Topkapi Palace/Harem, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar Private Tour
Description
This private experience is designed for travelers who want to explore some of Istanbul's most important historical highlights in a smooth, well-paced, and personal way. 100% Private and Flexible: Because this is a fully private tour, the experience feels much more relaxed and personal than a standard group tour. With a licensed local guide, you will visit Topkapi Palace and the Harem, the Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar while gaining clear historical and cultural context along the way. No Hidden Shopping Stops: The Grand Bazaar is included as part of the cultural and historical experience, not as a shopping stop. There are no hidden shopping stops, although your guide will be happy to offer recommendations if you would like advice on ceramics, tiles, textiles, or other local items. We arrange the day in an efficient order to help you make the most of your time. Please note that all visitors must still follow normal entry procedures and any required security checks.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Embark on an extraordinary journey through time as we take you to the Topkapi Palace, the heart of the Ottoman Empire for almost four centuries. This grand palace served as the powerful government center, and the monarch's residence where they governed the kingdom with utmost authority. You will also get a chance to visit the Harem section of the palace, where the monarch's extensive family and numerous servants resided in exquisite luxury. Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the opulence and grandeur of the Ottoman Empire's most iconic landmark.
After exploring the Topkapi Palace, you will visit the Basilica Cistern, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns beneath the city of Istanbul, dating back to the 6th-century Byzantine era.
Our adventure will conclude at the Grand Bazaar, the largest covered market in the world, where you will dive into an exhilarating shopping experience. This is a remarkable journey that you will not want to miss!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour does NOT include a visit to the Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque or any mosque.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- All visitors must still follow normal entry procedures and any required security checks
Reviews(13)
Fabulous tour with an awesome guide. No queuing and so knowledgable.
Dear Nicola. Thank you for taking the time to share this thoughtful review. We are pleased to learn that you enjoyed your private and guided walk of Istanbul's Old City with Private Istanbul Walking Tours and that your experience in Istanbul was enjoyable. We look forward to the opportunity of welcoming you back for another enriching experience with Private Istanbul Walking Tours in the near future. All the best, Furkan G.
We booked our tour through our hotel before we arrived and can say that we were not disappointed with the experience. Our guide, Kenan, was polite, courteous and very careful to understand our requirements from the tour, to make sure that he delivered against them. His in depth knowledge of Istanbul made for an interesting tour and his English was excellent and so was his sense of humour. I would not hesitate to recommend this company to anyone visiting Istanbul, based on our experience.
We embarked on a remarkable guided tour of Istanbul’s old city, exploring Topkapi Palace and Harem, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar. Our guide, Furkan, was a true expert on the city, museums, and the best shops in the bazaar. He even took us to a charming little restaurant for lunch, where we savored delicious family–style food that we wouldn’t have discovered on our own. Our tour with Furkan was so exceptional that we decided to book another day tour, this time to see the Bosphorus and other lesser–known tourist sites in Istanbul. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul, as it was a truly inspiring and eye–opening experience.
Dear Daydream48042234881. Thank you for your generous compliment. We take great pride in showcasing the beauty and details of our beloved Istanbul to our guests. Your appreciation means a lot to us, and we hope you will visit again soon to experience more of what Istanbul offers. All the best, Furkan G.
What an amazing my time my family and I had touring the marvellous old city of Istanbul. Furkan is a highly knowledgeable guide and evoked both the sensational culture and history of the mosques and monuments. Highly , highly recommend. Furkan was also super helpful with cultural and culinary recommendations.
Dear Arun22333444. Thank you so much for your fantastic review. We're super happy to hear that you had a great time on our tour and that we exceeded your expectations. We can't wait to have you join us again on another adventure soon. All the best, Furkan G.
I cherished the personalized time spent with Darya. Not only did she create a comfortable environment for my 10-year-old daughter to freely ask questions, but she also had an in-depth knowledge of the bazaar, guiding us to all the hidden gems, unique shops, and must-see places! Beyond her remarkable expertise, I genuinely feel like I've made a new friend in Turkey due to the wonderful connection we shared and inside jokes lol. Our day together was nothing short of amazing!! And I wholeheartedly encourage others to partake in this experience... My heartfelt gratitude goes out to her for making it so memorable….
Dear 267daniak. Thank you for your kind words! We appreciate your kind review, and we're glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip to Istanbul. We take pride in the finer details of our beloved city, and we are confident that every visitor can experience its beauty. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Istanbul in the near future. All the best, Furkan G.
Spent 2 exciting days in Istambul guided by Furkan. He introduced us to the marvelous food, showed us the hidden shops and all the interesting places while telling stories about the history and culture of the citiy. Best guide!
