WONDERS of ISTANBUL : Full Day Private Guided City Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Istanbul, Turkey

High interest

Booked 3 times today.

5 to 7 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0

· Meghan_A ·

Jul 2026

We had a wonderful tour! We learned so much about the history of the country as well as the Turkish culture! Fettah was such an amazing tour guide! He was so knowledgeable and spoke English perfectly! He was super personable and we never felt rushed during the tour! Also gave us tons of recommendations for things to do around the city!! Would recommend this tour and Fettah 100%!

· Dionne_M ·

Jun 2026

Female was a wonderful tour guide. We were visiting overnight and he took great care of us making sure we visited all of the sites in the city. He was a great historian, able to answer all of our questions and was a great photographer too. Thank you for making our time in Istanbul great.

Overview

See the highlights of Istanbul without worrying about getting lost with this private tour. Your guide teaches you all about the city's history as you explore must-see attractions, including Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, and more, with time left over to explore the countless shops in the Grand Bazaar.

See the best of Istanbul without worrying about getting lost
A private tour ensures personal attention from your guide
Choose from options with or without vehicle service
Multiple start times available to suit your schedule

What's Included

Private Tour & Professional Guide
Guide will meet you at central Istanbul Hotels, Airbnb Locations or ISTANBUL CRUISE PORT GALATAPORT
Unique time to discover Turkish Handicrafts & Traditional Arts Gallery
Fast Track Ticket Service Available

Lunch
Gratuities

Recommended
Museums Entrance Fees

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Tour guide will Pick up you at Istanbul Hotels, Airbnb Locations or ISTANBUL CRUISE PORT (GALATAPORT- Sali Pazari). If you choose option with vehicle, you will be picked up by vehicle Tuesdays Topkapi Palace is closed. Sundays Grand baazar is closed.

Itinerary

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Blue Mosque

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hippodrome

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Basilica Cistern

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

TopkapI Palace

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Grand Bazaar

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
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

5.0

based on 442 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Sort by: Most insightful

Great day in Istanbul

geofsmith, Sep 2026

Great tour. Kazim was a fantastic guide. Let us customize our experience spending more time in some places and less in others. It’s a long day with a lot to see - but what a wonderful experience.

Fantastic time

Kylie_D, Sep 2026

We had the most fantastic time. John, (Im sure his name was John its been a few months since we went ) Photo of him in my photos incase its not !! our guide, was amazing. He showed us everything we wanted to see and more. He even took us to a local spot for lunch and waited while i shopped! ; it was truly an experience. He took brilliant photos too! We don't normally like tours, but he was next level and highly recommended.

Key sites of Istanbul

Akin_A, Sep 2026

We had a great private tour with Mustafa. He was knowledgeable and friendly. We were able to customize our tour along the way.

Day tour in Amazing Istanbul

Cariessa_G, Sep 2026

Spent our amazing day with our amazing & knowledgeable guide Anıl Parlakyıldız, who took his time planning our day & spending time explaining & sharing with us his knowledge about the places we visited like The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, the amazing carpet weaver, places to eat & buy amazing turkish delight & dried fruits that are good quality and super delicious. Anil is humble, kind and took care of us so well that he made my first ever trip to Istanbul so memorable. Will think of Anıl Parlakyıldız whenever I think of Istanbul. Both my husband & I are thankful to have met Anıl Parlakyıldız. Will definitely recommend to my friend to look for Anil if they ever come to Istanbul. Good bye & jumpa lagi (meet again)

Amazing tour

Tim_D, Aug 2026

John was an excellent tour guide , knew his history and picked a great local restaurant for lunch. We covered all the highlights of the city and were never rushed.

Istanbul

Terry_M, Aug 2026

Shaban our guide for Istanbul was the most knowledgeable guide I have ever used. He was basically a human encyclopedia.

Our tour guide...

Arnold_B, Aug 2026

Our tour guide Mustafa(Jack) was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about history of Turkey and catered to what we were interested in seeing. He had great personality that felt time passed by so quickly that our family wished tour was longer. Highlight of tour was the best rooftop restaurant view of Blue Mosque that we will always remember Istanbul that Mustafa brought us to.

