Best Of Istanbul 1, 2 Or 3-day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

We had an absolutely wonderful experience on our tour of Istanbul! Our tour guide, Sude, was truly exceptional. She was incredibly friendly, personable, patient, and so knowledgeable about the history and culture of Türkiye. She could answer absolutely any question we had, and it was clear how passionate she is about what she does. We visited Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia, along with several other incredible historical landmarks. Sude did such a fantastic job bringing the history of each place to life while making the entire experience enjoyable and engaging. She also shared so many wonderful recommendations that made our time in Istanbul even more special. I cannot recommend Sude enough! She went above and beyond to make our tour memorable, and if I ever have the opportunity to return to Türkiye, I would absolutely love to have her as our guide again. If you’re considering booking a tour, ask for Sude, you won’t regret it! She even bought my dad the famous Sebastian Cake for his birthday, what a wonderful person she is. Thank you for such an unforgettable experience!

I cannot imagine a better guide to experience the wonders of Istanbul than Duygu (she also goes by D)! Her knowledge of Turkish history, culture, art, and architecture is simply extraordinary. In fact, her expertise is so extensive that she has authored chapters on Turkey for published travel books. But what truly sets her apart is her infectious enthusiasm and exuberance. She doesn't merely recount historical facts—she brings Istanbul's rich and fascinating history to life with such passion, warmth, and energy that every moment becomes captivating. What made our experience especially memorable was her extraordinary kindness and attentiveness to my 84-year-old mother, who has significant hearing and vision difficulties. She went above and beyond to accommodate my mother's needs, demonstrating remarkable patience, thoughtfulness, and sensitivity. She made certain that my mother could fully participate in and enjoy the experience, never making her feel rushed, excluded, or burdensome. This level of personal attention was genuinely touching and meant the world to my mom. And as if her knowledge, enthusiasm, and kindness weren't enough, she also seemed to possess an almost magical ability to get us to the front of the line at many of Istanbul's most popular attractions! Her expertise in navigating the city saved us an enormous amount of time and made our sightseeing remarkably smooth and enjoyable. It is rare to encounter someone who combines such exceptional scholarship, boundless enthusiasm, genuine compassion, and practical resourcefulness. She transformed what could have been an ordinary sightseeing tour into an unforgettable experience. Anyone fortunate enough to have her as their guide will be in exceptionally good hands. I cannot recommend her highly enough. She is truly a treasure, and our time in Istanbul was immeasurably richer because of her!

Had a fantastic day getting taken around the Old Town of Istanbul by Ahmed. The man is very literally such a wonderful person to be around, he was not only informative but he was hilarious! He made the experience of learning some of the culture that much better. The flexibility of knowing when to visit the Blue Mosque (due to be closing during prayer) to what your interests are when visiting the Grand Bazaar and taking you to a fabulous restaurant, which you need to try the Iskender Kebab. Definitely a great a experience for a solo traveller like myself. If you get a chance, ask for Ahmed and you won't regret it!

We booked a 3 day private tour and found ourselves with the most amazing guide, Tugba. She is extremly knowledgable and passionate about her town. Tugba altered the tour with a focus on food and the Asian side, at our request, extremely flexible and engaging. She brought us to quite a few places we would have never found on our own. Tugba is an absolute delight and we can’t recommend her highly enough!

We had a terrific 2-day tour with our guide, Ece, from Guided Istanbul Tours. Ece was professional and deeply knowledgeable about the history of Türkiye, Istanbul and the entire region! She communicated proactively to ensure timely pickup and other preferences. Ece was great in helping us to modify or pace our tour to accommodate those in our group with mobility issues. We enjoyed visiting the must-see sights such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Bosporus Cruise and more. But more importantly, we had so much fun attributed to Ece's "Istanbul Insider" point-of-view. We went to wonderful stops for Baklava and Doner Kebabs. She helped us navigate the massive with Grand and Spice Bazaars to secure some fabulous purchases of jewelry, ceramics, spices and more!

