All in One Day Istanbul - Historical Tour of Istanbul with Bosphorus Cruise
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Istanbul, Turkey
- 9 to 11 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Discover Istanbul's rich history and stunning beauty on this day tour. Begin your day exploring iconic sights like the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace with guidance, followed by a visit to the vibrant Grand Bazaar. Wrap up the experience with a luxurious sunset yacht cruise on the Bosphorus, where you'll savor fresh seasonal fruits, cookies, and traditional baklava as the city glows in the golden evening light.
- A full-day VIP guided tour of Istanbul with lunch and sunset cruise
- Cover the city's most famous attractions in one day of sightseeing
- Includes hotel pickup for added convenience
- Enjoy a luxury yacht cruise with seasonal fruits and traditional baklava
What's Included
- Round-trip hotel transfers from centrally located hotels in the Fatih and Beyoğlu areas
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- 2.5-hour sunset cruise on a luxury yacht
- Fresh seasonal fruits served on board
- Assorted cookies and traditional Turkish baklava
- Entrance ticket fee for Hagia Sophia (25 euro per person) Fast-track tickets are available on site.€25.00 per person
- Admission Fee - Topkapi Palace - Fast-track tickets are available on site.TRY3,000.00 per person
- Drinks during lunch
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Hippodrome
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
German Fountain
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Walled Obelisk
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Obelisk of Theodosius
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Blue Mosque
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
TopkapI Palace
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Dolmabahce Palace (Pass By)
8
Grand Bazaar
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
9
Bosphorus Strait
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Rumeli Fortress (Pass By)
Ortakoy (Pass By)
Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Pass By)
Beylerbeyi Palace (Pass By)
KIz Kulesi (Pass By)
Kucuksu Pavilion (Pass By)
Anadolu Hisari Fort (Pass By)
Halic (Pass By)
10
Bosphorus Strait
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
11
Halic
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Galata Tower (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, we visit Dolmabahce Palace on Tuesdays.
- The old city, Sultanahmet is closed for car traffic, travelers visit the sights by walking. There is quite a lot of walkings, so please wear comfortable shoes and get ready for a long walking day right before a very enjoyable luxury yacht cruise.
- The sunset cruise ends at 21.00 from 01st May to end of July.
- The tour guide will contact you one day before to coordinate the hotels pick services (if your hotel is in the city center) or the meeting point.
- The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and it may be replaced with Spice Bazaar or Arasta Bazaar
- Ladies are recommended to bring scarfs to use while visiting the Blue Mosque
- Museum tickets are not included, the tour guide can provide fast-track musem entry tickets on the tour.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Lisa_M
Yunus was an amazing guide! Very fun and thoughtful. Highly recommend this tour. Lunch was amazing also.
Reviews
4.8
based on 491 reviews
Mr_C, Dec 2025
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!!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for sharing such a detailed and thoughtful review. We are delighted to hear that your limited time in Istanbul was filled with memorable experiences, from the guided city tour to the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Your kind words about our guide Fatih, the smooth transportation, the lunch stop, and the overall organization truly mean a lot to us. We are especially pleased that the sunset cruise was the perfect way to end your day.
Thank you for your strong recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back to Istanbul again.
George_W, Oct 2025
Fabulous guide and tour. He was very informative and timed our visits to avoid crowds. The boat ride was wonderful. They came around constantly serving fruits and cheeses. It was a luxurious yacht for our group of 15 which probably holds 150 people. We had a nice lunch at a rooftop restaurant that was very nice.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your kind feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and appreciated the guide’s thoughtful timing and informative commentary. It’s wonderful that you found the yacht experience comfortable and luxurious, and that you enjoyed the refreshments and lunch with your group. We truly value your comments and hope to welcome you again on another memorable cruise.
Penny_S, Jun 2025
Fabulous day culminating in a luxury sunset cruise on the Bosphorus. Great pace and excellent, knowledgable guide in Ahmet combined to make this a wonderful tour.
RoyAudrey_B, May 2025
Guide was knowledgeable and easy to follow . Overall a great experience. Should not have a minimum character count.
