Pick up from the hotel and join the group. We begin our tour with a visit to Hagia Sophia Museum, which is considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World, occupies a unique place in the history of architectures one of the rare works of this size and age that still survives.
Our next visit will be The Blue Mosque, which takes its name from the world famous exquisite blue Iznik tiles decorating its interior. Also it is the only imperial mosque in the world that was originally built with six minarets. Note: Blue Mosque is reserved for Prayer on Fridays. On Fridays, we visit the mosque from the exterior.
We continue to the Hippodrome Square, the sporting and social center of old Byzantium, held 100,000 spectators and featured objects from all corners of the empire such as the Egyptian Obelisk, and the Serpent Column.
Brief Handicrafts Presentation & Lecture (Optional Attendance) next to the Grand Bazaar. Guest may opt to skip the presentation and explore Grand Bazaar on their own. Meeting back and drive to Lunch. Note: Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
3 Course Lunch (Beverages under your own expenses) *Vegetarian menu is also available
After the lunch, we will visit the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, second largest covered bazaar in Istanbul after Grand Bazaar. It is well-known for its herbalists; the Egyptian Bazaar offers traditional natural medicines, spices, flower seeds, roots and shells of rare plants along with dried nuts and fruits, deli products and various Turkish Delights.
After the Spice Bazaar we will drive along the shore of Golden Horn which is an inlet of the Bosphorus and it is the natural harbor of Old Istanbul.
Then we will embark our boat for an unforgettable Cruise on the Bosphorus, the strait runs through the unique Istanbul that stands up on two different continents between Asia and Europe. During the cruise, we will have a chance to view the peerless sights ornamenting the Asian and European shores such as 19th century wooden mansions, Rumeli Fortress built only in 3 months by Mehmet the Conquerer, Anatolian Fortress, fanciful Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi palaces, and hunting lodges.
Smooth experience from pickup at hotel to navigating each attraction. Very convenient to not have to buy separate tickets for each. Guide provided great information about each attraction.
Shakir was absolutely brilliant. We both have disabilities and he was helpful without shaming or coddling. His knowledge was tremendously vast. He was even so nice as to help us negotiate a good price on something
We had Muzaffar who was fantastic. He provided great information on sites, advice and care in helping us navigate. We basically had a private tour with only 2 others. We saw a lot but also had time to do some shopping. Our cruise was originally cancelled and Muzaffar organised us to go on a different one which ended up being a better one at no extra cost. Would highly recommend.
The tour was fun and seeing a bunch of beautiful buildings and the guild was knowledgeable and friendly
This was a WONDERFUL day! We went on April 29th 2026 - Our tour guide was amazing and VERY knowledgeable. He is a NATIONAL tour guide and had the Green Badge. I cannot spell his name correctly but I hope he sees this review! we were met promptly at the meeting place and the tour was very efficient and well timed. I LOVED the "overview" so we could get an idea of the layout of the city. It is a VERY big city so this was a great way to start our visit. The lunch was at a local family-owned restaurant and was DELICIOUS. Thank you so much for this experience. We loved it. Highly recommend.
I had a great tour. Ali was very knowledgeable and good with the group. Had a great time with him. He kept us interested and moving to see as much as possible in this short of time as we had.
Excellent guide, very knowledgeable, allowed enough time to look round, take photos, and appreciate all that was Istanbul.
Excellent guide. Took personal care of us. Good pace of showing. Provided all details of sites. Good lunch at restaurant.
I loved this tour. We got to see lots of places without queing which was a big plus for us. Both the tour guides were great and very informative. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Excellent experience. Tour guides- Ali and Jalal - were very knowledgeable and helpful. Lunch was great. Good way to experience all the major attractions in one day.
Very well organized tour. Tour guides- Ali (for the first part) and Jalal (for the second part) were very knowledgeable and helpful. We got enough time to absorb and explore each of the spots on the tour. Lunch was good. Will recommend to others.
It was very nice. The tour guide and eventually the bus driver were very sweet. Helped me to take pictures
Ali was very informative and kept us on track so we saw everthing on the tour agenda. He made good recommendations. Thank you for sharing your country/ city with us.
