Istanbul Highlights! Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı And More

Our tour guide Borak was excellent. The knowledge understanding of the Turkish history was exceptional. The pace of the tour was on point, we covered a lot. His communication skills are clear delivering clear English throughout. The lunch experience was well worth it as he took us to local restaurants where he knew the owners. I certainly recommend this tour with Borak

Our guide Emre was perfect in every detail of our tour. He's passionate about the history, culture, arts & architecture of Istanbul. His extensive education shines through and is complemented with his kindness & humor. Don't be afraid of what appears to be a higher price than other similar tours. All the admission prices and lunch are included so this is really a good value. You won't be disappointed.

The guide Buket was very nice and knowledgeable and gave a good overview of the history of the mosques and museums. Overall excellent experience and would highly recommend this tour and guide

Burak was an excellent guide! Tailored the tour to what we were most interested in and shared a lot of history and culture in a very compelling way. We had a great time!

I was booked to take this tour of the sights of Istanbul by my travel agent in October 2026, as a way to explore the must-see things in a short time as a young solo traveller. I wasn’t expecting the tour to be private but that was such a bonus, and Emreyy the guide was friendly, helpful and flexible. He is a similar age to myself so we had plenty to chat about when he wasn't telling me all about the history of the things we saw. From mosques to palaces to carpet shops to historic pillars to the Grand Bazaar, I feel that having the tour allowed me to see a lot of Istanbul's must-sees within one day. The tour started with Hagia Sophia, followed by a Turkish coffee, then a decent amount of time at Topkapi Palace including some free time to explore the various exhibitions. After the palace we had a delicious three course Turkish kebab lunch at Tamara restaurant, then proceeded to see the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, ancient columns, a cistern hidden beneath a carpet shop (who also gave me some education on how traditional Turkish carpets are produced) and finally the Grand Bazaar. The lunch and Turkish coffee were included as part of the tour. Emreyy was very knowledgeable not only about the sights but how to navigate the crowds and queues, so that we could maximise the time in the day. I feel that my desire to see mosque architecture has been satisfied for a long time now, and I learned a lot.

My wife and I have never traveled to Istanbul and wanted to soak up as much history and culture as possible in 3 days. Oguzhan’s Ozzie) Itinerary takes you through the key Istanbul highlights, but the way he walks you through it sets him apart. He is also an artist who literally paints you a picture of the history and meaning of each site you see. His words evoked thoughts and emotions I’ve never experienced on an adventure like this. I came away more informed about Turkey's history and Istanbul. However, what I didn't expect was that the experience was delivered as a work of art. Bravo 👏

Amazing guide Ozzie has given a wonderful and interesting trip through the amazing sites in Istanbul and the intriguing history of how it all came about. We gad a lovely lunch before befinning tge afternokb activities

Had a fantastic guide Ozzie who had such a wide knowledge of history of the area snd the wonderful sites we visited. He also arranged a terrific lunch before the afternoon activities

We had an excellent guide for the day Barrach I think his name was He was very informative and took us at our own pace We would have given the tour 5 out of 5 but we did a stop at a rug making shop and we really felt under pressure to make a purchase We didn’t make a purchase as we explained before hand one of the couple had already bought a rug and the other couple had no interest in buying a rug This stop took at least 40 mins out of our day and we were all a little upset about it

Orientation was an excellent guide - extremely knowledgeable and patient. So glad we did this tour. Saw and learnt things we never would have otherwise

Ozzy was amazing! He really did an excellent job! He is gifted in his knowledge and experience. Most guides refer to him because he has trained so many. This tour will not disappoint.

One of the best tours I have ever taken. I loved that it was a small group. Made it easier to stick together and also communicate with our guide Ozzy (Oguzhan) His brain was filled to the brim with information about the monuments we visited. He also offered great recommendations for places to eat around Istanbul. Was not bored even for one minute

We had an absolutely wonderful tour of Istanbul with our lovely guide Burak today. It was a long tour (over 8 hours!) but we managed to see so many things and Burak was so kind, friendly and knowledgeable that he kept our interest the whole time. The Topkapi Palace complex was a highlight and Burak knew everything there was to know about every building we visited and made sure we skipped lines and kept together the whole time. We also especially enjoyed the visit to the underground Cistern and learning about the history of the Hippodrome. Thank you Burak for making the day such an interesting one and looking after us so well!

