Skip The Line: Istanbul Shore Excursion (PRIVATE TOUR)

Ayesha ma'am (our tour guide) is totally awesome! She gave us excellent knowledge about the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia etc. More importantly she paced the tour very well and made sure we went through the entire walk without tiring ourselves. She even helped out by recommending the other places to visit on Istanbul as per our tastes and interests. This is a must go tour as per me. It gives you a good idea about the history of Istanbul through the important buildings covered in the tour.

Aişa was an awesome guide. I met with her and our group in the morning, then we started the tour at the blue mosque of Istanbul, Sultan's Palace, and Hogia Sophia. The Grand Bazaar was closed due to Eid celebration, so we ended the tour with and finally ended with a tour of basilica cistern. Highly recommend

People, this is the tour to select if wanting to see most of Istanbul in one day. After spending much time researching, I was extremely pleased with this selection. My tour guide, Ayse, was incredible - well informed on the history of Istanbul (Turkey) and a great person overall! She even recommended other sites to visit that were not the normal tourist spots. Lunch is included on this tour; and, as a vegetarian, I was satisfied with the alternative option. I noticed many other, larger, tour groups around the popular sites but I was glad to have chosen this company because the tour felt more personalized. It was also quicker/easier to get around from one site to another with a smaller group. Be advised that this is more of a walking tour so wear good shoes. My tour was on a Friday and the Blue Mosque is busier on Fridays due to Friday Prayer. Therefore, there was an option to visit Basilica Cistern (purchase entry ticket) or head to the Grand Bazaar and then try the Blue Mosque afterwards. I opted to visit the Cistern, which I recommend doing if time allows. After the Cistern, we visited the Grand Bazaar. Prices at the Grand Bazaar may not be as competitive as the shops elsewhere, near the mosques for instance. I also decided to visit the mosque on my own after the tour was over to take an afternoon break. I went 30 minutes before closing time. The line was not long but due to restoration of the Blue Mosque, you are unable to fully see the mosque as the main dome and part of the mosque are covered. Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this tour to everyone!