Highlights of Istanbul Private Tour

This is a private Istanbul tour: the licensed English-speaking guide and the pace belong to your group alone, with no strangers and no fixed timetable. The day is listed as 6–8 hours, you meet the guide at your hotel, and the order of the stops is confirmed in writing before the day because traffic, opening hours and weather can shift it.

The walk follows Istanbul's history chronologically. It starts at the Hippodrome of Constantinople, the Roman and Byzantine racetrack that was the centre of public life, then moves to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, which face each other across the square. The fourth stop is your choice: Topkapi Palace, the Ottoman sultans' palace, or the Basilica Cistern, the underground Byzantine water reservoir. The day ends at the Grand Bazaar. Tell us which of the two you prefer when you request the quote; a family with young children and a history enthusiast often choose differently.

The listed inclusions are the guide, coffee or tea and the full-day tour. Museum entries, lunch, extra beverages and transportation are not included, so budget for entrance tickets separately. There is no fixed online price: the quote is in EUR for the whole group and arrives in writing after we review your date and route, and nothing is confirmed until you accept it. Free cancellation applies up to 12 hours before the tour.

If you would rather share the day and the cost, the Highlights of Istanbul small-group tour covers the same chronological route with a minimum of 3 people. For a shorter outing, browse all Istanbul tours.