Premium Istanbul Old City Tour Private & No Hidden Shopping Stops

Recommended by 99% of travelers

Istanbul, Turkey

5 to 6 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Explore Istanbul’s Old City with a completely personalized itinerary on this private guided walking tour. Gain entrance to the Topkapi Palace as you learn about the area’s history from your guide. Stop by the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Grand Bazaar, and feel free to ask your guide as many questions as you want during this private excursion.

All-inclusive Hagia Sofia and Topkapi Palace tickets save up to hours of wait time
Learn about Istanbul’s history from your guide
Get help shopping for souvenirs at the Grand Bazaar
A private guide ensures a personalized experience

What's Included

Professional guide
Private tour
Entrance fee of the Topkapi Palace.
Entrance fee of the Hagia Sophia

Lunch
Gratuities
Transportation to/from attractions
Harem entrance at Topkapi Palace.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

House of Medusa Restaurant
Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. No:9, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Your tour guide will meet you at the House of Medusa restaurant in Sultanahmet, close to the exit gate of the Basilica Cistern.

End point

Molla Fenari, Nuru Osmaniye Cd. No:36, 34120 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
The tour will end at the Grand Bazaar.

Itinerary

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

TopkapI Palace

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Blue Mosque

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Bazaar

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
A dress code is required to enter places of worship (The Hagia Sophia Mosque and The Blue Mosque). No shorts or sleeveless tops are allowed. Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women. You may risk being refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements. Ladies must cover their heads at religious sites; therefore, it is better to bring a scarf if you have one.

Children must be accompanied by an adult
As a fully registered travel agency, we will secure advance tickets for both Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia, ensuring a seamless experience with no waiting time for ticket purchases.
Please note that all visitors must still pass through mandatory security screening, and short entry queues are part of the experience, especially at the Blue Mosque, where the wait is usually around 10 to 15 minutes.
The tour will be conducted on foot, with limited shaded areas. Participants should anticipate covering approximately 10,000 steps throughout the day.
Private walking tour with licensed guide + Topkapi and Hagia Sophia tickets included. Meet in the Old City at House of Medusa Restaurant; no transportation included.
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

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

4.9

based on 68 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Wonderful Day in Istanbul

Ronald_B, Jan 2024

Our tour today with Furkan was wonderful! He made the city and its history come alive. He was flexible and took us to the Rustem Pasha and Zeyrek mosques, off the beaten path. But the highlight was a great tour of the Topkapi Palace. Thank you, Furkan, for a truly memorable experience!

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Dear Ronald. Thank you for sharing your excellent review with us. We're absolutely delighted to hear that your tour exceeded your expectations and that you thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. Your recommendation means the world to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back in the near future. All the best, Furkan G.

Could not have been better!

Joe_W, Nov 2023

Furkan and Can were fantastic guides and very open to making changes to suit our needs. They took us to two fantastic local restaurants in addition to the rest of the tour. We would surely use them next time we visit Türkiye and would give them 6 stars if we could.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Dear Joe_W. Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. It was a joy to read, and we're thrilled to hear that we met all your expectations. We can't wait for you or your loved ones/friends to revisit Istanbul, as there is much more to see. Thank you for choosing Private Istanbul Walking Tours for your travel plans; designing your tour was an absolute pleasure. All the best, Furkan G.

Amazing experience!!!

Scott_L, Oct 2023

I wish I could give more that 5 stars!!! Furkan is amazing. We had a blast with him. He is so knowledgable and passionate about the history of Istanbul. He spent time understanding what we were interested and tailored our time to that. And, he’s a GREAT photographer!!! We’ll definitely book with him on our next visit to Istanbul.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Dear Scott_L. Thank you very much for your kind comments. They have made our day! As a team, we cannot express how much it means to us when we receive a review such as yours. We understand that people lead busy lives and don't always have the time to write reviews, but we appreciate your effort in communicating your appreciation. Only one in ten of our guests writes a review, so we are grateful for your feedback. Thank you again for recognizing our efforts. All the best, Furkan G.

Excellent private tour!

Paul C, Oct 2019

The private tour exceeded our expectations. Thank you Furkan for meeting us at our hotel and escorting us to the old city. The walking tour included the major sights in the Sultanahmet district. Furkan was extremely knowledgeable and professional. We were guided efficiently through the many crowds with time taken to answer our many questions. We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanting to learn more about Istanbul's history, Turkish culture and insights into living in Turkey from a local guide which is difficult to experience in a larger group! Tours can be personalized to meet your wants and needs. Thank you Furkan!

Response from Host, Oct 2019

Dear Paul C. Thank you so much for your kind words. We're so glad you enjoyed your tour of the old city of Istanbul. It was a pleasure hosting you and I enjoyed my time as much. We hope to see you back on a Private Istanbul Walking Tours experience very soon. All the best, Furkan G.

Furkan Gokcel Was FABULOUS!!!❤️

Escape649830, Aug 2019

Furkan was our guide and he was amazing ! From the minute he met us as our hotel he was fun , intelligent , accommodating , kind, thoughtful . I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone wanting to visit Istanbul !!