Private Istanbul Sightseeing Tour

Did several stops exploring historical buildings with a rich history of Istambul.Ended with an epic and nostalgic Bosphorus cruise which passed near magnificent palaces,mosques ,through the Bosphorus bridge with beautiful sights on both the Asian and European sides.Taking home good memoirs and a gooth story to tell.

Sevilay did an incredible job as our tour guide. Adjusted itinerary order to help us minimize time in the sun and in lines, explained things very well and was extremely knowledgeable

Guide was very patient with us, as I had a muscle problem in my leg, and he waited for us! And gave us time to rest!

Wonderful experience thanks to Gur Kan who was our guide for the day. Enjoyed the history and the unique insights that helped us bring history to life.

Seckin was a fabulous guide and we learned so much. We did the one day private tour and saw all the top historical items in istanbul. Our experience was fabulous and I would highly recommend this company and definitely Seckin as your tourist guide if he is available.

It was a very private tour. I get to see what I needled to see. The tour guy was knowledgeable and friendly.

The tour guide was very personable and the tour started great with a hotel pickup. During our drive to the old city, he was a wealth of information, and we were given water as we departed the van at Blue Mosque. Unfortunately, this was where the positive experience ended. Our guide advised us that we wouldn’t be able to enter Hagia Sofia until after 2pm. We were fine with that and advised him that we were happy to view in the afternoon. Not only did not take us to see Hagia Sofia, but we only viewed the Blue Mosque from the outside as well. We were also not taken to the cisterns either. I brought up this up multiple times to which the guide deflected or changed the subject every time. The only place we did have entrance to was the palace. The guide of the palace and the pieces that we did see were amazing. After an extremely long lunch, we were taken today view a rug shop and to be shown how Turkish rugs were made. The initial part was very interesting, however this quickly turned into a high pressure sales in which we were kept for hours, wasting our day. We finally bought a rug to be able to leave. We were then taken to the world bazaar, where we were taken to a “secret” shop that was “frequented by celebrities such as Dr. Oz”, again the same thing as the rug shop. I was so upset not to be able to see 80% of what we paid to see on this tour. It was evident that this is only a mechanism for tourists to be pulled into shops rather than a tour as advertised. I would highly encourage Viator from banning this vendor! Stay Away!!

We had an amazing day with our guide (Seçkin Demirok) and his driver they picked up four of us from our hotel and took us sightseeing to Hagia Sophia, topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and the Vasilica Cistern. Seçkin is a very knowledge, professional and excellent tour guide, he ensure we could all keep up as it was a full day of walking. It was great to have a small group so we could ask questions and discuss the history of Istanbul. He took us to lunch at Deraliye Terrace, that had a panoramic view (photo attached). Highly recommend the tour, but especially our guide. Thank you again for an amazing time!

The whole trip was excellent, our guide Gurdahan was very knowledgable, going to great lengths to explain all the various locations we visited,highly recommend this excursion not to be missed.

The tour was everything we expected and more. We got picked up from our hotel in a spacious van and then embarked on the main tour. Our guide Engin was knowledgeable and friendly and he organized our day to perfection to make sure we minimize waiting in long lines and maximize our time. He had great commentary and spoke fluent English. He gave us tips for lunch and for the rest of our stay in Istanbul. While we were left alone to wander around a couple of times it was actually good because sometimes you don’t need constant commentary and it’s good to just wander and absorb the sights on your own. I highly recommend this tour.

Hakan you made our trip to Istanbul perfect! We are excited to return. Thank you for setting a comfortable pace to accommodate my sore knee from a fall the day before. It was simply amazing. I cannot wait for our new rug to arrive when we return to the US. Hakan was and is the consummate professional and we felt like we had an entire day with a history professor’. Thanks again’

Fabulous tour with Hakan. He was friendly and personable, we had a fun tour, he customized to our interests, had a fun surprise or two for us, had a great recommendation for lunch… it was a wonderful day! There’s no time to add in extra big things like the Harem tour at Topkapi simply due to the sheer quantity of things this tour aims to cover, but this is a good tour to hit the big highlights of a lot of large epic sights! Recommended :)

Awesome experience with our travel guide Gukan! He took us to several places that we wouldn’t have found if it wasn’t for him. I bought a beautiful rug at this amazing Turkish rug factory that he took us too.

ilken was a great guide, knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area as well as modern Turkey. I will definitely be booking a tour with him when I return to Istanbul!

Hakan did a fabulous job. Very knowledgeable and patient. Would highly recommend him to others visiting Istanbul

knowledge of our guide, great tour, amazing places we visit, have a great lunch, speak very good English.

