Full-Day Istanbul Tour with Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise

Recommended by 90% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Istanbul, Turkey

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

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Overview

Discover one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities, on this full-day guided sightseeing tour of Istanbul. Get around in comfort and style with a Mercedes minivan, and beeline with your guide to the Spice Bazaar, a historic market full of the smells and colors of Turkey. Stroll the old corridors of Dolmabahçe Palace, the final place that Ottoman emperors occupied. Then, cruise down the Bosphorus Strait, taking in the sights of the Asian and European sides. This tour is limited to 12 people to ensure a quality experience.

Full-day tour of Istanbul’s Asian and European side including Bosphorus sightseeing cruise
See both faces of this captivating city, the only one to span two continents
Take in the waterside sights on a cruise along the Bosphorus, the strait that divides the city
Visit the lavish Dolmabahçe Palace, the last home of the Ottoman sultans
Soak up the colorful Spice Bazaar and panoramic city views from Çamlıca Hill
Take snaps of two continents side-by-side as you cross the Bosphorus Bridge linking Europe and Asia
Travel by Mercedes minivan and enjoy personalized attention from a guide on a small-group tour limited to 12 people

What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Local guide
Transport by air-conditioned Mercedes minivan
Bosphorus sightseeing cruise

Food and drinks
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We provide Free Pick up from all Cruise Ship Ports, and Hotels in Sultanahmet - Fatih - Taksim - Beyoglu - Sisli - Besiktas - Harbiye - Ortakoy areas.

Itinerary

Your full-day city sightseeing tour of Istanbul begins effortlessly, with a pickup at your central Istanbul hotel. Meet your expert local guide and buckle into your luxury Mercedes minivan for a comfortable ride. Begin learning about Istanbul’s fascinating history as you cruise through the city.

Start at one of Istanbul’s main icons, the Spice Bazaar. Amble between its colorful stalls while meeting local spice dealers and taking in the exotic smells. Listen to your guide explain the significance behind the principal spices sold here as well as herbs and other goods.

Then, board a boat for a scenic cruise down the Bosphorus Strait. Admire the views set between the city’s two continents, the Asian and European sides. Spot famous landmarks from the viewing deck, such as Yıldız Park and the Rumeli Fortress in addition to many baroque Ottoman residences and riverfront restaurants and shops.

After, move on to the stately Dolmabahçe Palace. This opulent structure was created by one of the Ottoman Empire’s last emperors in the 19th century. Tour the magnificent grounds, taking in the history that still exudes from the walls here. Follow you guide as he details information about the construction process, including the story behind the 14 tons of gold used to decorate the ceilings alone.

Linger over lunch (own expense) at a nearby restaurants, then go to the highest point in all of Istanbul, Çamlıca Hill. Take a few moments to admire the truly stunning views, seeing Istanbul at your feet. Reflect on your favorite parts of the day, and then journey across the Bosphorus Bridge, back to your hotel where your tour ends.

Please note: The order of the sites visited as described above may be subject to change on the day of your tour. The Dolmabahçe Palace is closed on Mondays and Thursdays. On these days, tours will go to the Beylerbeyi Palace instead.

Dolmabahce Palace

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Rumeli Fortress (Pass By)

Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)

Bosphorus Strait

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Camlica Hill

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Misir Carsisi (Spice Market)

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

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)

Reviews

4.4

based on 20 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Bosporus views are epic!

Jamel_W, Nov 2020

Great tour! The Bosporus cruise turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip. I wasn’t expecting it to have such great views and be so enjoyable. The dolmabahce palace was breathtaking! It’s on another level and has some similarities to palace of Versailles so get ready to be amazed! Going to the tallest lookout point in Istanbul gives you great panoramic views as well. This tour gave me so many great pictures for Instagram and my own memories I’m really glad I chose this tour!

Response from Host, Nov 2020

Thank you very much for your great review. We hope to see you again in Turkey with a longer trip..

Wonderful!

justzsa, Sep 2019

From Ismael's very cordial introduction at our hotel right until the very end of the trip, this was a wonderful experience that I have since recommended to everyone who is/will be visiting Istanbul. What a true pleasure it was to meet with Ismael, gain a social/economic/political background on Istanbul's rich history and see the incredible sights it has to offer. The experience began with a hotel pick-up (on-time, private luxury vehicle, no issues whatsoever) and off we went to the Spice Bazaar which was a true delight in each and every sense. Next, we hopped on the Bosphorus Cruise which took us along the key landmarks on Istanbul's coastline for 90 minutes after which, we visited the Dolmabahce Palace. A magnificent array of beautiful ornaments and stunning architecture greeted us and we were given the opportunity of an audio tour guide which provided a more than sufficient understanding of the Palace and its history. Next, we went to the highest point in Istanbul, namely Camlica Hill which provided a vantage point across the city with views to kill for! Ismael was kind, friendly, extremely knowledgeable about Turkey's history and I would not hesitate to recommend this particular excursions to others. Worth every penny! Thank you for an unforgettable experience!!