Burak was a most skillful guide at getting us in and out of crowded areas quickly. Getting us past the long lines and giving us very detailed information on the many places we visited. He was attentive to when we needed to rest, when we needed water and the toilet. Our lunch was delicious as well. Thank you for the opportunity to see Istanbul with just a knowledgeable guide. Many other tour guides we passed kept telling us that Burak was the best. He sure was!!!!!!!

Today was an exceptional and amazing tour day visiting Istanbul’s highlights. Hagia Sophia Mosque, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace were our favorites! Learned so much from our friendly, approachable and welcoming guide Oguzhan. He was generous and flexible with his time, knowledge and stories. His exceptional storytelling made the tour enjoyable! Highly recommend! A must-do tour definitely!

We had an amazing time during this tour. Learned so much from our guide Oguzhan. He shared history and interesting stories. He was generous and flexible with our time, photos and questions. Highly recommend! Thanks heaps for the tour today!

This was absolutely a day well spent! As a solo female traveller I was looking for a group activity for my first full day in Istanbul (and to make use of limited time), and this tour truly delivered. Our guide Oguzhan was knowledgeable, friendly, and happy to answer any questions. Despite seeing many attractions & sites in the day, the time felt unhurried, and I was pleased with the breadth of acttivities/sites on the tour. Would highly recommend, 10/10!

We did this tour on our first day. Oz was great, knowledgeable and friendly. There is no way we could have learned and seen this much on our own. He even took the time to make an unscheduled stop at the end of the day. It was also fun to socialize with the others in our small group.

This was such a great way to see some of Istanbul’s biggest highlights, and Oguzhan really made the experience. He was funny, kind, very knowledgeable, and just genuinely a good guide. He made the history interesting without making it feel overwhelming, and the whole tour felt really comfortable and enjoyable. As a solo traveler, I especially appreciated how thoughtful he was. He helped me take photos throughout the day, pointed out good photo spots, and actually took really good pictures of me. He even helped me buy a scarf because I didn’t have one, which was such a nice gesture and made the day feel even more personal. I got to see places like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, and more, but honestly, having such a great guide is what made the tour stand out. I would absolutely recommend this tour, especially for solo travelers, and I would definitely book with Oguzhan again.

This was one of the highlights of our time in Istanbul. Oguzhan was extremely knowledgeable, but what we appreciated most was the way he brought the history to life instead of simply giving us facts. He explained the stories and details behind the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace in a way that was easy to follow and genuinely interesting. He was also very attentive to our pace, answered all of our questions, and gave us great recommendations beyond the tour. You can tell that he really enjoys what he does and cares about his guests having a great experience. If you’re visiting Istanbul for the first time, I would definitely recommend doing this tour with Oguzhan. It’s a great way to see the major highlights while actually understanding the history and culture behind them.

Our guide Burak was excellent. He arrived on time and was very knowledgeable. He covered the entire itinerary as described. He also gave me great tips on other places to visit during my time in Istanbul. Overall, I highly recommend this tour 😀

An eye opening experience. We learned a lot about the history and culture of Türkiye. Will strongly recommend this tour.

The skip the line part makes entry and exit much easier and smooth which is a big help. The sites are all fascinating. You get a feel for the city and what it has to offer from the tour. Juts be aware it is a lot of walking and also the mosques require you to be covered in a certain way, but the organizers let you know that in advance so it’s easy to plan accordingly.

I can't imagine doing these sites without a guide. Oğuzhan brought so much insight and history to each if the locations, thoughtfully answered all of our questions, and guided us through the sites in a way that beat the crowds which allowed us to really enjoy each one. Also, we had food restrictions in our group (gluten) and he was able to work with the staff at the restaurant to ensure we had safe foods to eat. I cannot recommend this tour (or Oğuzhan) enough.

Top notch tour by our amazing guide Oz. We experienced the highlights of Istanbul and there are many incredible ones and Oz’s knowledge and personality made it a truly immersive experience. My wife and I met up in the morning with our 2 other solo travelers and when Oz met up with us we became a great group of 5 people who had a wonderful day in Istanbul.

We had a wonderful full day walking tour with Oguzhan yesterday. We’ve done many high-end walking tours and he’s earned the number one spot. He is incredibly knowledgeable, has great stories and enhances the tour with photos and historical illustrations. He’s personable and tailors the tour to your interests. The tour included a delicious lunch featuring a variety of Turkish savories and sweets.

