Highlights of Istanbul Private Tour: 1 Day, 2 Day or 3 Day Private Tour
Highlights of Istanbul Private Tour: 1 Day, 2 Day or 3 Day Private Tour
Situated between Europe and Asia, Istanbul is a city of two continents. It has a timeless charm that takes you to a journey from modern Turkish republic to Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman eras. Our optional day tour/s will take you to the wonders of this fascinating city with the local experts:You explore all the highlights of the old city on Day 1.
Visiting attractions are Blue Mosque - Hagia Sophia - Topkapi Palace - Hippodrome - Caferaga Madrasa - Grand Bazaar.Second day covers Spice Market, Rustem Pasha Mosque, Bosphorus Boat Tour, Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Galata Tower (outer visit) and Galata Bridge.Third day takes you to the City Walls of Constantinople, Chora Museum, Fener, Balat, Greek patriarchate, Ayyub al Ansari Mosque, Pierre Loti Hill.You have options to book only private tour guide OR guide and private vehicle according to the location of your hotel. We are looking forward to welcome you in the city of two continents!
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
Hippodrome
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.
30 minutesBlue Mosque
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, one of the most revered masterpieces of the Islamic world, is famous with its blue ceramic tiles and six minarets.
45 minutesHagia Sophia Mosque
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.
1 hourCaferaga Medresesi
Located in the city center, Caferaga Medresesi is an exhibition hall with exhibits of art and music. The building was designed by Mimar Sinan, one of the most prominent architects of the Ottoman Empire, and originally served as a religious school. Today it hosts 15 halls decorated with works of students and Turkish artists.
10 minutesTopkapi Palace
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.
2 hoursGrand Bazaar
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.
30 minutesMisir Carsisi (Spice Market)
The Spice Market is located in Eminonu, and it has very different scents and spices. The smells of cinnamon, pepper, and ginger make your mouth water. Here, you can buy saffron, thyme, cardamon, paprika, or mint leaves.
30 minutesRustem Pasha Mosque
The mosque was built in honour of the grand vizier Rustem Pasha, by order of his wife Princess Mihrimah, Süleyman the Magnificent's daughter.
30 minutesBosphorus Strait
You embark the public boat at Eminonu and take a tour around 2 hours. This tour will give you chance to see the summer palaces of the Ottoman Royal Family and beautiful houses of Istanbul.
2 hoursTaksim Square
Taksim Square is a major tourist and leisure district in the Istanbul suburb of Beyoglu. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the central station of the Istanbul Metro network.
1 hourIstiklal Caddesi
Istiklal Caddesi, the city’s main pedestrian boulevard, is lined with 19th-century buildings housing international shopping chains, movie theaters, and cafes. The dense network of side streets is filled with bars, antiques shops, and rooftop eateries with Bosphorus views.
45 minutesGalata Tower
(Outer visit only) Considered one of the oldest towers in the world, Galata Tower is one of Istanbul’s most recognizable structures. Built in 1348 to protect the city from fires, it was later used as a prison and an observation tower.
10 minutesDolmabahce Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace is one of the most important palaces in Turkey, located right on the shore of the Bosphorus. It was built in mid 19th century and served as a residence for the monarchs until the abolition of the sultanate in 1922. It has now been converted into a museum.
1 hourGalata Koprusu
Galata Bridge is located on the natural harbour Golden Horn.
10 minutesChora Museum
The Chora Church, also known as the Kariye Camii, was built in the Byzantine era. It is considered to be one of Istanbul’s best preserved monuments from that period. The mosaics and frescoes that adorn its interior are among the most well-preserved examples of Byzantine painting from the last period of East Roman art.
45 minutesBalat
Balat is a neighborhood that is known as down-to-earth, with colorful houses and streets with cobble. The neighborhood has hip cafes and cutting edge galleries next to old school neighborhood grocery stores.
45 minutesFener & Balat
The former Greek neighborhood of Fener and nearby the old Jewish quarter of Balat have historical heritage that is very rich, as well as a very popular tourist zone of Istanbul.
1 hourFener Rum Patrikhanesi
The Church of St. George is a major Eastern Orthodox church located in Istanbul, Turkey, the largest city in Turkey and, as Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire until 1453 and of the Ottoman Empire until 1922.
45 minutesWalls of Constantinople (Istanbul City Walls)
The Walls of Constantinople were constructed in the 5th century, under Emperor Theodosius II, as a means of defending the city from foreign invaders. They were later expanded and strengthened by the emperor Leo I.
20 minutesPierre Loti Tepesi
Pierre Loti, a famous French writer, is reached on getting to this ridge on which the perfect view of Golden Horn can be watched.
20 minutesEyup Sultan Mosque
This mosque is one of the most sacred important ones dedicated to Abu Ayyub al Ansari, one of the companions and standard-bearer of Prophet Muhammad.
20 minutesIncluded
- Licensed professional local tour guide
- Your tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby
Not Included
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Admission Fees for all the sites and museums as mentioned on the itinerary
- Public transportation during the tour if needed
- Personal expenses
Good to Know
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays.
- Grand Bazaar and Spice Market will be closed during Religious Fest of Ramadan (2022 May 2-3-4), during Eid al Adha (2022 July 9-10-11-12) and on Republic Day (October 29)
- Blue Mosque is closed on Fridays till 2 - 2.30 pm due to the Sermon. There is only outer visit on Fridays.
- Hagia Sophia Museum is closed during the prayer times
- This is a walking tour as all the highlights are located in a big pedestrian square and so close to each other.
- Our tours fill up quickly during high season. Early bookings are highly recommended in the season (April-May-June-July-August-September-October).
- If your hotel is in Sultanahmet area, you don't need to choose vehicle option.
- This is a private tour for your group up to 8 people.
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.