We had a terrific 2-day tour with our guide, Ece, from Guided Istanbul Tours. Ece was professional and deeply knowledgeable about the history of Türkiye, Istanbul and the entire region! She communicated proactively to ensure timely pickup and other preferences. Ece was great in helping us to modify or pace our tour to accommodate those in our group with mobility issues. We enjoyed visiting the must-see sights such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Bosporus Cruise and more. But more importantly, we had so much fun attributed to Ece's "Istanbul Insider" point-of-view. We went to wonderful stops for Baklava and Doner Kebabs. She helped us navigate the massive with Grand and Spice Bazaars to secure some fabulous purchases of jewelry, ceramics, spices and more!

We did the 1 day Istanbul private tour (2 of us) and it was a cold miserable wet day - but we really enjoyed it. Our guide was Numan Tasgodan and he made the experience well worth it. He was knowledgeable and easygoing and we learned so much. I would highly recommend Numan as your Istanbul guide.

My husband and I have been on many excursions, and this one ranks among the best. Our tour guide, Goksel, was extremely knowledgeable about the sites visited. We spent the day in the Old City visiting the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. We chose to skip the Hagia Sophia Mosque due to long lines and major renovations going on. We took time for a delicious Turkish lunch as well. It was awesome to not be a part of a large group and do things at our pace. When we were back on the cruise ship, we spoke with another couple that did an Old City excursion through the ship with a large group and lots of waiting for people. So happy that we made the right decision!

Excellent trip. Very informative as well as fun. Ahmet is an excellent guide and speaks English very well.

The 3 day itinerary was excellent and our guide made it even better. My husband and I had a fantastic time in Istanbul . We learned so much about the history , art , food and culture. Our guide, Enver was so knowledgeable and flexible and had the ability to read our interests and moods to provide a fascinating in-depth experience. We booked the 3 day package and everyone was flexible and allowed us to take a day to ourselves then Jump back in for the last couple days. We moved easily around the city with our driver for some of the sights and had a walking day of the historic sights in the old town. We stopped for delicious lunches in small family owned restaurants and had the expertise of a local to help us navigate the menus and styles of food we loved the lamachun . If you have the time you should definitely do this tour. It was first class from the meeting places to personal interests and service and was worth every penny of the cost.

Mustafa was an excellent guide. His knowledge of all the vast history of both Istanbul and the whole of Turkiye is very impressive. We saw all the main sights we planned with no rush and his ability to by-pass the queues means quick entry to venues rather than waiting 30mins or more in the normal queues. We highly recommend him

Atılım was a fantastic tour guide. He communicated with us prior to the tour, gave us tips about attire, and helped make sure our day would go as planned. He arrived promptly and we got to go to all of the places on our wishlist. His knowledge of the local area was extremely helpful - we never had to wait in long lines as he knew the best time to go to places. Without Atılım, we would have taken over 2 days to see what we accomplished in just 1 day. Not only that but Atılım was very helpful in giving us tips so we could see the Asian side of Istanbul. He reached out to us and gave us step-by-step tips. He knows so much about the history, culture, and the buildings. Thank you!

Atılım was a fantastic tour guide. He communicated with us prior to the tour, gave us tips about attire, and helped make sure our day would go as planned. He arrived promptly and we got to go to all of the places on our wishlist. His knowledge of the local area was extremely helpful - we never had to wait in long lines as he knew the best time to go to places. Without Atılım, we would have taken over 2 days to see what we accomplished in just 1 day. Not only that but Atılım was very helpful in giving us tips so we could see the Asian side of Istanbul. He reached out to us and gave us step-by-step tips. He knows so much about the history, culture, and the buildings. Thank you!

My fantastic tour guide was Sinan and he was awesome and very knowledgeable of the culture and history of Istanbul. This was money well spent!

I had a FABULOUS day with John. I couldn’t have hoped for a better guide for my solo day trip around Istanbul. He picked me up at my hotel and paced the tour to match my interests and energy. I am a museum nerd and I appreciated that John listened to my enthusiasm levels and made suggestions about additional exhibits we could see. Topkapi Palace was the surprise highlight of the day - so much to see and John timed location and time just right so we we had the whole morning without a lot of crowds. The Hagia Sophia, and Blue Mosque are breathtaking , and the Cisterns atmospheric - all well worth the time spent. We rounded out the day at the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Be prepared to shop around and never accept first price quoted. This tour was great value - John is knowledgeable, patient and a great guide.