Be prepared to eat! You will try a whole lot of different Turkish food and you won’t be disappointed or hungry. There is a fair amount of walking so it balances out the day-long eating extravaganza. Ali was an excellent guide with a great knowledge of food and history. Well worth the time and the price.
It was a highly informative and educational tour for my wife and I. We learned detailed information about the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, tour of a Government subsidized rug store close to the Bazaar and lunch thereafter at an authentic Turkish restaurant, where we were served with an appetizer, kebab and dessert. Following lunch, we toured the Spice Market, which had exotic tastes and fragrances. This was then followed by a cruise tour of the Bosphorus. The entire tour was conducted and led by the knowledgeable Mr. Ali. He is definitely "the Istanbul impressario"; everything about Istanbul and more... We truly enjoyed the itinerary and even more, Ali made the difference!!!!
missed topkapi palace. so many other places. and to much expensive. lunch was cheap . couldn’t chose
Enjoyed our wonderful first time visit to Istanbul!! Our well organized guide Ali did a great job showing us the highlights of this beautiful and historic city! We moved at a nice pace, avoided long lines, learned history of the city, received tips and assistance haggling. Our Turkish lunch was the best! Tender, spiced beef kabobs with lovely traditional sides. Take this tour and be sure to ask for Ali😃
This was a great full day tour that was very well paced and included a lot of major attractions with lunch just adding to the experience. Our guide Muzaffer was so knowledgeable and helpful and kept us on schedule. Pick up and drop off were spot on. Highly Recommended!
Shakir our tour guide was excellent! He was Informative and fun! We loved seeing the Haga Sophia, Blue mosque and Bosphorus sea scenic venues
Everything on time and very efficient a d friendly guides. An excellent lunch was provided at the restaurant and the owner went out of his way to ensure every guest was adequately provided for. It was a log but enjoyable day and highly recommended
Mehmet was very knowledgeable and full of personality. We saw and learned much more than would ever be possible on our own. The tour of the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and the cruise on the Bosphorus were well worth it. We could have skipped the lunch as there were many restaurants with better ambiance to choose from (the meal itself was delicious and plentiful).
The itinerary was efficient and covered the main highlights. However, I’d caution against shopping at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar during the tour. At the Grand Bazaar, I was short-changed—paid in euros, but the seller returned 20 TRY instead of 20 EUR while distracting me with conversation. At the Spice Bazaar, the shop our guide recommended charged 2.4x more for figs than nearby stalls. Though friendly and offering tea, it felt like a tourist trap. It was disappointing that the guide personally endorsed the shop. The price difference suggests a commission setup, which undermines the professionalism of an otherwise solid experience. Also worth noting: the same company offers a half-day tour for €54, which is better value. The full-day version only adds lunch, the Spice Bazaar, and a Bosphorus cruise—which you can easily do on your own for about 600 TRY (~€13).
The pick up was punctual. The guide was very savy and funny, he made really enjoyable. As in most tours, time is pressing to keep the schedule, but it's comforting going with someone who knows what to do, where to go and give you good advice. Beware of falling in the temptation of the Turkish ability to sell things in the stores.
Our guide today was very knowledgeable about all of the historical facts and dates for each stop. He also was flexible with time which we appreciated.
Amazing day tour. Picked up at our hotel at 8am, started the tour at 0830am, then finished at 1530pm. Tour guide was very informative! Coach was clean and full AC. Price was bargain! Would recommend this!
The guide was quite knowledgeable. He was able to answer any question asked by the passengers. He was also very entertaining. The driver was equally talented in his profession. Hence we all enjoyed the tour. Thanks
Wow! What a perfect tour. From the moment we were picked up, everything was seamless—vans, drivers, and tour guides were informative, courteous, and incredibly helpful. The day ended with a beautiful boat tour—a perfect way to wrap up an amazing experience. Thank you!
