.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Or Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a still-functioning place of workship featuring stained glass windows with intricate designs and hand-painted blue tiles.
Οnce the centre of public life in Constantinople, the Hippodrome was the scene of ferocious chariot races. The Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine are located here.
The former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral dedicated to Holy Wisdom, later an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum.
It was constructed beneath the palace and its purpose was water storage as well as water filtration for those buildings.
An opulent complex of four courtyards, a harem, and a garden that served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans.
One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops offering a large array of products.
Called Christea Turris by the Genoese — is a medieval stone tower in the Galata/Karaköy quarter of the city.
City's largest square, famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels. It is also the location of the Republic Monument.
A 19th century, baroque-style building is one of the most glamorous palaces in the world. It was the administrative center of the late Ottoman Empire.
Known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, is one of the three bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait while connecting Europe and Asia.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your Welcome Pickups driver will be waiting for you at the selected pickup location and time. Before your ride, you’ll receive your driver’s details — including their name, phone number, and car information — so you can easily recognize them. Your driver will arrive on time and be ready to assist you and any special requests before starting your journey. Please note that our sightseeing tours does not automatically include airport pickup or drop-off. If you wish to start or end your tour at the airport, simply select the option with airport pickup included when booking if available. Kindly share any special requirements, such as traveling with a service animal or needing extra assistance, when booking your ride. This ensures a smooth and enjoyable experience for you.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- For 1–3 people: A comfortable sedan will be assigned to your group.
- For 4–8 people: A spacious minivan will be assigned to your group.
- Throughout your ride, our drivers serve as informal local guides—sharing stories, history, and local tips at every stop. Please note that drivers are not permitted to enter museums or archaeological areas, but they’ll ensure you make the most of your visit with suggestions and background information before you explore on your own.
- Some stops on your itinerary may be closed on the date of travel due to public holidays, maintenance or special events. We recommend verifying opening hours on the attraction’s official website or contacting us before your tour. If a stop is unexpectedly closed, we will try to offer a suitable alternative.
Reviews(12)
Excellent company, and services. My driver Cenk was very friendly, helpful, and communication with him was very easy during my travel there. I recommend 100%!
While the driver was very friendly, honestly we paid 450€ just for having a driver and a van for the day. Be careful NO professional guide, NO entrance tickets, nothing other than a driver with a van. And not even a luxury one. It was a disappointment. And didn’t understand why the price was doubled when we raised the number of people from 2 to 4. Exactly the same service, maybe for the 2 extra bottles of water…
Hi Aris! We want to extend our sincerest apologies for the recent experience you had with your booking. Your feedback is valuable to us and we will do our best to help. We would like to further investigate this, and our Support Team will reach out to you directly to assist you further. Thank you for the feedback and bringing this to our attention.
The taxi driver is professional, punctual and super friendly, I recommend him and I will use him again when we return to Turkey
Thank you Furkan , 👌🏼👌🏼 Highly recommend and request for driver Furkan Bozyurt. Extended Cab with snacks and perfumes. 👌🏼👌🏼 One of the best private car service experiences I have had. True Turkish hospitality, very kind and wonderful experience. Stay blessed my friend, Jameel
I loved the Camlica mosque and tower and just driving around Istanbul. We covered mostly the Asian side but also covered the Taksim square, Nisantasi and Other areas on the European side.
I have been visiting Istambul for the last 9+ years; all the time I had to keep myself checked for tourist traps while using travel guides or transfer services. My experience changed when I met Semih Bora. He was a soft-spoken gentleman with a not-too-pushy attitude. My Family loved traveling with him and seeing different sides of Istambul. Semih was on top of all my travel needs and van requirements. I had to change the van size to a bigger size due to luggage issues. My Daughter was traveling alone and joining us late from the USA. Semih made it simple for us by arranging another van since our traveling time was different and I would have been stuck in Istambul traffic for hours to get back to the airport to pick her up. We will definitely be using him again and will be our permanent go-to person for all our travel needs in Istambul.
Semih Bora was very nice and knowledgeable about the area. He made sure I was safe and got me there in a Timely manner. Very welcoming personality
Volkan is an amazing driver, was kind, polite and always on time. Had a great experience with him, thank you Volkan!
Our driver Cenk was amazing as he took us to all the top class amazing restaurants and sight seeing. The Van was very comfortable.
My wife and I had a fantastic experience riding with Ozkan! He knew so much about Istanbul history, and we had great conversations during the entire trip. 10/10 will use this service again, thanks again for the great ride :)