What an amazing time with Tuba. She met us at the cruise terminal for the next 2 days with always on smile. Her knowledge of the history behind each site as well as legends or old stories were fascinating to hear. We saw all the sights as outlined in our itinerary, with some adjustments due to the weather. A beautiful smile and a personal personality...what more can you ask for. Dont hesitate to ask for her by name for your next guided tour of Istanbul! Kudos to the tour company as well for their speedy responses and up to date contact information prior to our tour days

Tuba was our wonderful guide for the 2 days that we were in Istanbul , arriving on a cruise ship. She met us promptly on both days at the port with a smile on her face. As we meandered through the streets, she provided much of a history lesson regarding the many sites that we saw and visited. We stopped by to have some local foods ( yummy anchovies) and Turkish tea. Tuba was a very personable person with a personality to match. I would not hesitate to recommend her to be a tour guide for your next visit to Istanbul!

We had our guide to ourselves for several days. He knew his history inside out. We tailored our trip to of mobility needs and level of fatigue. So worth it to go with our own guide.

We had a most amazing custom tour of Istanbul focusing our time on several sites we selected based on our previous experiences. Our guide Merve was a most knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic and engaging guide one could wish for and she made our trip very memorable. Highly recommend this tour, ask for Merve , she is amazing!

Duygu Belks Tankut was our guide. She was very knowledgeable friendly and organized. She knew all our questions and gave us great background information about what we were seeing. Her English was excellent. We spent a memorable day with her seeing all the sights.

Hilal Demirbaş was a fantastic guide, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly. She was able to adapt her itinerary to suit our individual preferences and we had a brilliant day in Istanbul, thanks to her. We visited the must-see sights, but also other aspects of normal Istanbul life which we found fascinating. We were very lucky to have spent our day with Hilal, who felt more like a friend than a guide. Would highly recommend.

Duygu was very organized and knowledgeable. She spoke perfect English. We were able to see the main sights of Istanbul. We would certainly like to see more. That will be another time.

Ceren was an excellent tour guide. Our tour was totally customizable and she took us to a lovely lunch. We had a great day.

Leyla was very accomodating to our needs as we could not walk or stand for long. She is also very knowledgable and explains the history of Topkapi Palace very well. Recommended us a restauarant and dishes to order.

An excellent way to get the most out of a single day in Istanbul. Numan is extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer all our questions. He is a cheerful, friendly chap and was willing to adapt the itinerary to suit our interests.

We did the 3-day tour with driver. It’s a very competitive tour and we highly recommend it. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and both the guide and driver were very pleasant.

We did the 3-day tour with driver. It’s a very comprehensive tour of Istanbul and we highly recommend it. The tour guide was very knowledgable. Both the tour guide and driver were very pleasant. Add an extra day for a Turkish Bath experience. Such a lovely city, everyone we met were oh so friendly. We’ve travelled quite a bit of the world and Istanbul is now one of our favorite cities.

Duygu Belkis Tankut, our guide was excellent. Knowledgable, friendly fun and very flexible to our requests. We saw a lot in two days, amazing sites of Istanbul. Great food for lunches. I liked they were traditional foods of Turkey. She also took us to traditional craft shops which I love. . I also liked that she discussed cultural topics. She also referred me to a great Turkish bath. It was very hard to say good bye at end of second day. I would refer Dee as a guide.

Excellent time with our guide Şeyma, who thoughtfully took us through old Istanbul with humor, insight, and thoroughness, bringing the places alive with historical stories, cultural insight, and careful attention to our questions and what piqued our interest. Arrived ahead of schedule to meet us conveniently. She was patient but also kept us on an efficient clock to maximize our journey. I recommend tipping your guide as well as buying them lunch/coffee— Şeyma introduced us to some unique local dishes we wouldn’t have found without spending a meal together. Would recommend this agency and its guides without hesitation.

Fantastic tour led by our wonderful guide Goktug. His passion & knowledge of his city, its people, culture’s & traditions was extraordinary. As a guide Goktug was able to skip the queues at all sites which was a real bonus. He took us to cafes & restaurants away from tourist areas which served local delicacies. Goktug was always on time, patient & accommodated our every need. We would not hesitate to recommend Goktug & the tour company to future travellers.

