Istanbul private tour with skip line tickets included
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 4 to 7 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Stroll the atmospheric neighborhoods and historic streets of old Istanbul on a full-day, private walking tour with an experienced guide. Enjoy the flexibility to customize the day to your interests, with plenty of time to visit the sites that interest you most. Trace a path through centuries of Turkish history as you explore the hippodrome, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Take in the soaring dome and minarets of Hagia Sophia, then get an insider’s guide to the Grand Bazaar’s vibrant displays of handicrafts, souvenirs and carpets.
- Full-day walking tour of historic Istanbul with a private guide
- See the city's landmarks and highlights
- Create the perfect tour for your schedule and needs
- Get local tips on the best places to eat, drink and visit
- Private tour ensures a personal experience
What's Included
- Private expert tour guiding for the day
- Skip Line Tickets for Hagia Sophia
- Private Pick up and Drop off at your Hotel or Cruise Port by Airconditioned vehicles
- Unique time to discover Turkish Handcrafts: (Carpet -Leather-Ceramic and Jewelry)
- Pre-reserved tickets for Topkapi Palace
- Drinks
- Lunch
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Blue Mosque
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Grand Bazaar
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
4
Hippodrome
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
TopkapI Palace
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
6
Tree Of Life Ceramics & Gift Shop
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
5K Rug Store
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 219 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Peri was an excellent private guide and had an excellent knowledge of history. We had a lot of questions all of which she was able to answer.
Özge Ozan was our guide for the day.
She was a superb guide.
She messaged on the morning to confirm our preferred start time and then discussed with us the proposed itinerary emphasising that it was totally flexible to suit us.
We then set off and spent time at the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Topkapi Palace.
We learned a lot about them all and spent enough time in each.
As well as her evident knowledge of Turkish history, Özge also talked to us about many modern aspects of Turkey and the world in general which was very interesting.
Her English skills were excellent
We also visited a ceramic shop and rug shop but felt no sales pressure.
The long day finished when we were ready.
We very much enjoyed our day with Özge and would use her again if we came back to Istanbul and would strongly recommend her services.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Reading your review truly made our day.
To know that your journey with us was more than a tour, but a cherished memory, is the greatest reward.
Thank you for trusting our boutique team in Istanbul with your time in Turkey. You will always have a family here.
With gratitude,
AYHAN AKKILIC
We had the most incredible private customized tour of Istanbul with Perihan. She was knowledgeable about each site and was able to answer every question we had. She was also patient, kind, and felt like a true friend by the end of the tour. I would specifically request her for your tour experience. Thank you so much for showing us everything Istanbul has to offer!
Great tour with Belgin a very knowledgeable guide. She had planned the tour in a good order to avoid the outdoor heat. Flexible in allowing to change the itinerary a little to see sites we wanted to visit which were not on the original list. She knew her history and also took us to a great restaurant for lunch which we returned to for dinner a couple of days later.
Got to see some amazing highlights! Skipped many ticket lines which was appreciated. Guide was very knowledgeable.
Being on a private tour and being able to select the places that we wanted to focus on and then decide to spend more or less time at each made the experience all the more enjoyable for us. Having a very knowledgeable local guide was invaluable.
It was an excellent tour. Our personal guild was brilliant. She was very informative, friendly and spoke very good English. It was a relaxing walk, not too strenuous.
Our tour guide was very knowledgable. Pick up and drop off very smooth. Skip the line tickets is a QR code so you do still have to wait In a queue to get in the palace. Lots of walking around the mosques and sites (definitely quicker than what driving would be with traffic)
Kenan excelled as our guide. He was very thorough explaining the history of Istanbuls sights, as well as pointing out the unique details. It was a very enjoyable day, and ensured we took time for a relaxing breaks. The place he selected for our lunch was also very good. I would highly recommend Kenan and this tour if you ever visit Istanbul!
We had an amazing time on this tour in Istanbul! Everything was well organized, and we got to see so many incredible historical and cultural landmarks. Our tour guide, Shaban, was outstanding- friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history and culture of Turkey.
INCREDIBLE day with our new friend, Peri. Peri met us at the cruise port and walked us to an air conditioned van for a ride to the Old City. From there, we spent 3-4 hours exploring Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and Hagia Sophia. Peru was incredibly knowledge, made sure we didn’t wait in unnecessary lines, and was the best photographer. After the historic part of our tour, we enjoyed lunch and birthday cake for Peri’s birthday. Following lunch, we visited a ceramic shop and the Spice Market where we tried different teas and left with a heavy bag of souvenirs. If you’re going to Istanbul, a private guide is a must and Peri is the best!