Mary_M, May 2025
This was the second time I did this tour. It is a full day of seeing all the must-see sites with a knowledgeable guide. There is a lot of walking (15,000 steps)- hills, steps etc., so it’s active and long. The Bosphorus Sunset cruise is the icing on the day. Don’t hesitate to take this tour if you have limited time in Istanbul.
Matthew_M, May 2025
The guide was exceptional and very informative. There was 11 of us on the tour and he kept all of us engaged. The tour operator needs to remember to have the headsets available at the beginning of the tour. Otherwise, would highly recommend.
william_s, Apr 2025
Our guide was knowledgeable and very personable. She explained the history of the monuments and other sites in great detail and helped guide us to the areas of interest at each. Lunch was provided at a very nice rooftop restaurant. We didn't go to the grand bazaar since we had already visited it the day before. It was a lot of walking but a very good tour.
Amanda_D, Mar 2025
Our tour guide was Ahmet and he was exceptional. Great communication ahead of pick up and all ran smoothly.
Ahmet’s knowledge is incredible and we learned so much.
It was an intimate group, just the guide along with me and my husband.
The tour price is expensive but it is worth it.
There were many entrance fees not included, such as Hagir Sofia and Topkapi Palace which puts an extra 75 Euros on top per person.
Lunch was on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the sea and was good quality.
The reason for not giving full stars is nothing to do with Ahmet and more to do with arrangements between the tour company and local traders.
We were taken to a tea, spice and Turkish delight store. It was quite overwhelming with different teas and tastes bombarding us.
The chap mentioned that the large boxes of Baklava and Turkish Delight was 12 Euros. He was also offering little bags of tea.
We bought two small bags of tea, two large boxes, one of Baklava and one Turkish Delight. A tiny pot of Eucalyptus and some Frankincense oil. I paid by card and could not see the cost. £330 was deducted from my card!!
I accept this was my fault, but I do not want others to fall for this.
Me and my husband ended up arguing about it and it did put a dampener on what would otherwise have been a wonderful experience.
The sunset cruise was amazing, snacks were nice and light.
The cruise guide was knowledgeable and funny also and seeing the outline of Istanbul against the sunset was memorable.
I highly recommend this tour, but recommend refusing the trips to stores and if you do go, enjoy tasting the teas and sweet treats but don’t allow yourself to get ripped off.
Josephine_V, Oct 2024
Perfect day trip to cover all important sights in Istanbul in 1 day. Thanks to the guide we had interesting information. The lines were long and it was hot. But still worth it
Gayle_H, Oct 2024
It was our first visit to Istanbul and we were able to visit all the highlights of this historical city. The Blue Mosque, the Sultans Castle, the Grand Bazar, a cruise at sunset and much more. Our guide was awesome.
Myriam_Z, Oct 2024
The Bosphorous cruise, the sunset. Yet the guide gave us interesting explanations, I wish he would have provided us with more details while we were in Topkapi. The meal was good in a nice restaurant, small group appreciated.
Ian_L, Oct 2024
Perfect for anyone with limited time in Istanbul, as it takesin all the main sites. Ahmet, our guide, contacted me in the morning to re-confirm the meeting point (details had come through the night before). He gave an entertaining and authentic history of all the places we saw, and made sure we could take a break when needed.
Lunch was at a restaurant with amazing views of the Bosphorus. Recommended - although be aware there is a lot of walking.
Daniel, Oct 2024
Wrong season to go but good trip nonetheless. If you have no idea of where to go, you can start here and work your way up
Sheryl_C, Oct 2024
Great tour of Istanbul's major sites in the Old City. I lucked out and my group was very small (only 2 visitors), so we were able to have a very intimate tour. The guide was very informative and has a background in history.
Bindu_A, Sep 2024
BellaTurca travels took good care of us in Istanbul and Cappadocia . Ahmet, Bashar, driver Ahmet were excellent, patient and knowledgeable. Serkan from operational department was prompt and thorough.
qfg4dvzk65, Sep 2024
My sister and I absolutely loved this tour. We took it on a layover and it turned out to be a highlight of our trip.
Our tour guide picked us up on time and told us the day’s plan. Unfortunately for us the Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays but he immediately had a plan with the Basillica Cistern, which we were very happy with on seeing. TIP #1: make sure the place you want to see is open when you take the tour.