I was overwhelmed by the beauty and history of Turkey. Also, my guide had extreme knowledge of not only Turkey but of many other countries as well. The guide had a fantastic personality and I really appreciate the experience that I will remember for the rest of my life! Well done!!!!! 👍👍👍

It was a lovely tour .The guide was very informative and helpful. And the tour was conclusive and wonderful. , we were able to visit most of the important landmarks in one day , including hippodrome, sultanahmet mosque , hagia sofia , topkapi palace , grand bazar , the cistern were closed so we went to mosaic museum instead . Hotel pick up and drip off was included .

Great tour. Amazing guide who tailored the sites to our needs gave interesting and comprehensive information and was also kind and fun to talk to. We learned so much, saw so much, and had an amazing time.

An excellent private tour by Neon Tours. Our guide, Ozcan (a university professor), was knowledgeable, friendly and engaging. The pacing was perfect and with the tranfers and lunch provided, this really was the best (and most reasonable) way to see the main sights of Istanbul. I followed previous reviewers and declined the visits to the spice and rug shops. Skip the Grand Bazaar (a most disappointing maze of knock-off merchandise) and shop down the local streets which have many charming quality items you actually do want to buy.

The crowds were low, so our guide took advantage of that and made an effort to show us more. He could have just quit after the agreed-upon sites. Also, very knowledgeable and interesting.

Amazing experience! Our guide was incredibly friendly and very informative! The whole day was super easy despite having such a big and thorough itinerary! We saw everything we wanted to see with no hassle or lines! Highly recommend to anyone visiting istanbul! The best way to do it!

I aways book private tours wherever I travel, as I know I am allowed to travel in a more flexible way and have in-depth knowledge about where I am traveling in. However, this one is the worst one of all! To start with, I waited for the guide for40 minutes and it ended up he picked up the wrong customers! I don’t understand how this could happen, considering he should have names of customers! For the whole course of tour, he had been walking fast ahead of us without even looking back once in a while to check if we are right behind him, let alone walking with us side-by-side to have a better interaction with us or give us a more detailed introduction. The other guides’ instruction that we overheard was way too much better than his! For the whole day he has been acting like he was in a rush or he had to be somewhere soon and didn’t let us stay in places we were more interested or asked our preference. By the time we have visited all the stops, we had more than two hours left and we finally realized he saved the time for one of the handcraft centers that’s not on the itinerary and he could get a commission if we purchase jewelry or rugs... I am really speechless! We are no fools. If this is the so-called private tour, I would rather have taken a taxi and gone to these places by ourselves! The worst private tour I have ever joined!

Hakan was a fantastic guide and clearly has incredible command of the city. Once he got to know us a little bit, we collaborated on the itinerary and he was very responsive to our preferences. We absolutely gained a much greater appreciation for Istanbul as a direct result of his influence. I recommend his services to anybody heading to Turkey as he guides both within the city and the country as a whole. He also speaks multiple languages fluently apart from Turkish and English - not that we required it on our trip. Be ready to walk, learn, and laugh for a day that will fly by before you know it. We also loved lunch at the Adamar Hotel but the destination varies according to group dynamics and I'm sure the other spots are also terrific.

This is a great tour to take if you have a limited time in Istanbul. We really loved the individual attention we received from out guide who managed us through crowds, facilitated our travels and shared her enthusiasm and love of her city with us. Based on her, I would have given this an “excellent” but the trip to the rug shop made us really uncomfortable. Despite being told multiple times that there was no pressure to buy, we were definitely pressured. But do not be dissuaded. Just firmly tell your guide you do not wish to go to any rug shop

This was an amazing experience- from the collection to taking us around showing us all the sights- our tour guide, Mr Ensar, what a great man- he was incredibly knowledgeable, skipped all the long lines & really made us feel welcome & at home. This is definitely a must do, to experience true Turkish heritage/culture.

Very enjoyable. Tour guide was knowledgeable of history of the time period and conveyed to us the significance. Would highly recommend this tour for those wanting to learn the significance of Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire.

Our guide Sevilla was amazing and very erudite, she could answer any question on any topic related to art history, history, archeology, geography etc Thank you!

Our guide was knowledgeable and nice, he took us to most of the highlights in Istanbul. We were picked up in a large minivan just for us two. The Turkish Rug store our guide took us to was legit. The place we had lunch at had a nice view but the food wasn't the best. I would recommend this tour, you can't go wrong.

Highly recommend this company. They were extremely helpful and professional when planning our corporate sightseeing activities. The guides were highly knowledgeable and spoke great English. They were also considerate and allowed the group to explore at our on time / take photos. The transportation links between hotel and the tourist sights were slick and always on time.

Emre immediately put us at ease, provoking curiosity, encouraging us to think about the historic forces that shaped Sultanahmet and making us laugh about more recent world history. Unveiling one step at a time the stories behind the mosques, markets and monuments Emre provided valuable insights, bringing modern Istanbul to light for the first time visitor and gave us a platform for further adventure during our stay. Thank you Emre for a great thought-filled day.

This was an small group amazing tour. We skipped all the lines at the sights. Lunch was included in the cost and the food was good.