We had cruise trip during afternoon. The cruise included a lunch. The cruise trip included pick up collection from the hotel where we stayed and pick off after the trip back to hotel. During trip there were gids, both in English and Russian. The lunch were offered by the end of trip, around 3 pm. In general it was great trip.
Very informative tour. Guide was very good and knowledgeable. Great experience in a short space of time eg: a short weekend break with limited time
On our second day in Istanbul, we decided to go on a tour. Got picked up from the hotel and taken around the Istanbul. It was an amazing experience with an expert tour guide Ali. We went around the Hagia Sophia and his explanation was detail oriented, we did a walking tour of the market place, the square, the grand bazaar, the spice market or Egyptian Bazaar and then came the bus drove over the bridge and the cruise on the Bosphorus cruise. All in all worth every cent and with an excellent, funny tour guide it was a day well spent. Would highly recommend doing this to maximum view within a short timeframe. It becomes better when the tour guide is well informed and joval. Thank you Ali was an amazing experience.
A fair amount of walking involved lunch was fantastic and a good variety of authentic foods. A beverage being included would have been an expectation.
We felt like we were rushed around a little but overall our first guide was informative and told us about the important history. We liked the sites we saw but we didn't get enough time to visit the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. We also felt there was only 30 mins to visit the Grand Bazaar. As we were dropped off to a leather goods/jewellery shop first for a model show which was 10 minute walk from the Bazaar. Lunch was okay, only one vegetarian option, maybe better for non-vegetarian food. We had to wait around quite a bit the second half of the tour as there was traffic delays and delay from the second guide reaching us, so didn't have much time for the Spice Bazaar either. Then we had the cruise which was nice but the tour guide didn't tell us anything because the cruise had information through the speakers. Tour picked us up and dropped us which was handy. To summarise I enjoyed the sites we saw and wish we were able to have more time at each place. But unfortunately we could not due to the timing and traffic.
Fantastic tour of some key sites of Istanbul. Such a huge city it can be hard to know where to start, we found this tour a great way to make sure you experience the top attractions. Very well organised, good communication in advance, but what really made it for us was our guide Ali. He was so nice, extremely informative, and very helpful. Thank you Ali!
The guides were all very friendly and helpful, and I really appreciated the rich history shared throughout the tour—that's exactly what I came for. It was an unfortunately cold day, but still a lovely experience overall. The lunch was fantastic! I could’ve done without the shopping/fashion show portion, and the tour did feel a bit disjointed at times, with several transitions between guides and groups that could’ve been smoother.
A fantastic tour, but with a lot of walking. Lots of information mainly about the mosques and their religious meaning.
The tour was incredible. It was made so by the guides, Ali and Mehmet. They made the day perfect. Funny, informative, clear English, and patient. That's really all you can ask for. Lunch was great at a local restaurant. The pace was fine. Plenty of time at each spot to explore and take pictures. Overall, one of the best tours I've been on.
Would recommend anyone who’s going for the first time to Istanbul to do this tour, especially with this amazing and knowledgeable tour guy Ali. He told us so many things and gave us time to take pictures of everything around us. It was an incredible experience and day.
Great tour, both guides Ali and Mehmet are very knowledgeable. Both very friendly too. The day can be lengthy as you navigate the traffic and crowds which is to be expected in Istanbul. We also had a lovely lunch to break up the day. We also had the pleasure of meeting lovely people on the tour too. We would highly appreciate this tour of this interesting city.
Great trip and the guide was knowledgeable. Keep in mind the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday. You can do a lot of this on your own but it’s worth booking through this tour company. Makes it more enjoyable and stress free
Ali was very unattractive to my wife's walking issues. Did not explain the lunch we had at a Turkish restaurant. Walked over a mile after lunch because he said traffic was difficult for bus to get to us. If not for another tourist we couldn't keep up with our tour guide Ali who was at least a block ahead. Very disappointed in this tour!