Dear Y6250SUmonicag. Thank you so much. We want to express our gratitude for your excellent review. Your feedback means a lot to us, and we're grateful you took the time to share your thoughts. Our team takes pride in providing exceptional service, and your positive review inspires us to continue doing our best. It's a pleasure organizing activities for such enthusiastic travelers. If you are ever back in this corner of the world, please let us know. All the best, Furkan G.
My partner and I used Private Istanbul Walking Tours for both a food tour as well as a tour of Topkapi, Basilica Cistern and Grand Bazaar. And both were truly amazing. Istanbul is amazing and there is so much to see, but having a private tour guide just elevates the experience to another level. Furkan was our guide for both tours. He was extremely knowledgeable, as he has been doing this professionally for over 15 years. He is able to talk about history, culture, art of Turkey, you name it! Furkan was very social, easy to talk and just an extremely nice person. We loved spending time with him. Finally, the tours were customised to our timeline as well as our dietary requirements (achieving a food tour in Turkey without garlic and onion is quite a feat!) Would recommend Private Istanbul Walking Tours without any hesitation, and we wouldn't look for anyone else if we're to visit Istanbul again.
Dear wwchdin. Thank you for your excellent feedback. It was a joy to read. We are so pleased we lived up to all your expectations and cannot ask for more praise than that. We appreciate your acknowledgment, as only 10% of our guests take the time to write a review. We understand that everyone is busy, and writing a review may not be feasible despite their best intentions. Therefore, we are grateful for your efforts in communicating your appreciation for our services. We want to express our gratitude for choosing Private Istanbul Walking Tours for your travel arrangements. It was truly delightful to curate your tour. All the best, Furkan G.
My guide Derya first took me to Suleymaniye Mosque and told me the history of it. She offered to take my picture…she takes great pictures. I loved this tour coz it really is off the beaten path. She took me to where locals hang out while telling me the history of every place we went to. I had sensory overload but it was great!
Dear LeslieA. Thank you so much for your kind words; we love it when our guests appreciate the finer details of our beloved Istanbul. We always strive to provide enjoyable tours with beautiful activities, food, and company. We're so pleased it all went without a hitch and that you enjoyed your day. We appreciate your recommendation and would love for you to revisit us some time. All the best, Furkan G.
We had a really great experience with Derya. She makes you feel like you're touring the city with a good friend, and made herself available to us throughout our stay. It was quite comforting knowing we had a local contact. For our tour, we visited all the iconic spots and even had a well-rounded sampling of local cuisine (thank you for introducing us to menemen!) Since our tour was on a national holiday, the Grand Bazaar was closed. Derya kindly returned for a second day to guide us through. Her knowledge of Turkish history, culture and politics made for a really informative experience and we so enjoyed talking with Derya as we walked. She also provided us with invaluable help on restaurants, hamams, and even purchasing a rug! We hope to visit this beautiful country again and will surely contact Derya!
Dear Susanblum. Thank you so much for the excellent feedback. We're so pleased we could make your trip extra special. It's a pleasure organizing activities for such enthusiastic travelers. We truly appreciate your words of recommendation; it makes what we do all the more pleasurable to know we have such an impact on people. We hope to see you aboard another Private Istanbul Walking Tours experience. All the best, Furkan G.
Seeing the hidden aspects of Istanbul . . . in fact, my husband and I loved it so much in 2016, we returned in 2020. Whereas during the pandemic, we were unable to go to Derya's favorite tea house and enjoy a bit of apple-spiced hookhah, on this trip we focused more on small eateries, getting "lost" (not really) on small alleys and streets, local farmers market, and stopping frequently to enjoy another cai or a beautiful architectural feature or to make a purchase of spices, rugs, art. We even got to Tango in the cistern and a day trip to Gazientep. Our guides were professional, efficient, flexible, sensitive to our desires, always on time if not early, and just plain fun. It felt like we were traveling with friends. We had solo time inter-mixed with guided time. When transportation was needed, it was in a top rate van. We loved the local forms of transport: ferry, funicular, trolley.
Dear Y3468OZkathyb. Thank you so much for your kind words, your wonderful review made our day. We're so pleased you had such a good time and that we could fulfill all your needs. It's so heartwarming to know that all the passion that we inject into every tour is appreciated and makes you want to come back for more. We're so privileged to be able to meet and tour with such lovely guests and we get as much out of it as you do. We're very much looking forward to welcoming you back and introducing you to even more of what this wonderful country has to offer. Thank you for trusting Private Istanbul Walking Tours. All the best, Furkan G.