Top Istanbul Historical Tours - page 59
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Hayley_C, Jul 2026
Fantastic 1 day highlights tour of Istanbul
Ozzy was a brilliant guide with in-depth knowledge of all the sights and cultural areas, and most importantly, he was really interesting to listen to. The tour was well-paced, and we had plenty of time to explore the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, and the other important monuments. Ozzy pointed out loads of interesting features in the area, and I feel I learnt a huge amount without being bombarded with dates, facts, and figures. The stories of the palace concubines and enslaved people were fascinating and really helped bring to life what it was like when the sultans inhabited Topkapi Palace. Ozzy is also a great photographer so was able to help us with getting some great shots of the various areas.
If you're visiting Istanbul, I"d highly recommend you book your tour with Ozzy — he'll bring the city's history to life in a way that's engaging, insightful, and genuinely memorable. A great way to see all the main highlights in one day.
George_M, Jul 2026
Learned Much More About Topkapi Palace With An Informed Guide
Both the Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern were amazing, and you observe and learn much more with a guide vs. doing it on your own. Huseyin was an excellent guide, providing great insights and then delving deeper based on our questions. He kept us on an appropriate pace without rushing us, and I would highly recommend him to others.
The only thing I would change is to tell people that they can purchase Basilica tickets with a credit card. That will prevent them from bringing more currency than necessary.
Also, patrons should beware of hawkers outside the Cistern trying to misdirect you. Somebody tried that with us, but fortunately Huseyin had been in communication with us and even shared a picture of himself so we know who to look for.
Ariane_M, Jul 2026
Recommend this 1-day tour!
We had a great tour with Ludwig! My partner and I only had one full day in Istanbul, and so we were looking for a full day for all the highlights. We got that, plus amazing an amazing guide. He’s incredibly knowledgeable and is able to talk about the sights, as well as the modern day Istanbul.
We had a great day and recommend this tour, especially if you’re short on time!
Tania_M, Jul 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An Unforgettable Istanbul Experience with Savas
We had an incredible tour today in Istanbul with Savas (Sam) and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip. From the moment we met him, he was warm, caring, and genuinely attentive to our needs. He tailored the day to suit our interests, making the experience feel personal and relaxed rather than rushed.
Sam’s knowledge of Istanbul’s history and culture was exceptional. He brought the city’s fascinating past to life with engaging history and insights that we would never have discovered on our own. Throughout the day, he also introduced us to some fabulous local places to eat, which made the experience even more authentic and memorable.
If you’re looking for a guide who is knowledgeable, passionate, thoughtful, and dedicated to creating a truly memorable cultural experience, we couldn’t recommend Sam more highly. Thank you for making our day in Istanbul so special!
Jeffrey_R, Jul 2026
Great tour, outstanding guide!
Eda was a truly outstanding guide. I’ve been on many tours in various countries, and she is one of the best guides I’ve had. Very knowledgeable and eager to answer any questions and discuss a variety of topics. She also went above and beyond to create exactly the type of experience we wanted, including adding a trip to a traditional Turkish tea house that I don’t think anyone, but a local would ever fine. It was hidden in a half abandoned building with a bunch of workshops in it. However, we had a spectacular view while we enjoyed our drinks and conversation. All of the main stops on the tour were excellent as well. A great introduction to and overview of these main historic spots as well as Turkish history. Highly recommend.
Laura_n, Jun 2026
We absolutely loved this tour!
It was an amazing experience from start to finish. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared fascinating historical insights throughout the entire tour. He even came to meet us at our hotel, which made everything very convenient.
We enjoyed a nice walking tour and visited some of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. The explanations were engaging, and the pace of the tour was perfect.
Keep in mind that entrance tickets are not included in the tour price. At the time of our visit, the approximate costs were:
Topkapi Palace: 2,750 TL (about $60 USD)
Basilica Cistern: 2,250 TL (about $49 USD)
Hagia Sophia skip-the-line ticket: €30
Lunch will cost approximately 500–1,000 TL per person, depending on where you eat.
Overall, this was one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide made the history come alive and ensured we had a fantastic experience. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul. We would definitely do it again!
We absolutely loved it!
Sarah_B, Jun 2026
10/10 Highly Recommend!
Mert was the best tour guide we have ever had!
He was so knowledgeable about the locations, their history, the architecture, the cultural impact, and had interesting facts galore. His english was incredible. Our tour ended up being a group of 3 (which then turned into a group of 2) and he tailored the experience to us and our interests. We had such an incredible time, I recommend this tour to anyone looking to visit Istanbul.
Martine_F, Jun 2026
Excellent tour of Istanbul sites
Omar was a terrific guide. He had a great knowledge of the history of all the sites and explained everything in detail. We especially loved stopping for coffee at the local coffee house. He even helped us get the best price at the Grand Bazaar. A great tour
Melissa_T, Jun 2026
Cruise to the Black Sea
Muzaffer was an amazing host. Meet us at the pier and served a wonderful breakfast of fresh baked Turkish breads. Ram was the tour guide who gave us so much information on the sights and Turkish history. Both were so kind. The yacht tour was so impressive. We road up the Bosphorus right to the bridge that opens up to the Black Sea. We stopped at a palace, a fortress and a quaint fishing village where we had a fabulous fresh fish lunch by the Bosphorus. Absolutely loved the entire experience
nickiy2j, May 2026
Extremely knowledgeable guide
The half day tour was just enough for us. Baris our guide was extremely knowledgeable the tour did run over time and sadly we had to leave due to other commitments. There was great communication beforehand about the extra costs and dress code for ladies at the mosque and meeting place.
Jay_D, May 2026
We had a great experience...
We had a great experience with Melissa exploring the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. We only had a short layover in Istanbul, so this was a great way to see these sights. Melissa was very knowledgeable and she did a very good job setting the pace for our small group during the excursion.
Nicholas_L, Dec 2025
Naz was an excellent...
Naz was an excellent guide! She was well informed, very personable, and flexible to suit our needs. The car was amazing too - more of a limo bus, in fact! My only complaint was that the description didn’t say that the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, so we had to skip that part of the tour. But Naz made up for it with other activities that suited everyone.
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