Istanbul Old City Highlights: Private Walking Tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 4 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Private Licensed Tour Guide Exclusively For Your Group
- Public transportation(Use of public transportation depends on the location of your accommodation and your preference.)
- Lunch
- Admission tickets (optional). Pay only for the attractions you choose to enter.
- Gratuity (suggested)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Hippodrome
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Blue Mosque
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
TopkapI Palace
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Basilica Cistern
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
Grand Bazaar
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- On Sundays, when the Grand Bazaar is closed, the Spice Bazaar can be visited instead.
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays.
- For tours starting after noon, some sites may not be visited due to closing times.
- 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 73 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
I traveled to Istanbul for work so only had one day to see some of the city. This was the perfect option to hit the highlights in Old City Istanbul: Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern and Grand Bazaar. Batu was a wonderful guide! He provided details about where we visited that I never would have figured out on my own, clued me into some delicious spots to grab a bite or a tea and answered all my (many) questions! Highly recommend!!!!
This was a crash course in the history, culture, and food of an area we had almost no pre-knowledge of. Topal was patient and answered every question, as well as explaining historical significance at every turn.
Batu was a great tour guide and provided a very thoughtful and informative tour around a few mosques as well as the city. He was flexible with our schedule and even added a few stops at our request. We would definitely recommend Batu for your tour in Istanbul!
We were well looked after by our guide Can. Very knowledgeable and les us to all the main sights we wanted to see.
Mosques, palace, Cistern and bazaar a great day in the old city.
Thank you for getting us home safely.
We had a great experience visiting the sites in Istanbul. Batu was a very knowledgeable guide and also very patient with us walking around.
Great tour, highly recommended. We saw all the highlights and learned a lot about Istanbul on our tour!
Batu was phenomenal!!!. He was very knowledgeable. This was one of the best tour so far. Batu went above and beyond for us.
Five star is not enough. 10/10.
We booked this tour as part of a cruise stop in Istanbul. Our tour guide was a gentleman named Batu and we had a great and informative session. He arrived promptly at the meet up location at Galataport and proceeded to give a walking tour of the major highlights of Istanbul.
We started with hopping on the T1 tram from the port to the Sultanahmet area where we paused for some turkish coffee (my wife needed a jolt of caffiene to start us off). Great experience watching the preparation and presentation/service.
We proceeded to walk down to the Blue mosque, Batu guided us on dress code while giving us detailed history lessons of the buildings we were looking at. We visited inside the mosque and was awed by the beautiful designs.
Next we visited the Obelisk of Theodosius and the German fountain on the hippodrome. My kids particularly enjoyed seeing the obelisk and hieroglyphics.
We walked down to the Hagia Sophia next, where Batu helped with procuring tickets and dress code again. Once inside we spent probably close to an hour marveling at this ancient building that has changed hands so many times in history.
We ended the tour with a walk to the Grand Bazaar, an epic feast for the senses! Batu showed us a few recommended stores for Carpets and leather goods.
By now we had been walking almost four hours (with lots of stops for rest in the hot august temps as well as pictures) and we decided to wrap up the tour. Batu was able to help in getting a taxi to get us back to Galataport to get back on our cruise.
Batu was patient, knowledgeable and helpful. He answered all our random questions and we were able to totally customize the tour to what we wanted to see/experience.
I fully recommend this tour, you will not be disappointed!!
Excellent introduction to Istanbul, with most important landmarks and historical attractions visited.
Burak, our guide, was also excellent - friendly, knowledgeable and professional. I highly recommend this tour and tour guide.
Batu was A+, gave us lots of great advice on Istanbul, not just about tour. Was very helpful. Thank you!!
What an amazing experience! Barak was both knowledgeable and fun, and answered all our endless questions about history and the places we toured. He gave us options that helped us tailor the experience to our liking, found us bathrooms, Coke Zero, and whatever else we needed. He was also happy to take our picture as many times as we asked him to.
Maybe the best private tour I’ve ever been on, and at a great price too. Book this one. You won’t be sorry. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Buta was our tour guide for the day. He took 6 of us through many famous sites and ended in Grand Bazaar. He was an amazing young man who is full of knowledge of the places we visited. Not only his English was good, he was very thorough with the history, and very easy to understand him. Before our tour, we asked him many questions and he responded quickly. He sure put us at ease. He also has a lot of patience and often waited for few of us who walked bit slower. He is a very personable and made us all feel very welcomed. Thank you Buta for giving us such a wonderful tour of your beautiful country. We were so lucky to have met you and looking forward to seeing you again in the near future.
The guide, Batu, was very kind and accommodating. He was knowledgeable, punctual and well prepared for the tour.
Batu was absolutely amazing. Very knowledgeable and articulate. He is very versed in local history and was able to share in a way to understand. He was also so patient with us. And he is an amazing photographer as well!! :)
We had a great guided tour with Batu who was very knowledgeable and helped us understand the historic sites. He also took the time to ensure we had plenty of time to explore what interested us at our pace as well. Thanks Batu.
Burak was great! His English is excellent and so is his knowledge!
It was great to go at our own speed and choose what we wanted to see. Highly recommended!!
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.
Our guide Eda was warm, friendly and very knowledgeable. She did not leave our side for the entire day as she navigated the city with us, assisted with shopping and changing currency . She went out of her way to make our experience very enjoyable. Highly recommended.