Best tou side of Istanbul

Patricia_N, Aug 2026

I would highly recommend our tour guide Sabit Kara. He was very knowledgeable paced our tour well. We are older, and there was a lot of walking, but it was manageable because of breaks and finding shade in the blazing sun! He was so kind and helpful with taking pictures for us. He really helped bring the history alive with his explanations and narration. He was very flexible with the tour, whatever we wanted. I would highly recommend him.

Even if we had submitted...

Vivian_D, Aug 2026

Even if we had submitted a lengthy list of the must sees and (by our standards) not so important tourist attractions that we were looking for in our tour of Istanbul, we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Our guide, John, was in tune with our wishes & not only were we given a wonderful introduction to this fascinating city, but we truly enjoyed his company.

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Thank you for your wonderful Viator review and for choosing WONDERS of ISTANBUL: Full Day Private Guided City Tour! We’re delighted to hear that John created such a personalized and memorable private Istanbul tour for you. Understanding what each guest truly wants to see is at the heart of our tours, and we’re so pleased that John tailored your Istanbul sightseeing tour around your must-see attractions and personal interests rather than simply following a standard itinerary. Our Istanbul tours, private Istanbul tours, Istanbul guided tours, Istanbul city tours, Istanbul sightseeing tours, Istanbul historical tours, and Istanbul private guided tours are designed to give travelers a flexible and authentic introduction to this fascinating city. With an experienced private tour guide in Istanbul, guests can discover Istanbul’s iconic landmarks, historic sites, local culture, hidden gems, and must-see attractions at their own pace. Whether you’re searching for the best Istanbul tours, a full-day Istanbul tour, an Istanbul Old City tour, a personalized Istanbul city tour, or a customized private guided tour of Istanbul, our goal is to create an informative, enjoyable, and unforgettable experience. Thank you for recommending John and WONDERS of ISTANBUL: Full Day Private Guided City Tour. We truly appreciate your kind words and are especially happy that you enjoyed both discovering Istanbul and spending the day with your guide.

Istanbul by team and foot

Mark_B, Aug 2026

So much to see and do. It was hot during our tour, just make sure you drink lots of water. Istanbul old town is just out of this world.

Istanbul walking

David_L, Aug 2026

Very good / insightful tour guide / nice personality but would have been a better tour without the shopping element (before the bazaar) although we are aware she was trying to help

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Thank you very much for your kind feedback about our guide. We are delighted to hear that you found her insightful and enjoyed her personality. We also appreciate your comments regarding the shopping stop. The stores we visit are carefully selected, regularly monitored, and government-approved, ensuring our guests have a safe and reliable shopping experience. Our guides always make these recommendations with our guests’ best interests in mind, helping visitors avoid potential problems and shop with confidence. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Your feedback is valuable, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future.

Excellent full day tour

Nancy_F, Jul 2026

So many sights to see and our guide was very knowledgeable. It wouldn't have been the same without all the details he provided, especially the historical information.

Time well spent

scottybmaine, Jul 2026

From where our hotel was located, the tour was 100% a walking tour. Our guide was knowledgeable about the historic sites we visited and how the culture in Turkey has been formed over the centuries as this region sits between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. We were exhausted at the end of our day but believe our time and energy were very well spent. Our guide introduced us to a “locals” restaurant. The food and price were fabulous. We highly recommend this tour but be sure to cover your knees if you are a man and women bring a scarf to cover your head and a sweater or shawl for your shoulders. We were very happy with our decision to take a private tour as opposed to trying to stay up with many of the larger “group” tour groups we saw while out and about during our tour yesterday.

Great day with Murat!

Andrea_S, Jul 2026

We had a great day with Murat. He was a fantastic and super knowledgeable tour guide. He gave us freedom to choose what we wanting to see and accommodated all of our needs. Highly recommend him and his services when you need a tour of Istanbul

Excellent experience....

Natalya_I, Jul 2026

Excellent experience. Guide was helpful, informative and friendly. Would recommend and would do again.

Amazing!!

Heather_F, Jul 2026

Our tour guide Feetah was absolutely amazing. He went out of his way to make our day spectacular. Very intelligent when it comes to history and was very interesting to listen to. Friendly and considerate to any of your needs. Highly recommend Feetah.