Songul (Rose) was a knowledgeable and flexible guide who provided us with all the information we needed and tailored the day to our wishes.
Our group of 4 were fortunate to have “OJ” as our private tour guide seeing the highlights of Istanbul. She was attentive to our needs and wishes. Took us to the Cistern which was not on our itinerary but something we wanted to see. Knowledgable, articulate, pleasant and fun best describe this guide and experience.
Erkut was an amazing tour guide! He made our experience so much more enjoyable by explaining the history and significance of every place we visited in a way that was easy to understand. He shared so many interesting details that we would have completely missed on our own.
What really made him stand out was how patient and thoughtful he was. He never rushed us and was always happy to answer questions. He also went above and beyond by taking beautiful photos of us at every stop, making sure we had wonderful memories to take home.
If you’re lucky enough to have Erkut as your guide, you’re in great hands. I would highly recommend him to anyone visiting. Thank you, Erkut, for making our trip so memorable!
Our tour guide - Dillsad- was very friendly and quite knowledgeable. Enjoyed all the history. Some parts seemed a bit long and drawn out, however our guide was very accommodating and allowed for bathroom breaks, refreshments, shopping and photos.
The tour was amazing. Our guide Mel was knowledgeable and attentive. The sights are breathtaking. I highly recommend
Saban was wonderful. He has a wealth of knowledge and delivered a fantastic experience at all the sites. We had a delicious lunch and a great time at the ceramic and rug stores with very instructive demonstrations. A terrific experience!!
Wonderful experience with a kind and knowledgeable guide! Kenan was an excellent guide. We saw Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Spice Bazaar!
Everything was taken care of so we could just experience and enjoy the city. Our guide was so knowledgeable and mindful of how to make it the best day of adventure
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for booking your tour with us in Istanbul, we are glad to see your nice words and happy to provide best services with our team for our valued guests
There is more to see than you possibly could in a day. She was very knowledgeable and judged very well what we would find of interest. This tour was very worth the price.
Great tour with a dedicated guide. Timely pickup at our hotel. Having the tickets ready for us was a big reason we went with this tour. Our guide, Maksut was very knowledgeable and tailored our tour to fit our needs.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your nice words and choosing our company for your travel in Turkey
I thoroughly enjoyed this private tour with Serkan. His knowledge of the history of the mosques and the Harem was exceptional and made the experience truly worthwhile. Having a private tour created a much more personal and intimate atmosphere. I never had to worry about other tourists interrupting, and Serkan was able to take the time to explain each location we visited in great detail.
For me, the best tours are the ones where it's just you and the guide, allowing for a more engaging and customized experience. Serkan exceeded my expectations in every way.
Excellent, excellent, excellent! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Taha Tahir was an incredibly knowledgeable and likeable tour guide. His love for his home city is evident in every aspect of the tour and he brought the history and culture of the city alive for us. He also seems to be famous among the community...nice to have been with such a well liked celebrity!
We just finished our private Istanbul tour with Songül and it was the highlight of our trip. From the very start, she made the day feel personal—taking the time to learn what we loved and tailoring everything to our interests. Her knowledge of Istanbul is incredible, and the insights she shared brought the city’s history and culture to life in a way no guidebook ever could.
What truly set Songül apart was how genuine and thoughtful she was. She turned what could have been an ordinary tour into a magical, unforgettable experience. We never felt rushed, every question was welcomed, and she had a wonderful way of making us feel like old friends seeing the city together.
If you’re visiting Istanbul, do yourself a favor and book a private tour with Songül. You won’t regret it. Teşekkürler, Songül—we’ll treasure this day forever!
Will you get an extremely knowledgeable tour guide that will have answers for all your history questions? Yes. Will you get a local that will give you a realistic perspective into their thoughts and culture? No.
Why this is, is complex. The first half of the tour was exactly what we were expecting - historical sites and facts. Lots to see and learn. The entire second half, however, was one sales pitch after another. Like every single one.
Rug store to see a rug being made? Cool. Rug store upstairs demonstration with high pressure sales tactics? Not cool. Pottery store to see how certain pottery is made? Cool. Tour of the entire store being constantly reminded that things can be shipped home included in the price? Not cool.
