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Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

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Istanbul, Turkey
Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour
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Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour
Gran Bazaar
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From $175.00 per group (up to 8)

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Number of travelers
1 traveler2 travelers3 travelers4 travelers5 travelers6 travelers7 travelers8 travelers
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
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Safety measures
icon7 hours  (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
iconOffered in: English and 5 more
Good for avoiding crowds

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Overview

Prepare to be awed by Istanbul’s magnificent architecture, rich history, and eclectic bazaars as you discover the unmissable highlights of the Old City on this 1-, 2-, or 3-day private tour. Marvel over the glorious Hagia Sophia, learn how the Blue Mosque earned its famous nickname, and see the ancient Basilica Cistern. Tour Topkapi Palace to gain an insight into the lavish lifestyles of the Ottoman sultans and their harem, and browse the legendary Grand Bazaar, where you find everything from carpets to Turkish delight.
  • Exclusive Istanbul tour led by a private guide
  • Comprehensive tour of the city over one, two, or three days
  • Explore the local streets on a walking tour of the city
  • Customize the itinerary according to your schedule
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From $175.00

Lowest Price Guarantee
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Private tour
Professional local guide
Guide meets you at central hotels
Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
Museum Tickets
Lunch
Gratitude (suggested)
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*FOR LAST MINUTE BOOKINGS AND LATE DEPARTURES, as museums and some sites will be closed around 17:30 pm, alternative tour sites will be advised by the tour guide during the tour. *Tour guide meets you at central Istanbul hotels or Galata Port. If the hotel is not centrally located, the meeting point will be in front of the German Fountain. If van service is not chosen your guide will pick you up at centrally located hotels on foot. If private van service is booked, please note that there will be a surcharge if your hotel is located outside of the city center or on the Asian Side.
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Topkapi Palace and Hagia Irene Church is closed on Tuesdays
  • Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia closed until 2pm on Fridays, will be visited in the afternoon.
  • Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
  • For multiple day booking, private van service will be advised according to your hotel location and size of the group
  • Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. Due to museum regulations, live guide service is not available at Dolmabahce Palace
  • When booking the tour with van, if your hotel is located in Sultanahmet you will be steps away from the museums, so the van will not be used as much.
  • Galata Tower will be visited from outside unless you pay entrance fee.
  • Annual Closing Dates of museums and bazaars in Istanbul are; January 1 – New Year May 2/3/4 – Ramadan Celebrations July 9/10/11/12 – Eid Celebrations October 29 – Republic Day
  • Families with young children will be accompanied by kid-friendly tour guide
  • For last minute bookings, tour starting time can be flexible.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Infant seats available
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • OPERATED BY Guided Istanbul Tours
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:

  • Face masks required for travelers in public areas
  • Face masks required for guides in public areas
See all safety measures taken by Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour.
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour?
A:The policy on sanitization is:

  • Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
See all safety measures taken by Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour.
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour?
A:The policy on social distancing is:

  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
See all safety measures taken by Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour.
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:

  • Guides required to regularly wash hands
  • Regular temperature checks for staff
See all safety measures taken by Best of Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour.

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Reviews

5.0
star-5
1,557 Reviews
5 stars
1,516
4 stars
35
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
1 star
2