I can't even begin to speak highly enough about this experience! Oğuzhan ticks all the boxes for what you should look for in a tour guide. He is absolutely brilliant in his knowledge of history and linguistics and I learned so much from him about the incredibly complex history of this region and especially the places we visited. Beyond his knowledge and incredible storytelling, he was a kind and thoughtful guide, always making sure that everyone in our group was comfortable. We were all well fed and hydrated! He's incredibly personable and has a wonderful demeanor and sense of humor. As a result, our tour group bonded like friends...which was lovely for spending a day all together. One thing I also noticed was how he interacted with other guides and the hosts of the establishments we visited. It was evident that he is a well-respected member of the community and that says a lot about him as a human. I would be remiss if I did not talk about his photography skills. ☺️ As a solo traveler, I am rarely able to capture photos of myself during my travels that are not selfies. I read about Ozzy's photography skills in other people's reviews, and was intrigued. I have to say, he lived up to the hype! I'm forever grateful for the gorgeous photos he captured of not just me, but our entire group. I want to touch upon one last thing. Previous reviewers wrote about visiting some local businesses and how they felt it was "salesy". Don't listen to them! Visiting these places was a wonderful way to learn about local trades. I even got to try my own hand at pottery on the wheel as a part of this. And if you want to support these local craftspeople, then go ahead and buy something...but there was certainly no pressure and the experience was beautiful. I could go on and on about the experience I had on this tour (and I have! 😆). If you made this far in my review, I hope your next move is to book the tour...you won't regret it!

Oguzhan was an absolutely fantastic tour guide! He was incredibly friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable, and professional. He made the entire day so much fun and went above and beyond to make sure everyone in the group had a great experience. He was also amazing at taking lots of pictures throughout the day, capturing so many great memories for us. Oguzhan is a true history buff, and his passion and knowledge really made the tour come alive. I couldn’t recommend this tour—and Oguzhan—more highly. If you’re considering this tour, book it! You’ll be in excellent hands.

Burak was one of the best tour guide. Very knowledgeable, very patient, and respectful. Traveled with my daughter and thoroughly enjoyed his company.

This tour was fantastic from start to finish. Our guide Oguzhan (Ozzie) was truly knowledgeable and answered any questions we had. This is a remarkable tour and you get to be amazed all day. It is a day I’ll remember always. Book today you won’t regret it. Highly recommend. Follow Ozzie on instagram, he’s a talented artist. @art.oguzha n.ceylan

Oguzhan was absolutely incredible! He stuck with us the whole time, was very informative, kind, honest, friendly and professional. He was very knowledgeable on all the sites - you could ask him any question and he’d have the answer! He put in so much effort into his trade, maintained a positive tone for the whole day and genuinely wanted us to experience the best of Istanbul. He even gave us tips for other things we should do and places to eat for the remainder of our holiday. He was also very timely, had great English (in addition to speaking the local language), spoke very clearly and was very engaging for all age groups. Our tour was 9 hours, but it absolutely flew by! And even if you couldn’t think of a question, he’d always have interesting knowledge up his sleeve ready to share - he didn’t let a second of your time go to waste! He was also very accommodating of our curiosity and willing to diplomatically answer questions about culture, religion etc Further, he was excellent with communication leading up to the tour (via WhatsApp), and made sure to prepare us with the things we needed to bring - scarfs, water etc.. He was also very responsive to everyone’s needs on tour - made sure there were plenty of stops for water and bathroom breaks. He also took plenty of photos for our group, and had some fantastic photography skills too, which really meant a lot for our memories. Couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Thank you so much Oguzhan ☺️

Ozzy was a brilliant guide with in-depth knowledge of all the sights and cultural areas, and most importantly, he was really interesting to listen to. The tour was well-paced, and we had plenty of time to explore the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, and the other important monuments. Ozzy pointed out loads of interesting features in the area, and I feel I learnt a huge amount without being bombarded with dates, facts, and figures. The stories of the palace concubines and enslaved people were fascinating and really helped bring to life what it was like when the sultans inhabited Topkapi Palace. Ozzy is also a great photographer so was able to help us with getting some great shots of the various areas. If you're visiting Istanbul, I"d highly recommend you book your tour with Ozzy — he'll bring the city's history to life in a way that's engaging, insightful, and genuinely memorable. A great way to see all the main highlights in one day.

Ozzy was a great tour guide and covered all the must see locations providing very detailed historical knowledge for each. In addition the lunch was great and Ozzy takes great photos for you at some hidden spots. Would highly recommend especially if you are in town for a day and want to see as much as you can.

Excellent tour of some of the major sites in Istanbul. Our guide, Oguzhan, was awesome. Very knowledgeable, perfect pacing of sites, and excellent English. Sign up to learn some history, see some beautiful expressions of art, eat some good food, drink plenty of tea and coffee. Cannot recommend enough.