See everything in one day

Hao_D, Jul 2026

Mustafa was very knowledgeable, funny, and brought a refreshing personal touch to the tour. He took us to the best spot to get a view of the entirety of old city. Highly recommended, especially for American tourists.

awesome old city tour

Amy_B, Jul 2026

Umutcan was a wonderful tour guide--friendly, informative, and a great person. We really enjoyed our time exploring the old city with him and are so glad we booked this tour.

10/10 highly recommend

Valeisha_E, Jul 2026

Mustafa did an excellent job as our guide! Great restaurant for lunch. We loved the ceramic demonstration.

EGE was very humble

Aravind_S, Jul 2026

EGE was excellent in recommendations of restaurants and shops. Highly recommend taking this tour atleast for 1 day

Educational tour in Istanbul with Selma

Coleen_V, Jul 2026

Perfect walking tour. Totally at your own speed! We had already been to a couple of their suggestions. We asked Selma to see a high end Turkish shop snd she found us exactly the perfect one for one-of-a-kind treasures for our homes!

Exceptional Istanbul In One Day Experience

Linda_D, Jul 2026

Fantastic experience with Samet! He was very knowledgeable, professional, considerate and kind. We learned so much from the experience. We visited all of the highlights in Istanbul. One day was not enough. Hope Viator will consider offering a 2-day full day tour of Istanbul in the future. Our guide was the best!

Best tour in Istanbul 🤩

Meghan_A, Jul 2026

We had a great day with...

Paul_R, Jul 2026

We had a great day with John. He was very knowledgeable and brought the city to life. We moved at the right pace, had a good lunch stop and skipped all the lines.

Resul was the BEST

james_e, Jul 2026

If you’re visiting Istanbul, do yourself a favor and book a tour with Resul. He was, without question, one of the best tour guides we’ve ever had!. His knowledge of Istanbul’s history, culture, and architecture is incredible. As we explored the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the palace park, and neighborhoods throughout the city, he didn’t just point out landmarks—he brought centuries of history to life through fascinating stories, context, and details that made us appreciate every stop so much more. You can tell he’s genuinely passionate about sharing his city. What makes Resul truly exceptional, though, is his personality. He’s warm, funny, personable, and incredibly easy to talk to. He made everyone feel welcome, encouraged questions, and somehow managed to make the tour feel like we were spending the day with a longtime friend who just happened to know everything about Istanbul. One of the absolute highlights was when he took us to a local restaurant for authentic Turkish food and drinks. It wasn’t a tourist trap—it was the kind of place only a local would know about, and it ended up being one of our favorite meals of the trip. Experiences like that are what separate a good tour from an unforgettable one. Resul went above and beyond in every way, and because of him, we left Istanbul with a much deeper appreciation for its history, culture, and people. If you’re considering a tour, stop looking and book with Resul—you won’t regret it. He turned a great day into one of the absolute highlights of our entire trip.

Great Tour

Bethany_P, Jul 2026

Very knowledgeable and punctual. Saw many different sights and had a great lunch. Would recommend for any travelers

Great guided tour with hotel pick up.

Edyta_G, Jul 2026

The family of four had a great time with our tour guide Anil. Pick up from the hotel was worth it, as we did not have to navigate the tram system jet lagged. Anil brought so much positive energy, historical knowledge and pointed out lots of interesting details along the tour. We customized our experience as we went along, and allowed for delicious food breaks and shopping. Plus we finally got some family pictures with everyone together in the pic. 10 out of 10. Would highly recommend it.

The perfect introduction...

Tyler_D, Jul 2026

The perfect introduction to all the essential historic sites in Istanbul. Our guide Fettah was extremely accommodating and flexible with our timing and our interests in what we wanted to cover. Fettah made sure to give us enough history and personal space to enjoy certain areas together. I highly recommend this experience, it’s a must!

Highly recommend! Great way to see the sights!

Rajpal_S, Jul 2026

Had a lovely day! Our guide Mustafa was excellent and he also made the day very fun! I highly recommend booking this tour and asking for Mustafa as your guide!