Tarik was the perfect tour guide for our short visit to Istanbul. We had a 24 hour layover on our way to Tanzania and were looking for a highlighted tour of Istanbul - He was friendly and extremely knowledgeable and provided us with a great pace for a 6 hour walking tour in Old Town. Highlights of the tour were the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern and a stop at The Pudding Shop for a sampling of Turkish food. We wrapped up the tour with walk through the Grand Bazaar with a history of the Bazaar and suggestions for vendors to consider. We had a lot of ground to cover in a short period of time and Tarik did an amazing job of making sure we saw everything. It pays to have a professional guide to avoid busy times of day, skip long lines and experience all the sites that Turkey has to offer! I am a travel advisor and would absolutely recommend Tarik for my clients!

Halil was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and makes the tour very enjoyable. Good pace, was able to prioritize what we wanted to see.

Fantastic tour by a wonderful guide Goktug. He was on time, patient and accommodated our every need. Goktug's knowledge of his city, traditions and culture was outstanding. Having a guide meant we could skip the queues at the more popular sites which was a real bonus. Goktug knowledge of local restaurants, not the tourist traps, serving traditional dishes was another bonus. Would highly recommend this tour and if you get Goktug as your guide, you will have a fantastic experience.

Hilal was a treat! We were heavily jet lagged for our tour and she kindly offered to shift the start time by an hour the night before to give us more sleep. Then, she started the tour with special history unique to our hotel and neighborhood! As we continued through the day, she regularly called out parts of museums we should skip to give time for more special items and views later on. This approach was new for us, but we quickly learned how right she was! I wish we had another day (less jet lagged) where we could ask her questions and learn from her guidance. Truly a unique and wonderful experience, and a must do for your first time in Istanbul!

This was a great day! Our guide Can was so interesting and informative but also a great guy to spend the day with. He made everything so easy for us and we saw and learnt so much about the history. Would highly recommend this tour. Its a must when you visit Istanbul.

We booked at 1 day tour with Numan, who was an excellent guide. Told us lots about the city, explained how to travel locally over the next 4 days and he stayed in contact with restaurant recommendations. Would definitely recommend this tour!

Tugba our guide was fantastic. Individualized the tours for us. Very informative, fun, energetic. We wanted to try different Turkish foods that as a tourist we might not know about. She took us to great places to try all this fantastic food. Would never have found without her help. We loved her!

Our lovely guide Ceren made it so easy for us to see so much of Istanbul in our 2 day tour . She was knowledgeable, punctual and a great personality to spend time with .

We spent three days exploring Istanbul with Atilim, and he made the whole experience far better than we could have imagined. The tour was incredibly complete: we visited many of the city's major monuments and, more importantly, we came away understanding the stories behind them. His knowledge is deep, but he shares it in a way that is fun, warm and never boring. What really set him apart was how he made the experience work for all four of us. We were traveling as a family, with both adults and kids, and it's rare to find a guide who keeps everyone engaged. Atilim took the time to find out what each of us was interested in, and then had a different story or detail ready for every person. Nobody was left out, and nobody was bored. Three days flew by, and we left with a much richer picture of Istanbul's history and culture. If you want a guide who is passionate, entertaining and genuinely attentive to your group, Atilim is the one. We would happily book him again and recommend him without hesitation.

Atilim was the best guide we could ask for. He was so knowledgeable, patient, and helpful. The tour was well worth the money.

We’ve just had the most wonderful day with Tugba enjoying the main sights of Istanbul. We are a family of five including a toddler and Tugba was so flexible and patient, adapting every part of the tour for us and making her commentary relevant for all ages. Tugba went to such lengths to make the day special for us and nothing was too much trouble. We feel so fortunate to have been introduced to Istanbul by such a fantastic local host. Thank you Tugba for such a memorable day.

We only had 2 full days in Istanbul and booked this tour. Our excellent guide Bahattin showed us all the major sites and we saw and learned a lot. He also introduced us to some wonderful eating places where the locals eat. We had a wonderful 2 days and would highly recommend our guide. Thank you Bahattin.

