Top Istanbul Day Trips

Our day trip to Troy was excellent. Although it’s a long day, the organisation made it feel smooth and relaxed, with thoughtful breaks along the way and a very good lunch. The ferry crossing was beautiful and added a lovely change of pace. The tour of Troy itself was fascinating — rich in history, well explained, and far more atmospheric than we expected. A truly rewarding experience and well worth the journey.

Our private walking tour in Istanbul in June, 2025, with Eylem was hands down one of the highlights of our trip! From the moment she met us right outside the cruise port, we knew we were in great hands. She was warm, organized, and immediately made us feel like we were exploring the city with a close friend rather than just a guide. Eylem thoughtfully planned the perfect route, taking us to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Underground Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and several other incredible sites — all in an order that helped us avoid the biggest crowds. That alone made such a difference in our experience. Pro tip: make sure to bring a cover-up to enter the mosques — Eylem helped guide us through the etiquette and made everything seamless. What really stood out was how she brought Istanbul’s rich history to life. As we explored, she wove together stories of the Byzantine, Roman, and Ottoman Empires in a way that was engaging, easy to follow, and fascinating. We didn’t just see the sights — we understood them. She also expertly navigated the city using a combination of walking and the metro, which let us cover more ground comfortably and efficiently. Along the way, she treated us to food and water from local street vendors (such a thoughtful touch!) and later took us to a wonderful restaurant with a huge selection of absolutely delicious food (at our own expense). It felt like we were getting the true local experience. Eylem was happy to take photos and videos and knew all the good angles for getting great pics and memories. By the end of the day, Eylem didn’t feel like just our tour guide — she felt like a sister from another mister. Her kindness, knowledge, and genuine care made our day in Istanbul unforgettable. If you’re visiting and want an experience that’s insightful, smooth, and full of heart, book with Eylem. You won’t regret it!

Great and economical cruise option - travel on a comfortable boat with friendly staff and tour guide. About 1 hour to Asian side, stop in Asia side for 50 minutes near palace and mosque, then short journey back to Galata. Get there early for good seats, and Europe side is a bit more photogenic.

We only had one full day in Istanbul and wanted to make the most of our time to experience as much of the city as possible. Our driver picked us up at the hotel and arrived right on time as scheduled. We were dropped off close to the Hippodrome where our tour started with our guide, Fatih. Fatih was a GREAT guide!! He was very friendly, professional, knowledgeable, shared a ton of information, and provided plenty of time to answer all our questions. Our lunch stop was a beautiful little restaurant overlooking the water and a sampling of tasty Turkish dishes for lunch. Afterward we continued with our tour and headed for the Great Bazaar. We wandered several of the many streets in the bazaar with Fatih and took in all the sight, sounds and smells of this wonderful exhibit of culture. We saw many of the beautiful spots in the city that were on our list of "to see" including the Blue Mosque and the Haggai Sofia Mosque. There was an optional entrance fee for the Haggai Sophia Mosque of 25 euros per person which we thought was a small price to pay to see the inside and hear the stories and history of the mosque. After our walking tour, we were transported to the port for our sunset cruise on the Bosphorus Strait. The weather was cloudy, cool, and a bit breezy but there was plenty of areas on the boat to stay out of the cool air. You could also sit in the very front of the boat for an unobstructed view. There were also blankets available to wrap up in to keep warm if you needed them. We were served refreshments and snacks during our boat ride, which was a nice touch. The skies cleared just as we were returning to port and made for some gorgeous sunset pictures! What a perfect way to end the day in Istanbul. We were transported back to our hotel after the tour. It was a long day with a lot of walking but there were opportunities to stop and rest, if needed. What a great experience and would highly recommend this tour to someone that wants to experience Istanbul with limited time!!

We truly enjoyed the private tour. Our guide, Bilal, was wonderful and showed us the main attractions, explaining every detail clearly and thoroughly. He was very helpful and assisted us with everything we requested. We genuinely recommend this experience

A comprehensive narrative and viewing of various different sites of landing and combat taken by the ANZACs during 1915. The tour takes in the monuments to the Turkish forces and provides insight into the difficulties endured by both sides during the fighting. Our guide was highly educated and provided in depth information about the number of men and women who ultimately died trying to execute a military attack that was poorly planned and even more poorly executed. The tour underscores the friendship between the ANZACs and the Turkish people while also again highlighting the futility of war. Beyond all this the Gallipoli peninsula is a really beautiful area and the views from the hills are spectacular.

What a wonderful cruise! Boat was perfect - only about 30 onboard. We were on upper level / half inside, half outside making for excellent photo ops. Staff wonderful - special shout out to Emre and Nahad. Emre served the perfect amount of light snacks and drinks. Emre shared history & details on the sights as we passed them. Very laid back & relaxed. Excellent views. Truly the perfect Bosphorous cruise.

Be prepared to eat! You will try a whole lot of different Turkish food and you won’t be disappointed or hungry. There is a fair amount of walking so it balances out the day-long eating extravaganza. Ali was an excellent guide with a great knowledge of food and history. Well worth the time and the price.