Tour delivered did not match Description

merrin r, Aug 2019

We did the Istanbul two continents tour and unfortunately, what was delivered was not what was advertised in the tour description. They ended up showing up 45 minutes late when picking us up from the hotel in the morning and did not call or email to notify us of the late pick up. There was a holiday on the day we booked the tour and they could not take us to Dolmabace Palace. There was no notification that this would not happen and we should have been given the option to cancel or book something else. Additionally, we did a huge budget cruise with hundreds of people. the tour guide did not explain anything we sat alone. Very disappointing. We ended up leaving early after the boat cruise because they were bringing us to a random church which was never outlined in the description.

At the onset, I would still like to...

Deepak M, Mar 2018

At the onset, I would still like to believe that viator is a professional company and our next experience/ s would be better. Not giving up on you guys. This tour was however marred by: 1. Change of vehicle 5 times between minivans and big tour buses 2. Promised a merc minivan but made to sit thrice on the big bus 3. Accordingly, the group size kept changing from 9 to 25 as against a promised 12 max 4. Tour guide was excellent but most of the times kept speaking to the Spanish guys in Spanish leaving us to the the other tour guide who was generally addressing a bigger audience. Logistically difficult. No complaints against that tour guide specifically but this is not what we had paid for. 5. I had to raise this issue with your local support a number of times but he expressed his inability to deliver us exactly what had been promised in the package The local support was a decent guy, gave us a complimentary night cruise but it was with 250 persons. Though it was decent however that's not why we booked our tour through viator.

This tour was very good to see the...

Matilde W, Mar 2018

This tour was very good to see the other side of Istambul. The Dolmabahce Palace is really amazing and worth to see. The tour guide could have told us more about the history of the place.

Brilliant tour! The views from the...

Ayesha_B, Oct 2017

Brilliant tour! The views from the Bosporus were fantastic.Eren,our tour guide was great as he explained the history behind important buildings

Awesome tour. Dolmabahce Palace was...

Kristie_K, Sep 2017

Awesome tour. Dolmabahce Palace was stunning. A good way to get your bearings of the city in your first few days.

We were lucky having Unal Aydin as...

Jamil_A, Apr 2017

We were lucky having Unal Aydin as guide in this tour. The hall journey was so exciting and informative. This tour was a reference for us to compare other tours and guides. It wasn't easy for the others. If we will have the chance to comeback to Istanbul, we will look for sure for City of Sultans and ask for Unal Aydin.

The Dolmabahce Palace was not...

Vickie R, Sep 2016

The Dolmabahce Palace was not available because it was closed on the day that we booked the tour. This was not the tour guides fault and we knew it in advance. We did an alternative attraction. The tour guide was knowledgeable and very pleasant. Would suggest that you book on the day that this palace is available.

Great tour guide, interesting...

Barbara K, Apr 2016

Great tour guide, interesting sights, great cruise! Weather was perfect, group was small. So glad I chose this tour!

The tour was worthwhile and...

Kaiwan C, Jan 2016

The tour was worthwhile and interesting. Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating. My wife fell ill on our booked date. The owner very obligingly rescheduled our tour date as he turned up in the hotel lobby to pick us up. I would definitely book through City of Sultans again.

Istanbul is a fascinating place and...

Dominic Y, Oct 2015

Istanbul is a fascinating place and the tour was quite informative about the country's heritage.

We thought the palace part of if was...

teddie p, Oct 2015

We thought the palace part of if was awesome, quite the place, it's too bad more of it isn't open to the public!!! Lunch was good, a set menu and the cruise was interesting also, a different view from the water. Out tour guide was a very nice young girl!!

The tour guide was real good. She...

Juleika C, Sep 2015

The tour guide was real good. She was knowledgeable. Answer all our questions. The only issue that I found is that for the amount of money they charge, the restaurant they took us for lunch should be better. The food was good, but it was cafeteria food.

Just an excellent tour! Costos was a...

Lauren C, Jun 2015

Just an excellent tour! Costos was a special guide - he knew everything about the country and made the whole tour fun! The Best!

It was one of the best trips I have...

Hans, Apr 2015

It was one of the best trips I have ever taken, and a wonderful introduction to Turkey. Eren was a conscientious guide and a sociable travel companion. And I believe he must know everybody in Istanbul! We all appreciated his ability to find excellent places to eat, no matter what time of day.

Excellent tour. The guide was really...

Eumir Paulo R, Apr 2015

Excellent tour. The guide was really knowledgeable and very nice. The route is also very original and took us to not that common places.

Visite interesente Istanbul

Francine B, Oct 2019

J'ai beaucoup aimé la visite ,très intéressante. Le seul hic à la visite est à un vendeur de veste de cuir de brebis avec parade de mannequin et a un prix exorbitant. Cette demi heure aurait été plus apprécié à la visite du palais Dolmabahce qui était magnifique et qui ne durait que 60 minutes Personnel très apprécié et compétent.

Response from Host, Sep 2020

Thank you very much for your review. It was our great pleasure to serve you in Istanbul. We hope to see you again with a longer trip..

Excelente. Não pudemos ir Dolmabahçe...

CLEBER PERRONE, Feb 2016

Excelente. Não pudemos ir Dolmabahçe porque estava fechado, mas a visita foi substituída por um almoço e pela visita ao Centro da Igreja Ortodoxa em Istambul. O cruzeiro pelo Bósforo dispensa comentários. Tivemos a sorte de fazê-lo num dia de sol e céu azul. Nossa guia também foi ótima. Escolha perfeita.