We had a lovely time on a private tour with Tuba yesterday! We went with my husband and in-laws, and I noticed she took care to accommodate each member of our party and point out things relevant to each person’s interests. Her familiarity with the local environment and current events was irreplaceable in making the most of our limited time in the city - she pointed out shortcuts, used high-traffic periods to take rest stops where she could explain more of the history, and highlighting the best times to queue up for certain things (such as the Palace Treasury.) This was something that absolutely couldn’t have been accomplished by an app or an audio guide, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Highly recommended!

★★★★★ Enver Kurt — an exceptional guide who made Istanbul unforgettable Enver Kurt is, without a doubt, one of the best guides I have ever met. Warm, kind, remarkably knowledgeable and endlessly patient, he made exploring Istanbul a wonderful experience for our family. His knowledge of history, politics and Istanbul is truly impressive. What made our time with him so special was his ability to explain complex subjects in an engaging and accessible way. His stories and our conversations were educational, thought-provoking and inspiring, giving us a much deeper appreciation of the city and its people. We particularly appreciated his flexibility. Enver carefully adapted the itinerary to our interests, preferences and pace, creating a truly personalised experience. He listened to what we wanted, welcomed our questions and made us feel comfortable throughout. That thoughtful, personal approach made all the difference. The excellent private transportation was another highlight, making our sightseeing comfortable and allowing us to enjoy our time together without worrying about the logistics. Enver combines extensive knowledge with a lovely personality and a real talent for sharing what he knows. We came away with wonderful memories and a much better understanding of Istanbul. If you are looking for a guide who will make your visit both enjoyable and meaningful, we wholeheartedly recommend Enver Kurt and Guided Istanbul Tours. Thank you, Enver, for your kindness, patience and dedication. You helped make our visit truly unforgettable. Five stars, thoroughly deserved!

We were picked up at our hotel, which I really appreciated. Cumhur was a fabulous guide for my friend and I. He was very informative and flexible and even checked in that we made it back to the hotel okay. This is a must if you’re visiting Istanbul for the first time

Awesome tour. Ece was great. Super knowledgeable and passionate about all the places we visitors.

A private tour worth every penny! Our guide, Sebnem, was absolutely the best! She was knowledgeable, engaging and very flexible with the schedule which we really appreciated. The 7hr tour went fairly quick to our surprise. Highly recommend this tour for a personalized, at your own pace, experience! Be sure to request for Sebnem to be your guide.

My wife and I had an absolutely wonderful full-day tour of Istanbul, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. A special recognition goes to our amazing tour guide, Tuba, whose professionalism, knowledge, and dedication made this experience truly exceptional. Having worked in the tourism industry since 1998 and running my own travel agency since 2007, I have had the opportunity to work with many tour operators and professional guides around the world. I understand what separates an average tour from an outstanding one, and I can confidently say that Tuba delivered a truly five-star experience. Her knowledge of Turkish history, Ottoman heritage, culture, and Istanbul's fascinating past was remarkable. She had an incredible ability to turn historical facts into engaging stories, making every place we visited much more meaningful. Beyond her knowledge, Tuba was friendly, attentive, professional, and genuinely passionate about ensuring we enjoyed our day. Both my wife and I felt very comfortable throughout the tour, and we truly appreciated her wonderful assistance. I would also like to congratulate the tour agency for having such an exceptional professional representing its services. A knowledgeable and dedicated guide like Tuba makes all the difference in the quality of a travel experience. As a fellow tourism industry professional with nearly three decades of experience, I highly recommend this tour operator, especially if you have the opportunity to explore Istanbul with Tuba. Thank you, Tuba, for such a memorable day in Istanbul. You made our visit truly special! Five stars, without hesitation. Highly recommended!

Two day Istanbul tour was very nice. We packed in a majority of the sites in the city. Day one was spent in the Old town, Blue Mosque, Ancient Palace, Cathedral Cistern and Grand Bazaar. Day Two was the New town, high end shopping district, "Newer" Palace, Spice Bazaar, Tour of the Bosphorus River by boat. We also sampled some of the local eateries on both days. We had a great time and our guide Dilek was very entertaining and knowledgeable. This private tour could be customized to your liking and was a huge bang for your buck.