We ended up going to the Kaiser Wilhelm Fountain, the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Basillica Cistern, the Middle of the World, the Bazzar, and the Dolmabache Palace. A very nice and filling lunch was in the middle and there were nice rest breaks throughout the tour. TIP #2: Wear good walking shoes because it is a walking tour. We walked over 6 miles and not always on flat land. TIP #3: Have cash because the tour guide has to buy the tickets so you can skip the line and it is worth it. The lines were long.
There was plenty of time for pictures and our guide generously took great photos of us. He knew exactly where to go and stand to get the best picture. We are very happy with the pictures we got that day.
The Bosphorus tour was chef’s kiss to a nearly perfect day. The refreshments were plentiful as we saw the sites from a different angle and glimpsed the Asian side of Istanbul.
If you have the time to take this tour we would highly recommend it.
Julie_B, Sep 2024
Ahmet Cokyasar was knowledgeable and personable. We had a great day and learned a lot! We saw so much more of Istanbul than we would have seen out by ourselves. Only 3 in our group which was great!
Hani_B, Aug 2024
I got picked up from my hotel and was put with a tour guide by the name of Ahmet Dervice. It was just me and him for an entire day. What a guy ! This gentleman has an almost encyclopedia knowledge of Istanbul and was very helpful, funny, exceptional conversationalist, and resourceful. He has the endurance of an athlete and the patience of a teacher. I couldn't have asked for a better tour guide than him. The ground and boat tour comprised of all the mentioned stops and involved a lot of walking, took some breaks here and there to catch my breath and take in the sights. Highly recommended !
Peter_B, Aug 2024
Informative interesting guide who looked after us very well during a very long morning fighting hoards of other tourists. I did not like the lunch much but the location was great. We were very pleased with the cruise, service and food was very nice too!
Siria_L, Aug 2024
Even though our group was small, my friends and I agreed that Ahmet was amazing at making sure everyone was having a good time. His patience with our varied ages and abilities and his sense of humor made fun and memorable.
When we were at the mosque, we asked if he could pray, and his chant reached our soul! We are very grateful for such a touching experience!
Jennifer_R, Jul 2024
Due to a flight cancellation on our way to Istanbul we arrived a day late and missed the majority of the tour but we were able to join the group for the Bosphorus sunset sail. This was Fantastic!! Thanks to all for being so accommodating.
Thomas_H, Jul 2024
Our tour guide Ahmet was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and went out of his way to talk to you about the things that interested to you the most. The itinerary was great and definitely felt like we had a very productive and insightful day.
Carla_S, Jul 2024
Very knowledgeable and accommodating tour guide; visited key must-see sites, although there was there was a long, unbroken period (approx. 4hrs) of walking and standing on a very hot day; the included lunch was tasty Turkish cuisine at a scenic rooftop restaurant. The sunset cruise on the Bosphorus on a spacious, relaxing boat was wonderful, from the Turkish snacks and beverages that were served throughout the cruise; the pleasant and informative cruise guide and even the relaxing music. It was the perfect way to end a long day experiencing Istanbul. We were picked up and dropped off at our hotel.
Monique_K, Jul 2024
The entire day was amazing from beginning to end. So much to learn, see, take and experience in one full day. Best way to experience Istanbul!
Benjamin_R, Jun 2024
Ahmet was an extremely informative guide and really brought the trip to life. Just remember we’re not all superhuman and sometimes need a drink or bathroom break 😂
We felt we saw everything we expected but it is a looooong day! I don’t advise booking it on 3 hours sleep, but if you’re in a rush it’s a great trip to see a lot of the Istanbul ‘big hitters’.
We did about 23k steps so bear that in mind if that’s an issue.
Tour company very helpful and I would definitely use again and recommend the tour. Thanks!
