Istanbul Highlights from Cruise Pier with Skip-the-Ticket-Line

Recommended by 93% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Istanbul, Turkey

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

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Overview

Get an in-depth exploration of Istanbul on this full-day or half-day private tour. Enjoy personalized attention from your guide and stroll through the Sultanahmet neighborhood. Visit the Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar. Choose to add Topkapi Palace to a full-day itinerary.

Hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off by public transportation
Learn about Istanbul from your guide
Walk through the historical Sultanahmet district
Visit the Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar

What's Included

Public transportation

We will take tram from port to old city ( fastest way to reach old city )
Private walking tour with an official tour guide
Snacks

Borek or Simit with tea or Turkish coffee
Skipping the ticket lines ( Not including entry tickets )

Food and drinks are not mentioned in the inclusion part
Gratuities
if you have full day with Topkapi Palace, entry fee is 2750 TL pp
Admission Fee - Basilica Cistern

TRY1,950.00 per person
Admission Fee - Hagia Sophia Mosque

€25.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Our guides will be waiting for you at the individual exit, holding a sign with your name on it.

Itinerary

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Basilica Cistern

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Blue Mosque

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hippodrome

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand Bazaar Jewelers

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

TopkapI Palace

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate

At the Blue Mosque, no one has the right to skip the lines.
Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and our guide can show another bazaar instead.
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Half day tour is available on Tuesdays or will be replaced with Bosphorus Tour for full day tours
On Religious Fests; Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed.
Blue Mosque open after 2 pm on Fridays.
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

4.8

based on 113 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Awesome private tour with a terrific tour guide of the main Istanbul attractions

Michael_G, Sep 2025

We had an amazing private tour of the main Istanbul attractions - Blue Mosque, Haga Sofia, and Cisterns - with Ozkan, who was so knowledgeable about all of the rich history of the sites. We went to Istanbul on a cruise and he was right there waiting for us at the port (even when we were a bit late). There were 5 of us so it was so nice to have an intimate tour of the major spots to see. He navigated the city for us (it was so cool taking a tram to the main spots) and coordinated the entrances to the attractions. We were a bit pressed for time and he still managed to get us to see some incredible sights. In addition to the sites, he took us to a ceramic shop where we were able to purchase authentic Turkish ceramics and a cute "mom and pop" store to buy Turkish delights. Because it was a private experience, he was able to accommodate whatever we wanted. This was an awesome experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

Muhammed is an excellent...

Sydney_P, Aug 2025

Muhammed is an excellent guide. He made our tour personalized with the perfect mix of historical facts and interesting stories while ensuring we were avoiding the crowds. A fantastic day thanks to him!

Private Half Day Istanbul Tour

Jodi_V, Jul 2025

We had Cumali as our guide and he was amazing. He kept our attention by incorporating questions for us into our tour. We learned a lot about the Turkish culture and the history of the Mosques. We felt like we had a better understanding of the culture by the end of the tour.

Knowledgeable tour guide

Cristina_B, Jul 2024

Took this tour together with my fiancée. We visited Istanbul before but never took this side and we were really impressed with all the sites visited and the knowledgeable tour guide . The tour was private and I have to admit a bit expensive but we wanted to have the best so we booked it . First thing is there is no pick up (nobody contacted us to ask where to pick us up ), we received a message at 9:59 from the company about the pick up and the tour started at 10 so 1 star here ( we paid our own taxi ). Than the meeting point also one star as it was a name of a street so when we arrived there we were going up and down the street not knowing where the guide was waiting for us since we didn’t even receive a message about a cafe name or restaurant. We stopped a guide who was doing his tour and he went asking to find our guide sitting at a cafe so really bad organization on that part . Towards the end of the tour we could see the guide was already tired which was understandable on a hot day but he left us at the bazaar before 4 pm bidding us farewell 2 hours before the tour ended just explaining to us how to go to the nearest metro station to return to our hotel . We only spent 30 min in the bazaar exactly where the guide left us to buy a chess set but took us more than 1 hour to get an Uber at the location and the taxis are all trying to rip you off asking 3 ,4 times the price of an Uber . So the tour itself was nice as it was private and we chose the itinerary however the pickup was a failure, meeting point failure and cut short 2 hrs so overall if it wasn’t for the experience guide I would give 1 star. Overall I recommend you to look elsewhere for a tour that will offer pickup and drop off and someone not in a hurry to end the tour ( even if we said it was ok the professional thing to do would’ve been to wait for us from the bazaar and take us to the nearest train station and still it would’ve been before 6 pm the specified time ending in the brochure).