I took my father to Istanbul to celebrate his 60th birthday, and Batu made the day very memorable.
He met us right at the Ahikapi pier and from there it was a full day packed (Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and its gardens, the Hippodrome, and the Basilica Cistern). Batu clearly knows Istanbul inside out, weaving together its history from the Roman period right up to today, and he did it all with a sharp sense of humor that kept the day light and fun rather than feeling academic.
As Scots, we ended up chatting away about Scottish football and British television over a Turkish coffee break. It felt less like a guided tour and more like spending the day with a very knowledgeable local. He also arranged great value tickets to Hagia Sophia, at the last minute, which was a nice surprise.
What really stood out was his kindness. He stayed with us right until our hotel transfer arrived, well beyond what he needed to do. I’ve done a fair bit of traveling over the years, and Batu is one of the best guides I’ve come across. If I’m back in Istanbul, I’ll be booking him again without a second thought.
I was in Istanbul for a few hours because my cruise ship got in late and it was leaving the same day. I thought I would not see much of Istanbul. Batu made everything work out. He planned the day so I could see the things in Istanbul without feeling like I had to hurry.
Batu showed me what life is like for people who live in Istanbul. He took me to a place to eat and I got to try the food that local people eat. We even had a beer together. It was nice to have someone show me around Istanbul like that.
If Batu can make a short visit to Istanbul much fun I think a whole day with him would be even better. I think people who are going to Istanbul should go on a tour, with Batu
I went on a great tour and our guide was fantastic. Batuhan was very smart and easy to talk to. He told us lots of things that I would not have noticed by myself. The whole tour was fun from the beginning, to the end. Batuhan helped me understand Istanbul better. I also had some stuff I wanted to buy from Istanbul and Batu recommended us places we can get them from. We got to go without waiting in line and we started early so everything was easy and we did not have to deal with big crowds. This tour is great if you want to learn about the little things you might otherwise miss.
Muti arrived at our hotel right on time to begin our day. He gave us great background information about the sites we visited, including showing us images that helped to illuminate the history of the sites on a tablet he brought with him. He really let us set the pace of the tour; he suggested coffee and lunch breaks to cut down on fatigue, for which we were grateful. Overall it was a great way to see the highlights of the old city.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your kind words.
Ali showed up on time at our meeting place and we worked out an itinerary that addressed our couple constrains, namely, our tour finish time and
the need for lunch. So, we agreed on skipping couple highlights and had a great lunch outside the Grand Bazaar.
Ali is knowledgeable about Turkey's and Islam's histories and he shared a lot of this personal experiences which made the tour more satisfying.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words.
Traveling solo in Istanbul can feel a bit intimidating, but exploring the city with Batuhan made it amazing. I visited the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar with him and never felt alone or rushed. Batuhan shared interesting stories, tips, and a few funny moments that made the day so enjoyable. Solo travelers, if you want someone who makes the city feel alive and fun, Batuhan is the guide to go with.
We visited the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar with Batu, and everything went very smoothly. We chose to skip Topkapi Palace and Batu adjusted the plan easily. We never felt rushed at any point and always had enough time to look around and enjoy each place comfortably.
Batu also recommended a great local restaurant, which ended up being one of the best meals of our trip. It was a truly terrific day with an excellent guide.
Exploring Istanbul with Batu was one of the highlights of my trip. The city is already full of beauty and history but Batu brought everything to life with clear explanations and stories that were both engaging and easy to follow.
What I liked most was how natural the whole experience felt. Nothing was rushed and nothing felt overly scripted. Batu paid attention to what I was curious about and shaped the tour in a way that made it feel personal and meaningful.
By the end of the day I felt like I understood the city much better and had seen both the well known landmarks and a few hidden gems that I never would have found on my own.
If you are looking for a guide who is knowledgeable friendly and genuinely passionate about Istanbul I absolutely recommend choosing Batu.
This was my first visit to Turkey even though I grew up in the US with Turkish roots and this tour made it unforgettable. The guide was very knowledgeable and welcoming and helped me connect with both the history of Istanbul and my own heritage. Everything was clear and never rushed and it felt like more than just a tour but a meaningful experience.
It was an absolutely amazing tour through the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul. Every stop was full of fascinating stories and breathtaking views from ancient landmarks to hidden corners filled with local charm. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the city’s rich history, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. I also loved how many cats we came across along the way they truly add to Istanbul’s unique atmosphere. I’d definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to discover the heart and soul of the city in an authentic and engaging way.
We had a incredible experience exploring İstanbul with Batuhan. He was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and passionate about the city’s rich history and culture. Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque was astonishing. Thanks to Batuhan we had great time and stress-free shopping in Grand Bazaar which is like a maze. If you’re visiting İstanbul and want a truly memorable experience, I highly reccommend taking a tour with Batuhan.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
I am happy that you enjoyed the tour. Hope to see you again if you ever come back to Istanbul.
This tour was one of the best experiences we had in Istanbul. Our guide Batu made everything easy to understand, fun and very enjoyable. We really appreciated his recommendations and the way he organized the day. It felt smooth, stress free and full of fascinating insights. We learned a lot, laughed a lot and left with unforgettable memories. Highly recommend this tour if you want to truly experience the city.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
I am happy that you enjoyed the tour. Hopefully, we will meet again on your next visit to Istanbul.
From $79.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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