It’s a full on day, but if you have a short stay in Istanbul well worth it as you see most of the main sights and more. A short stop in the morning then lunch around 1pm helped the tired legs and feet! Small group, just 5 of us including our guide Emre our guide who was excellent.

Ozzy is an excellent your guide. I chose this tour because I had only one day in Istanbul and wanted to see as much as possible. I also wanted a tour where all of the entrance tickets were included and with a lunch. This tour might seem expensive but it is largely due to the high entrance costs to the Hagia Sophia and the palace, and I realized that other tours that didn’t include entrance fees and would be similar or more expensive. Ozzy has excellent English and I learned a lot! Much more than if I had gone to the sights alone. I was on a group with 3 other people which was the perfect size. Also, Ozzy is a master photographer and will take lots of nice photos of you :-)

Overall spectacular excursions specially one of the best Ozzy the tour guide, he knows his job very well which I think is overqualified 😎 one must experience dis journey

What a wonderful day. We were fortunate to have Oguzhan as our guide. His knowledge is phenomenal and he is one of the best guides we've ever had in any country. He is also a very enthusiastic and kind person who made a real effort to ensure that we enjoyed our day. Thank you Oguzhan!

Best tour guide ever! Ozzy was very knowledgeable, personable and fun! Highly recommend!

My favorite tour experience in Istanbul was with OZ, an exceptional guide and gifted storyteller who truly brought the city’s rich history to life in a way that was both engaging and unforgettable. Our group of six was the perfect size, making the experience feel intimate, relaxed, and personal. OZ created a welcoming environment where every question was encouraged, and his easygoing nature helped everyone connect quickly. By the end of the day, we no longer felt like strangers—we felt like a small group of friends exploring the city together. We covered a lot of ground on foot, yet everything was thoughtfully paced and tailored to our group’s needs. Thanks to his excellent organization, we were able to skip long lines and make the most of our time. When one person needed a coffee break, it was effortlessly built into the flow of the day. We even had a memorable stop to find the perfect saffron for our daughter-in-law, complete with a mini-lesson from a local merchant on how to identify the best quality. If you are only going to take one tour in Istanbul, this is the one to choose.

One of the best guides . Ceylan Oguzhan speaks very good English and impressed with his knowledge about the history The tour included the main historical and cultural sites from Istanbul and was very well organised. He showed a lot of care for the group We are very glad he was our guide on the trip Claudia Cladovan România

We as a couple have a very nice knowledgeable tour. Oguzhan Ceylan the tour guider have explain us the history of Istanbul AC and Bc eras. He have a great knowledge of history, different religion, democratic sites of past and future gov of Istanbul. Plus HIS ENGLISH IS PERFECT AND HE ALSO CAN TALK 4 TO 8 different languages. Very caring person. He care all of his tourists and make trips in intervals. I will recommend him to my all friends and family when ever they visit the Istanbul. Thanks allot

We had one day in Istanbul, so we wanted to make the most of it and this tour did that. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and personable. We were on the go from morning to evening with an enjoyable lunch. We saw a lot and learned a lot This tour is a lot of walking and being on your feet. By the end of the day we were all exhausted and ready to relax but it was worth it.

Was on time as promised. Every easy to understand. Loves his job. Every informative. Took his time and answered questions when asked.. Easy pace did not feel rushed. Highly recommend Oguzhan (ozzy).

The tour of the historical highlights of Istanbul was amazing. The guide was engaging, knowledgeable and informative!

If you'd like an all-day walking tour of Istanbul, look no further. Our expert guide, Ozzy, tirelessly led us to the highlights of Istanbul, giving our small group in-depth information as we walked and stopping at important points along the way. The beautiful Blue Mosque, the breath-taking Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and harem, the indescribable Grand Bazaar, an ancient cistern and a wonderful meal were included with ample time in each location to soak up the atmosphere, take photos and ask questions. Unlike some tours, this was not rushed, but it was very active. No question went unanswered. Ozzy is a great person and a fun and engaging guide. We hope to return to Istanbul. When we do, we hope Ozzy will guide us once again.

The tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative He knew what to see first and in proper order to avoid crowds

Lots of walking, and so good to be lead by someone who clearly loves what they do. Highly recommended.

This was a great way to explore old town of istanbul with a great guide who was very kind and patient with our unlimited questions! İnculded tickets saved a lot of time and gave us luxury time while visiting sites. Lunch was delightful abd great selection of Turkish cuisine. Thanks to Guide Ozzy we paked great memories with him!