Istanbul brought to life

Dino_D, Mar 2024

Jason brought Istanbul to life! Our family had a wonderful time. Highly recommended this tour. We learned about the history of the city. Great way to start our vacation

Great tour, highly recommended!!

JeffreyG_S, Nov 2023

This was a great tour. Since it was private, I got to adjust it any way I wanted. Ozge, my tour guide was very accommodating and knowledgable about the city and the many mosques. We spent almost 8 hours together and I saw a lot and learned a lot. I would recommend this tour without hesitation. A+++++ Ozge!!!

Great one day Istanbul experience

Tanja_R, Sep 2023

Jason was our guide and he was fantastic. He was punctual, got us in and out of the major sites before big crowds since we met early, knowledgeable and showed us some off the beaten path things around the city that interested us. Would highly recommend him. He also helped us with some purchases we were interested in. Thank you to Jason!

A perfect day!!

Meredith_P, Jul 2023

We had an amazing tour with our guide Apo! He was a wealth of cultural and historical knowledge and fun to hang out with for the day. The sites were gorgeous, the pace was perfect, it was so much fun!!!

A truly amazing experience of Istanbul’s history.

Sash_S, Jul 2023

The tour guide Yasin made the experience like we traveled back in time. He is very Knowledgeable and took the time to explain things in detail. We even had a wonderful traditional Turkish lunch together.

Excellent personal tour of Istanbul's Highlights!

Valerie_C, Jul 2023

This was an excellent tour! Highly recommended! We were a bit nervous at first because of a miscommunication about the tour starting location, but our guide Salih quickly met us and even provided us with a free lunch later in the day. Salih was kind, friendly, outgoing, interesting, and highly personal to our interests and what we wanted to see! We were able to visit Istanbul's highlights: the beautiful Blue Mosque, impressive and historical Hagia Sophia, and the awe-inspiring Cistern. We also learned about and visited the Hippodrone. Because we landed on a holiday, the Grand Bazaar was not open, but we were able to see the Spice Market and many little stores along the way. My wife was able to accomplish all her shopping as well (and especially sample the Turkish sweets!). We had a delicious traditional lunch, took local transportation, and walked back along the Galata bridge. We were very impressed with our guide, Salih. As well, I had the chance to meet the owner of the tour company, Yunus, who was extremely friendly, welcoming, and grateful to us for choosing their tour. I tried to upload photos for those of you reading this, but as my connection on this cruise ship is spotty, I was unable to do so. Plus, I think it's more impressive to see these sites for the first time on your own. Once again, excellent personal tour of Istanbul. Highly recommended.

Excellent introduction to Turkey

Lauren_B, Jun 2023

Our 19 hours in Istanbul were truly maximized with this tour. Our tour guide, Burak was phenomenal. He set our pacs, listened to what we wanted to experience of Turkey and went above and beyond to deliver. From a full history run down of Hagia Sofia to a stop for turkish coffee. He really catered to what we wanted to see and experience. Burak is an incredible guide and we definitely want to come back to Turkey! Istanbul is full of life and culture. A very unique blend of west and east. If you are a woman tourist, I’d recommend a more conservative outfit and a scarf to cover your head for the mosques as you will need to do that anyways. I was thrilled by the levels of history stacked upon one another. We hope to return to Turkey to see more. If you are visiting Turkey for the first time whether you have a long layover or a few days, I’d recommend this tour to get your bearings of the city!

Wonderful tour of the city with Burak

Jessica_A, Jun 2023

Burak was amazing!!! He met us at our hotel and navigated the metro system with us to get to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns and Grand Bazaar. He is very knowledgeable and friendly. My parents are in their 70s and he walked at a pace that was comfortable for all. We learned so much about the rich history is Istanbul. Definitely recommend and ask for Burak!

Burak: An Amazing Guide Who Made Our Trip to Istanbul Top-Notch!

Kathryn_W, Jun 2023

Our full day tour with Burak from Real Istanbul Tours was an incredible experience. From the moment we met him, it was clear that he was passionate about his job and dedicated to providing an unforgettable tour. There was so much to see and hear about, and Burak's wealth of knowledge and fantastic information kept us engaged throughout the day. Be prepared for lots of walking, but it's definitely worth it. Comfortable shoes are a must! Ladies, if you don't have a scarf to cover your hair, don't worry. Many places provide temporary ones. Burak was accommodating to my dad's hearing issue, ensuring that he didn't miss out on any of the fascinating details. Even though, the forecast was rainy and lasted most of the day, Burak made sure we enjoyed every moment. He effortlessly adjusted the itinerary to accommodate the weather conditions, a hot tea to warm us all up. We had a lovely lunch with Burak, where we not only enjoyed delicious food but also had engaging personal conversations about each other passions, extracurricular activities. We loved the tour so much that we signed up for the food tour the next day with the same company, Real Istanbul Tours. It was another fantastic experience, and we highly recommend it as well. Both tours were a perfect blend of history, culinary delights, and local insights. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give this tour a solid 10. Burak's expertise and enthusiasm, along with the company's excellent organization, made our trip to Istanbul truly memorable. We gained a great lay of the land and left with a deep appreciation for this incredible city. Don't miss out on this exceptional tour!