Loved the day tour - guide very well prepared. Seen highlights of Istanbul center - historic buildings and finished off with a relaxing boat trip whilst viewing the sight from another perspective. Lunch was also included
The whole trip is designed to give little bit of everything. Our guide mr Çelik was so nice, but we were moving to fast. Also, on the boat the waiter charged us double price for drinks - That is not something in organisation od our tour guide but just a note from me to ask for the price before ordering. In the end, I would recomend it if you are under 40 and want to walk fast and a lot. Also, the group was small but it was hard to hear our guide speaking (we didn’t have a headphones).
This tour ticks most of the Istanbul boxes. Only misses the Cisterns and the Topkapi Palace which you can do on another tour . The guide was very knowledgeable, and we spent enough time going over the highlights of each place . A nice meal was included. The cruise at the end was relaxing. Remember to wear the appropriate attire into the mosques.
This tour ticked lots of boxes - guide was excelllent, very funny ! Ladies and gents, wear clothes to cover your knees and ladies need a head scarf - can be bought/borrowed on the day if you forget. A very long day but lunch and boat ride was relaxing.
Great tour of the city sights and a relaxing Bosphorus cruise to end a full day in Istanbul. Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative.
Excellent guide at the mosques, really gave us an understanding and background of what we were seeing. Loved the time and detail in the Haggia Sofia. The bazaars were fascinating and lunch was delicious if a bit rushed. Boat ride was a relaxing end to a full day and a fabulous experience. Loved pick up and drop off right at the cruise port.
Nice guy, a little bit in a rush. A year ago I had a guide that was superb showing and telling us everything, not this time. Good tour to skip the cues.
We liked this tour very much and would recommend to everyone who is visiting Istanbul. Before the trip Aras arranged our pickup at the Hotel and answered all our question, he was all the time available on phone. Our guide Ali gave us detailed information about all places we visited. He is a very interesting person and a professional guide.
The tour was very good. We have seen the most of the old town of Istanbul (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Egyptian Bazaar). We were with an amazing tour guide, Ali. He was very nice and was there to answer to the questions that we had. He was making sure that we were all there at each stop. His explanations were clear and with a little bit of humor also. He took us to lunch : the restaurant served local dishes (lentils soup for starter then a main dish with the meat of your choice and then dessert). The best part was the cruise : the views were beautiful. For those who wants to visit the main attractions of Istanbul, this is the tour for you.
Our pick up from the hotel was on time. We were taken to a plaza but not given any instructions - after a few minutes we were gathered by another driver who took us to board another tour bus. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and kind, but I felt the pace was very rushed. At the Blue Mosque, when going thru security, my husband's pocket knife was taken, we were told we could retrieve it afterwards. We didn't try to get it later, but I was appreciative of our tour guide giving us instructions on what we had to do/where we had to go to get it back after the tour. The second part that says "Istanbul Tour" (prior to lunch) is a lie. They take you to a giant department store called Bilkins. A small group of 5 of us had to endure an awkward 15 minute fashion show. At this store all the associates follow you at VERY close range trying to get you to buy leather jackets, jewelry,ceramics, carpets, bags. Quite annoying and makes you feel so suffocated. One sales associate in the clothing section was condescending and rude. Clearly they didn't have my husband's size and he would make off-handed comments about it. They tries selling Zultanite jewelry at 20x the cost, incredibly thin leather jackets at "discounted" prices -- if it's discounted so heavily then why do they have crazy high price tags? The lunch was across from Bilkins where yes it was included, but the meal was already selected for you. We went on this tour on a Sunday, so the Grand Bazaar was closed, which happens to be around the corner and down the street from Bilkins. After lunch we were cattled back onto a tour van, now with more people. We stopped to drop them all off at their hotels (which we didn't know was happening, so we didn't get to say proper good byes to those we spent the morning with) and I guess we were the only ones booked for the Bhosporus Cruise, and so they took us there with a different tour guide. The boat ride was nice, afterwards he took us to the Spice/Egyptian Bazaar to shop at the tour guy's friend's shop. All shops were similar, so we weren't interested further. Our guide was going to walk us to our hotel, but since we knew the way we let him go and ended our tour. The tour guides and van drivers were great, but the stop at Bilkins was unnecessary and I hate that we were tricked into thinking that it was a tour of Istanbul.
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