The kicker was the Grand Bazzar, a place known to be tourist focused, high (relative to other markets) priced, and a place where you as a consumer have limited knowledge since prices are not marked. This is the definition of the type of place you can barter. So I asked our guide, how barter and pricing works. He acted indignent and firmly said you never barter and the price is the price. This is when I knew this individual was not someone that had my interest in mind. At the VERY LEAST you could give the straightforward advice to 'ask multiple vendors selling the same item how much, and if you don't want it, just walk away. This will start to give you an idea of how much these things should cost.'. That's such basic advice, and instead I got "pay the price they say *angry face*", which in our case was for a blanket that cost anywhere from $150 - $450 (!!) depending on who you asked.
I should have seen this coming though. For lunch, he asked where we wanted to eat. We said street food. Then he took us to the most touristy priced sit down next to the landmarks. He acted cagey for a bit saying its up to us if we wanted to eat alone or not. Basically making 100% sure it was us who invited him to lunch, which then the expectation was on us to pay. The thing is, I WANTED to pay for his meal already, and was going to offer, but instead it became this weird game of "well only if you want to", very strange. Was $100 for 3 people's basic lunch, which on the street would have been half that.
So this is to say you are going to get a tour guide that has relationships with lots of locals, and these locals want you to buy their stuff. But as a result, you can't trust anything your PRIVATE tour guide says because you are always second guessing if you're the mark or if their recommendations are trustworthy.
At this point, I cannot recommend this expensive service. Do a big group tour, save the money, and have an even better experience because you're not going to be put in awkward situations multiple times throughout your private tour where you don't have anyone else to back you up in these high pressure sales tactic positions.
At the end of the day I gave him a tip (which is not standard in their culture) just to get him to go away. Sour taste for what should have been a great experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for choosing our tour and your review, rug store and ceramic pottery workshop is a part of our culture and we do visit them according to your interest but you can easily say no after the information part and do not see any off the products , also about the lunch you are always welcome to have your private lunch and do not share the table with the guide, Thank you for choosing us again and we are sorry that we could not satisfy your wishes
This was a private, guided tour of the major tourist sites of Istanbul. We were picked up at the hotel and returned when it was over. Our guide, Peri, was very friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable. She got us into the Blue Mosque 15 minutes before it closed for prayers. Of all the sites, this was the most rushed. At the end of the tour, she took us to a great lunch spot. Our biggest criticisms are that our tour was in the middle of a major Turkish holiday. Most stores and the Grand Bazaar were closed, so no visitors. Wall to wall people everywhere, expected in a city of 18 million. Worst was the traffic going back to the hotel. It took the driver 2 1/2 hours to pick us up, and another 30 minutes to get back to the hotel. The sites were of great historic interest, and the guide did a great job in her explanations. We probably will not return to Istanbul.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Our dearest guest, we are very sorry to see your review unfortunately the day of your tour was independence day of istanbul and a big national holiday that was the main reason of the crowds and traffic, unfortutanely we do not have any chance to change the traffic conditions thats why we offer old city walking tours without car
we had an Exceptional walking tour of Istanbul with our guide Saban Sezer,his depth of knowledge as amazing, his Love of Istanbul incredible, thank you Topkapi palace,Ayasofya,Blue mosque,Grand bazaar,
Our guide Peri did an excellent job and I would recommend her for this tour of Istanbul. From the very beginning she communicated the logistics of the tour so we knew what to expect. She has an incredible level of knowledge about the history of Istanbul and the historical sites on the tour. Her personality fit the role perfectly because she was able to mix history with anecdotes that made the tour fun. Peri also timed the visits to each historic site so that crowd sizes were minimal (which is relative given the sizes of the crowds in Instanbul).
Just a FYI, the tour is a walking tour so be ready to walk.
What a day in Istanbul! Eylem arrived on time at our hotel and took us on a tram to the Blue Mosque, providing narrative of the sights all along the way. Next was Hagia Sophia with several more stops along the way 8ncluding the Grand Market.
After a break for coffee and baklava, she took us to a local shop so my wife could buy some Turkish towels. Then we saw a very informative ceramics demonstration.
The day was capped off at the Topkapi Palace. Eylem's wonderful narrative made the experience enriching and fun.
Don't go to Istanbul without booking with Eylem!
We had an outstanding experience touring the historic heart of Istanbul with Billur. She guided us through iconic sites including Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapı Palace with exceptional knowledge and insight. What truly distinguished her was her flexibility and personalized approach. She adapted the pace, timing, and content to our interests rather than following a rigid script. Billur consistently went above and beyond to make the experience engaging, comfortable, and tailored specifically to us. Professional, warm, and highly informed, she made the history of Istanbul come alive. We would recommend her without hesitation.
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per personWas $196.03(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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