Private Istanbul Day Tour – Car & English Driver

Recommended by 91% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Istanbul, Turkey

8 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Istanbul, Turkey

5.0

(18)

Half Day Walking Tour of Old Istanbul

from $137

Byzantian and Ottoman City Tour Museum fees Lunch Inc

Istanbul, Turkey

5.0

(11)

Byzantian and Ottoman City Tour Museum fees Lunch Inc

from $300

Private Layover Sightseeing Experience of Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

4.9

(7)

Private Layover Sightseeing Experience of Istanbul

from $191

Price varies by group size

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Be immersed in the rich cultural heritage of Istanbul on this full-day private tour, with hassle-free round-trip transfer by air-conditioned vehicle. Follow a comprehensive sightseeing itinerary to discover the city’s highlights, including the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, with personalized attention and insights provided by your personal driver-guide.

Be immersed in Istanbul’s rich culture on this full-day tour
Benefit from the insider knowledge of your private driver-guide
Explore the city in comfort via air-conditioned vehicle
Visit must-see landmarks including the Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar

What's Included

WiFi on board
Air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water
Snacks
Speaking English Driver

Guide
Museum Tickets

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning or from the specified pick-up point. Please provide us with advance information to confirm the pick-up time and location. If you are traveling as a group, please provide the name and contact information of your group leader. Be ready at the pick-up time to prevent any possible delays during the tour

Itinerary

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Sultanahmet Square

50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hippodrome

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

TopkapI Palace

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Basilica Cistern

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Grand Bazaar

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Galata Tower

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Taksim Square

50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Remaining time will be allotted for transport duration
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 47 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Nice driver. Not really a “tour”.

Jason_B, Sep 2025

It was a decent ride with a very nice driver. But I would not call this a tour. The partition between the driver and passengers would not go down so he was only able to speak with the person who sat in the front seat leaving the rest of us without hearing the information. It was more of like having a taxi pick up and drop off.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Dear Guest, Thank you very much for choosing us and for sharing your feedback. I’m Ali, the driver you mentioned. I’m sorry that your experience felt more like a transfer than a tour. Our product (“Private Istanbul Day Tour – Car & English Driver”) includes a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver, and a licensed tour guide can be added on request. That said, we still aim to provide continuous commentary and suggestions throughout the journey. Regarding the partition: you are right. The divider did not lower properly that day, which limited communication to the front seat. We have since serviced the mechanism and will keep the divider lowered unless a guest specifically requests otherwise. We’re also reminding our team to proactively rotate seating or pause the car when sharing information so everyone can hear clearly. If you’re willing, please contact us through the Viator message center with your booking number. We would like the opportunity to make this right and to welcome you back with an improved experience. Kind regards, Ali – Istanbul Private Driver Team

It was great. Very...

Alejandro_G, Aug 2025

It was great. Very friendly and helpful. Service was very punctual and comfortable car. Very polite and they explained is all the itinerary

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Alejandro, Thank you for the kind review! I’m happy to hear everything felt **friendly, punctual, and comfortable**, and that the **itinerary explanations** were helpful throughout the day. It was a pleasure hosting you. Warm regards, **Ali — Tour Leader**

Stay away from this trip

Bilkis_K, Aug 2025

My car was different. Driver did not speak english. He came 45 min late. Did not show us anything. He only wanted to take us to his friends restaurant and shop even after denying it. Dropped us off after 2.5 hour instead of 8 hours. Refused to help getting in and out of the car. Extremely rude and would never recommend this driver.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Hi Bilkis, I’m truly sorry for what you experienced. What you described is not the service we promise, and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention. To address your points directly: * **On-time pickup & full 8-hour service:** A 45-minute delay and ending after ~2.5 hours are unacceptable. This product is a **private 8-hour** service with flexible stops. We’ve tightened dispatch oversight and time-tracking so early drop-offs cannot happen without your explicit request. * **English-speaking driver:** You booked an English driver; anything less is our mistake. I’ve restricted assignments on this tour to **verified English-speaking drivers only**. * **Vehicle & comfort:** If the vehicle differed from what was shown, we should have informed you and offered an equal or better car. We’ve reinforced a **like-for-like or upgrade** policy and pre-departure checks (cleanliness, water stocked). * **No shopping pressure:** We operate a strict **no-commission, no-pressure** policy. I’ve acted on your report and removed the partner involved pending compliance review. * **Courtesy & assistance:** Refusing to help guests in and out of the car is against our standards. The driver involved has been taken off this product pending retraining and evaluation. I know this doesn’t give the day back, so I’d like to make it right. Please message me via **Viator Messages** with your booking reference so I can review the timeline and arrange an appropriate **goodwill remedy** under Viator’s policies (compensation and/or a complimentary upgrade). If you’d ever consider giving us another chance, I will **personally oversee** your service from pickup to drop-off. Thank you for the candid feedback—we’re using it to be better for every guest. Respectfully, **Ali — Tour Leader**

Never again

Terrell_W, Jul 2025

First our flight was a little late arrival ,we got to Airport the directions given for meeting point was totally wrong and there really was no contact info I had to Google the company to get in contact with them its actually not a driver its a company, got to waiting point and had to wait like 15 minutes, I wasted bout 15 minutes for a location that didn't exist, we were dropped off at a restaurant location where they were trying to get us to buy stuff, when we was ready to go we had to wait for a driver bout 20-30 minutes and it wasn't the original driver the first driver didn't speak English very well so he didn't understand us , but we picked English tour driver... all being said I wouldn't recommend them to anyone alot of time was wasted waiting on driver and pick up points were not right

Response from Host, Sep 2025

I know this doesn’t undo your day, but I want to make it right. Please send me a quick note via **Viator Messages** with your booking reference; I’ll review for an appropriate **goodwill compensation** under Viator’s policies and personally oversee any future service if you give us another chance. Respectfully, **Ali — Tour Leader**

Amazing day / Amazing Tour!

Nipun_P, Dec 2024

Ali was amazing and so friendly. You can plan your itinerary or work alongside with Ali to help plan your day out. The traffic is horrible so he knows when and where to go to avoid traffic. We planned our day from 11am-7:30pm We did the following: 1) Spice Bazaar 2) Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topaki Palace- all in one area. He will drop you off here. 3) Balat (colorful area) 4) Galata Tower (30 euros) (very nice area with lots of cafes). 5) Taksim area Tips: lots of walking, if you plan to tour the actual sites, the sites may charge. The day can be long so be prepared as to what you want to see. My husband and I wanted to just see the sites from outside. We didn’t actually go inside any site (only Blue Mosque).

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Hi Nipun, Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience! It was a real pleasure spending the day with you and helping you make the most out of your time in Istanbul. I’m glad I could assist in planning your itinerary and navigating the city’s traffic—it’s always my goal to make the day smooth and enjoyable for my guests. You covered so many iconic spots in a short time, and I’m happy to hear that the route worked well for you. Whether it’s exploring vibrant neighborhoods like Balat or soaking in the atmosphere around Galata and Taksim, Istanbul always has something special to offer. Great tip about being prepared for lots of walking—it’s definitely a full experience! Whenever you and your wife decide to visit again, I’d be thrilled to show you even more of this beautiful city. Thank you once again for choosing Cool Travel Istanbul! Best wishes, Erdinç Ali İslamoğlu Cool Travel Istanbul