Great private tour

Jani_V, May 2023

We had a great tour guide and went early on the morning to avoid the crowds. The basilica was the highlight.

Fantastic tour guide,...

Stephanie_B, May 2023

Fantastic tour guide, thank you so much! Very friendly, knowledgeable and flexible in approach to the tour as one area was closed she adapted the tour to bring other areas in.

Our guide was very good...

Thomas_D, May 2023

Our guide was very good and knew the area well. He was enthusiastic about the area and a very nice guy

Best tour guide!

Robert_B, May 2023

We had a wonderful day touring Istanbul. Our guide was so knowledgeable and friendly! He got us to the front of the line, made each stop easy and informative!!

Walking Istanbul

Mike_T, May 2023

Our guide was great he took time to explain everything and answer our questions. Very knowledgeable and flexible in what we wanted to see and do. Above all engaging and friendly. Managed to see a lot in a short space of time

Thank you Baruk

Christopher_B, Mar 2023

Baruk got our visit to Istanbul off to a great start sharing his knowledge with us. He arrived early and was so outgoing. He seems to be well known by all the staff at the mosques who are so friendly to him. Thank you my friend. Chris and David.

Great tour

MONICA_V, Mar 2023

Very recommended, knowledgeable tour guide, great experience . You get to see a lot of Istanbul a get

Best walking tour in Istanbul

Ian_L, Mar 2023

I have been on many guided tours of historic monuments, cities, and sites across the world and I feel comfortable saying this was one of the greatest ones I have been on. I learned so much about Turkish history and how it formed the culture you see today. Not to mention, everything you visit on the tour is stunning to look at as well. Finally, the guide, Işıl was the best tour guide you could ask for! She was extremely knowledgeable and able to answer any question, very kind, and quite personable. I would say this is a must-do for anyone visiting Istanbul.

Fantastic tour guide. Great tour

Andrew_O, Nov 2022

We did a full day walking tour with Jason. We saw all that was in the itinerary and more. This guy is passionate about his city and wants to share his knowledge and experience. Ask him anything about Turkey, he’ll know the answer. Highly recommended. Thank you.

The easiest way to check the most important “must see places in Istanbul” off your list

Sreeram_M, Oct 2022

Did the full day tour with Burak. Lovely person and very knowledgeable too. He’s been in the city for many years so knows the places and his way around. The tour helps you beat the like at some crowded spots. Would definitely recommend!

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thanks for your great review, all of our guides are licensed and expert. We are glad that you had a good time.

Sahib did a wonderful job...

Patrick_R, Oct 2022

Sahib did a wonderful job getting us around the city, explaining the cultural and historical backgrounds of the sites. He also made great suggestions for sightseeing on our own the next day.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thanks for your great review, Salih is a great person and great tour guide. We are happy to hear you had a good time.

A tour best avoided

NiravPatel, Oct 2022

Poorly planned, poorly guided, very expensive for the service given. Would not recommend this tour at this price.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thank you for your comment. First of all, you bought 2 tours from us, you gave 5 stars for one and 1 star for the other. In high season, we sometimes have to work with freelance guides. We will be more careful about this. Maybe it would be useful to express something through you. Hagia Sophia has been turned into a mosque and no one has a right of skipping the lines, it negatively affects the quality of the tours, but unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it. We added on tour details and anyone booking this tour is being updated about it.

Walk your Istanbul

Lori_Z, Oct 2022

Our guide was incredible enjoyed the cistern the most. Would definitely use this company on my next trip in.

Istanbul Travels

Jennifer_P, Oct 2022

It was a wonderful time. Everything was well done. We were two women traveling to Istanbul alone. I would recommend this experience.

Great experience!

Brenda_V, Sep 2022

We had a great time! Our guide, Saleh, was wonderful! Would definitely recommend. We did the full-day tour, which would be best for people who like to walk, but not too strenuous.

Our historical tour of Istanbul

rosanna_c, Sep 2022

Our guide Burke was amazing. Very knowledgeable with the history and very accommodating. Thank you Burek

The only way to visit Turkey

Laura_B, Aug 2022

This was a well worth it tour , our tour Guide was able to take us to all point of interest and had so much knowledge, he was funny and most important he took our safety as the most important.