I recently traveled through Turkey with a friend and had only one full day to explore Istanbul. We arranged a private tour through Neon Tours and truly enjoyed our experience. Hakan Adagume spent the entire day with us leading us around all the highlights of Istanbul. He set a very easy pace, allowing us to explore as much as we would like at any given attraction and we never felt rushed. He was very knowledgeable about the past and present of Istanbul. We highly recommend this tour with Hakan!

This tour is magnificent. You get to see all you really want to see inIstanbul. The pace is great, the lunch also. You learn a lot also. Our guide was great and very kind. We had a great time with her. Its definitely worth it.

Tour Guides can make or break your tour. Our guide was okay; not great; not bad; seemed a tad bit arrogant to me which turned me off at times. Lunch is included in the tour. Not sure if they leave the location of the lunch up to the guide. Our guide made it sound that way and he went out of his way to say how he had selected a better place than most tours would offer. The lunch was average at best; The real downer of the tour for me (and others) was taking us to a wholesale carpet company where they showed u how they hand make the carpets (that was neat) and then we sat and listened to a 10-15 minute sales pitch followed by hounding salesman asking us 3-4 times what are we interested in. The upside is that we did see the main attractions in a timely manner and the guide seemed to know how to miss and/or skirt the lines if they were long. The tour was OK but I have zero desire to endure a sales pitch when on a paid tour!

It was a very nice personal & relaxing tour of Istanbul. Turek was very attentive & flexible to our needs. He is very knowledgeable.

Fantastic tour! Had a couple of people with me who had never been to Istanbul and this tour was just the right thing for us all. Highly recommended to anyone new to Istanbul or who love visiting this city.

A day tour to see Haga Sofia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Museum are little tiring but very informative. All the three places are of great historic value and if you have guides then you enjoy more. Take a heavy breakfast and good shoes and get ready for the walks.

Our guide, Ilker, was very nice, well documented and patient. He led us to visit the places mentioned in the program and even more. We also visited a smaller bazar where local people were preponderant and the place was much more authentic as others. Ilker found the right balance between explaining and letting us simply contemplating that beautiful places. He organised to us an evening booth-trip on the Bosporus. I recommend his services to anyone who expect punctuality and reliability.

<p>This trip was AMAZING! Omar was the absolute best. He answered any and all of our questions about culture, sites, etc. We had 2 kids ages 14 and 16 with us and he kept their attention the entire time. We saw everything in one day that was on our list plus a to of stuff we would never ave known about. I highly recommend this tour to anyone!!!</p>

<p>A wonderful way to see the city and get to know the local customs. A great guide that knew his history but was able to judge when you had had enough. He gave us a lot of useful information that helped enhance the rest of our stay.</p>

I booked a private 1 day tour of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace. This was my first time in Istanbul and I went on this tour with the intention not only to see these historical sites but also to gain as much knowledge as I could about them in a short span of time. Sevilay Tokmak was the guide assigned to me by Neon Tours for this tour. Both she and the driver arrived promptly at the hotel. She spoke English well and on the way to our first stop which was the Hagia Sophia she began giving a synopsis of the history of Istanbul to ensure that I had sufficient historical background. During the site visits she was thorough but yet concise in her explanations. Sevilay was clearly both knowledgable and passionate about her job as a guide! The mini bus was clean and luxurious. Importantly, the driver drove safely. Lunch was included as part of the tour and we ate at the rooftop Panorama Restaurant. We continued with the tour to the Blue Mosque after lunch. We concluded the day at the Grand Bazaar. For anyone intending to book a private tour, I'd recommend using Neon Tours and Sevilay as the guide.

Recently visited Istanbul and had most amazing experience. Our tour guide 'Sevilay' was brilliant. Informative and full of knowledge. She made the whole experience memorable. This private tour was perfect for first time visiting the city. We managed to see all important historical sites in just a few hours. Highly recommend this tour for visitors regardless of how many times you have been.

<p>Very informative guide went at good pace for 80 year old Mother. Very kind</p>

<p>Could be better.. felt like should come without guide to see the places again</p>

<p>The private guide was lovely, knowledgable, and a delight to spend the day. When its just you and the guide you learn so much more, and actually get to know a person and their life.</p>

<p>Tour was amazing, guide Sevilah Tokmak was friendly, and expert of Istanbul history. Whole tour was in relaxed atmosphere. Only one recommendation, skip shopping marketing, if not requested so, upfront. Visit of hyper expensive carpet store was not necessary.</p>

<p>Our guide Tibet, was absolutely outstanding. She was extremely knowledgeable about each of the sites and knew so much about the history of Istanbul. She was charming, and by the end of the day we felt we had a new friend. My husband and I highly recommend this tour and our guide. We were picked up right on time at our hotel and had a marvelous day.</p>

<p>The guide, vehicle and detail were all extraordinary - not to be missed</p>