Deborah_B, Jun 2024
First the good: tour guide was very knowledgeable. He share great information about all the sites. Good command of English and easy to understand. Lunch was very good. Restaurant was clean and food selection was adequate. The sunset cruise was great. Good commentary and snacks provided, as described. Crew helped take photos also. Dropped us off at cruise port
Now the bad and reason for the three star: in fairness, the tour company sent us a meeting point. I assumed it was at the exit where ALL the other guides waited for clients. That was not the place. I spent a hectic 1/2 hour trying to locate the tour. Ended up spending $50 for a taxi to take us to the tour company office so we could walk to join the tour. Since there is a driver AND guide, how easy to meet guests at the exit with their name ( like the other guides) and alleviate this anxiety. The company assumes people know where their points are. Drop off the same. Left at the port with no guidance on how to access the port entrance. This is a little we thing but there are many companies offering this tour and this was a BIG distraction. Second: this is a WALKING TOUR. Over 18,000 steps!! No water provided. 2 hours in the Topakani then off to The Hagi Sophia. Day was hot. We had teens with us and they were dragging. We are in our late 70s and needed water badly.
Thalis_L, Jun 2024
The guide was knowledgable and very kind. His english good enough. Good transportation with a van. Nice cruise at the end! A nice day, well spent.
Sylvia_S, Jun 2024
Our tour guide Ahmet was great. He was knowledgeable, responsive and a great guide. This was our first time in Istanbul.
brendawatts736, Jun 2024
This tour was wonderful. It was a very full day and we experienced alot. Very educational. The rooftop lunch was wonderful. The boat ride during sunset was amazing. Lots of food and drinks. Our tour guide Ahmet we had for the day was very friendly and did a beautiful job explaining the history and showing us around!
Frank_B, Jun 2024
Ahmet was an excellent guide. He really did know his stuff, and we were fortunate to have him guide us around on our day in Istanbul. He was friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable. This tour was well done. The Bosphorus Cruise was absolutely spectacular seeing the sunset over the city.
Just be aware that if they say you will see how the tiles are made (e.g., like in the Blue Mosque) or how carpet is made, or a visit to the bazaar, they will take you to a shop and try to have you buy something from there. This is highly intentional. We don't put that on our guide, but rather the organization he works for. We believe that it is part of their process. Do not feel pressured to buy anything, though they will certainly try to sell you something.
We were taken to a ceramic shop to see how they make the tiles found in the blue mosque. Conveniently, the person who typically does the demonstrations was not there. Instead, they showed us some of the items they had for sale, and the prices were eye watering. They tried to get us to purchase a small tile for 65 Euro. Do not buy it. You can find the exact same tiles at the airport for 5-6 Euro. They did give my wife a small bowl, which was nice, but we saw those at the airport for ~6 Euro.
Later, they took us to a smaller Bazaar since the Grand Bazaar was closed that day. Our guide took us to a store that sold teas and Turkish Delights. Again, the process felt very pushy. We almost asked him to not take us to the Bazaar after the ceramic shop experience.
We did have a little free time before the Bosphorus Cruise, so we decided to rest on a bench in the shade for a little bit. It wasn't 2 minutes for a carpet salesperson to try to get us to look at their goods. Generally, it felt like you had to be diligent about saying no to a lot of vendors (though this last bit is certainly not the fault of our tour guide or the agency, but we figured we would just warn you).
From $190.29
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
All in One Day Istanbul - Historical Tour of Istanbul with Bosphorus Cruise
491
11 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$190.29
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in Istanbul, Turkey
- Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi) Tours & Tickets
- Anadolu Kavagi Tours & Tickets
- Sultanahmet Square Tours & Tickets
- St. Anthony of Padua Church (Sent Antuan Bazilikasi) Tours & Tickets
- Beyazit Mosque (Beyazit Camii) Tours & Tickets
- Istanbul City Walls (Walls of Constantinople) Tours & Tickets
- Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Kücük Ayasofya Camii) Tours & Tickets
- Bosphorus Bridge (Bogazici Koprusu) Tours & Tickets
- Arasta Bazaar Tours & Tickets
- Viaport Marina Tours & Tickets
- Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (Türk Islam Eserleri Müzesi Hizmete) Tours & Tickets
- Istanbul Archaeological Museums (Istanbul Arkeoloji Muzeleri) Tours & Tickets
- Galatasaray High School (Galatasaray Lisesi) Tours & Tickets
More attractions near Istanbul, Turkey
- Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) Tours & Tickets
- Bosphorus Tours & Tickets
- Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii) Tours & Tickets
- Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi) Tours & Tickets
- Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi) Tours & Tickets
- Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Meydani) Tours & Tickets
- Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi) Tours & Tickets