Reviews by Viator travelers

Showing 1-10 of 1,557 reviews
star-5
Our guide Ulku Simsec was...
John_D
, May 2022
Our guide Ulku Simsec was excellent. She was so knowledgeable and excited to share her city with us. She treated us to wonderful historical facts woven into the narrative all along the tour. She made the story come alive. Ask for her when you come to Istanbul!
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star-5
A Great Option than Doing Group Tours
MaryJean_G
, May 2022
Due to my mobility issue, I prefer this kind of tours. In fact, even without my physical challenge, a small group or private tour is a lot better than big ones. Why? Because you really get to enjoy the places you will visit in a better pace and your guide can really take care of you like our guide, Mousaf, who is so considerate and brought us to a great restaurant with the best tasting food of all the restaurants we've been during our visit. Highly recommended.
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star-5
Kemal and Istanbul are unforgettable!!
Karencomeaux
, May 2022
Kemal was trip-changing. After being somewhat intimidated upon arrival, Kemal allowed us to relax, enjoy the beauty and the history of a phenomenal city. We are so thankful to have spent two days with him in a place he clearly loves so much. We were able to customize our itinerary to the sites that we were looking forward to. Kemal added in some of his favorites that we didn’t even know existed to make this trip unforgettable! Tesekkur Ederim for your patience and kindness as we learned your language, laughed a lot and appreciated the beauty of Istanbul.
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star-5
Great Experience Learning about Turkey through Sights and Stories
Gabi_S
, May 2022
This tour was an excellent way to see the highlights of Istanbul and learn about the history and culture of Turkey! My friends and I did the 1-day tour. Our guide, Ceren, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. She picked us up at our Airbnb and helped us navigate the metro a few stops to get to Sultanahmet. At all of our stops, Ceren shared great information and answered all of our questions. She was flexible with the itinerary, adapting around some renovations in some sights so that we still felt like we had a full experience. She also took us to some great shops in the Grand Bazaar for Turkish delight and silk scarves. We would definitely recommend Ceren and this tour!
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star-5
Lovely
Estrella_G
, May 2022
We had a short time and Istanbul and our guide Ülkü was instrumental in maximizing our experience. She was knowledgeable, friendly and warm and talked not only about the history but current events. we really enjoyed it!!
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Istanbul insights beyond the sights
Allan_V
, May 2022
We enjoyed new insights to the attractions on everyone's wish list for Istanbul - Topkapi, the Bosporus, Hagia Sophia. Viator connected us with Istanbul Guided Tours and Guide Betul, who taught us not only the history of the ancient sites, but insights into contemporary Istanbul culture. She helped us beyond the described tour, sharing local tips, such as how to negotiate the tram and the best places to eat and shop in Istanbul.
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star-5
definitely do a private tour!
FrankTierney_K
, May 2022
kemal my tour guide was fantastic. he showed me some of the amazing places during our 3 day private tour. he was also very knowledgeable and was able to answer several of the history questions. I would highly recommend this private tour.
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star-5
Great experience
Holland_R
, May 2022
I only had 1 day in Istanbul and wanted to make the most out of it. My guide was great and it was experiencing the city with an d friend.
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star-5
Highly recommended
OMAR_G
, May 2022
Wonderful experience with our tour guide. Very knowledgeable of the history of this country. Excellent planing to make our experience very dynamic, and very accommodating to our expectations. We enjoyed her punctuality, her engagement, and friendly approach. She gave us extra bonuses connecting us with local experience.
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star-5
Greatest tour and guide!
Deborah_G
, May 2022
My guide was amazing. I will hire again next month when I am in Istanbul again. Charming and knowledgeable in every way.
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star-5
See the sights in a relaxed easy going way
Kenneth_H
, May 2022
We only had 2 full days to see Istanbul, our guide Ozan made sure to maximize the sights without wearing us out. He was always early ready and waiting at our hotel ready to show us his city. He helped navigate the restaurants finding foods that worked with food allergies. If you have 48 hours definitely take this tour.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Very friendly
Govind_V
, Apr 2022
The Guide Emre reached the hotel on time on both days. He was very friendly. He was willing to help. He provided advice on places to visit and restaurants to eat. He was enthusiastic. He didn’t hurry-up and rush through the tour. He could converse well in English. Overall, it was a very good experience.
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star-4
Selcuk the guide was amazing but other areas not so good.
Danica_H
, Apr 2022
Our guide, Selcuk, was very good and was very knowledgeable about the history of Istanbul and it’s monuments. The reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because the tour stated that the Blue Mosque and Basillica Cistern were included. I was not informed at the point of booking, nor prior to the tour, that we would not be able to see these two due to them being closed for restoration. We should have been offered an alternative (like the Theodosius Cistern) and/or given a discounted price. As we weren’t I feel like the tour was not good value for money. However, I cannot praise Selcuk enough for giving us a wonderful day. Be mindful that you will have to pay for their lunch, whilst we were happy to pay for him, I should have been made aware of this at the time of booking.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
My friend Tayfun
Steven_S
, Apr 2022
Tayfun was an exceptional guide: he was friendly, funny and above all knowledgeable about all facets of the sights and city in general. I felt as though he was an old friend showing me his city. He was also kind and generous in his interactions with us and all the people we met on our tour. The mosques were all beautiful and we were able to purchase some wonderful items at the Grand Bazaar and other places. Definitely one of the best experiences of my life in a large part due to Tayfun!!
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star-5
Istanbul trip
Kourosh_F
, Apr 2022
Kemal was an excellent tour guide. His knowledge of History and his command of the English language made it an amazing experience. We will definitely return and hope to see more of this beautiful city with our new friend Kemal.
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Great option while in Istanbul
Manohar_N
, Apr 2022
Our guide Mustaffa made this tour memorable. He was friendly, patient, had good command of English and was quite knowledgeable about the places we visited. He made sure he accommodated our last minute requests to include umbrella street and also my wife’s desire to shop at jewelry and bakery stores. He took us to some great restaurants on both days. Despite a bike race leading to several road closures and also some attractions being closed on one day and open the other he was crafty enough to improvise and weave a itinerary which made us feel we were not deprived of anything. We were satisfied as we saw all the major spots. I definitely recommend Mustaffa if you just have a day or two in Istanbul
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star-5
Excellent tour in Istambul
ANA_C
, Apr 2022
We had an excellent guide and a confortable van. The guide was very informative about the history , culture , places to shop or eat. We really had a very good experience with this tour
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1 traveler found this review helpful
star-5
Excellent day in Istanbul
Janet_R
, Apr 2022
We had an amazing time with our guide Ceren. Even though it was such a cold and rainy day, Ceren made it possible for us to enjoy our time to the fullest. Attention to every detail, knowledge and the narration style made the bad weather disappear completely!
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star-3
Most of The locations...
Haia_M
, Apr 2022
Most of The locations were close due to the president visit , we were not able to visit most of the places , I would expect the company to inform us ahead of time suggest to change the date or suggest to visit other locations
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icon Response from Host , Apr 2022
Dear Guest, We are indeed very sorry for not being able to meet your expectations, regretfully, we never are notified in advance regarding such incidents as the visit of the president because of the so-called security reasons. This did not allow us to ask your preference beforehand so that we could reschedule your tour. During the tour, your guide did his best to show you all the sites in the itinerary changing the order of the visits to avoid the lines at the entrances. We always pass the information to our guests that the tour is customizable and they may change the itinerary according to their preferences and interests. If you had informed your guide about your complaints and wish to follow another route, he would have conducted the tour accordingly. We hope to have you as our guests in the future to provide a better service. Best regards,
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star-5
Amazing and Insightful Tour
Jack_W
, Apr 2022
Ozgur was an amazing tour guide. He knew everything about the city, answering all of our questions. He brought us to the most interesting places off the beaten path following the main sights. We got to see how Turkish silk was created, the amazing work of an artist in the Grand Bazaar, and a beautiful rooftop view of the city.
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