Private Custom Tours in Istanbul: 8-Hour Dream Itinerary with a Private Guide

Create your dream itinerary in Istanbul with a private guide. Explore Ottoman, Byzantine, and Roman sights, or discover vibrant districts like Taksim and Cihangir. Skip the lines and enjoy a fully customizable 8-hour tour for up to four people.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a magnificent venue for chariot races, ceremonies, and public gatherings, originally constructed in the 3rd century and later expanded by Constantine I. It boasted the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpent Column, and the Walled Obelisk on its central spina. As a center of Byzantine culture and…
What's Included
  • Hotel or port pickup and drop-off by walking or by public transport
  • Private guide
  • Ready entrance tickets (Ticket costs to be paid directly to your guide as an additional charge)
What's Not Included
  • Museums Entrances
  • Transportation (unless specified)
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

In addition to the iconic landmarks such as Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace, we provide an opportunity to uncover Istanbul’s hidden gems and lesser-known treasures. Explore delightful local neighborhoods, traditional markets, tranquil gardens, and ancient ruins. Our tour allows you to experience the city’s rich history and vibrant…

Location
Sultanahmet
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(36 Ratings)
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Valentina
Jun 17, 2025
Unforgettable Istanbul - A wonderful rediscovery of Istanbul After twenty years I returned to Istanbul, this time with my partner, for whom it was the first visit. It was our first real trip together and I wanted it to be a special, unforgettable experience. For this reason I chose a guided tour with a local guide who speaks Italian, so as to fully experience every moment without language barriers. To say it was a wonderful experience is really simplistic. Umut, our guide, is an extraordinary person, passionate and incredibly prepared. Thanks to him we discovered the city in an authentic and profound way: he accompanied us for a whole day among the most iconic and fascinating places in Istanbul, telling us the history and secrets of every corner with enthusiasm and competence. His stories, practical advice and valuable information enriched our visit, allowing us to enjoy the following days, with a more aware and in love look towards the city. We could not have wished for better driving, nor had a better experience. Thank you very much, Umut, for making this trip so special. Tourists who are lucky enough to meet you will live a unique experience. And thank you, wonderful Istanbul: your colors, your scents and your soul will remain forever in our hearts.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stacy_w
Jun 4, 2025
Private Istanbul Tour - Our tour guide Hasan was awesome!! Very knowledgeable and we didn't feel rushed even though we saw the 3 major sights, went to the Grand Bazaar to shop and had an amazing lunch!! Would definitely recommend. 10/10
Review provided by Viator
Julia_l
May 16, 2025
Fantastic, highly recommend - Amazing! Our guide was so knowledgeable and very fluent in English. He knew his way around, skipped us past all of the crowds, and taught us all about the history and significance of each spot. We enjoyed every second of it, and the day flew by!
Review provided by Viator
Deyanira_o
May 14, 2025
Excellent tour! - The best tour we could have to know Istanbul! Timi is an experienced guide with extensive knowledge about everything about the city (history and present). With pleasant explanations he detailed each place we visited. If you really want to know Istanbul, I highly recommend it!!
Review provided by Viator
Carolyn_b
Apr 22, 2025
Best day tour with total flexibility - The perfect day tour for any combination of attractions you may want to see. My guide was great and made excellent suggestions along the way such as places to eat with locals and more activities to add when we finished early. Great way to spend the day! I highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Elizabeth
Mar 8, 2025
The best guide in Istanbul - Salim is friendly and extremely knowledgeable. He crafted a tour specially for my family based on our interests. We loved seeing the Hagia Sofia and the Cistern. He answered our many cultural questions about Istanbul also. We went to the Grand Bazaar with Salim, and it was great to have him show us the best places to shop. We had an excellent tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_f
Oct 12, 2024
Best day in Istanbul - Loved our tour guide, had a wonderful day exploring Istanbul, learning about the city, culture, and the impressive sights. He managed our day by organizing our itinerary to skip the lines, skip the traffic, making sure we got to see everything on our want list. Skip the tour bus and book with these folks for a great day customized for you.
Review provided by Viator
735joaquimb
Sep 15, 2024
Thanks to the agency Los Picos, we have enjoyed Turkey with a tailor-made trip - We are a family group of 10 people. We made a bespoke trip of 3 days in Cappadocia and 3 days in Istanbul. Salim, head of Los Picos agency, organized it all without failures and with a minute-by-minute follow-up. Transfers from and to the airport, without failure. Local Guide in Cappadocia, in Spanish. Interesting and well explained visits. Balloon trip (with troubleshooting at 05:00 in the morning from Istanbul). Very good lunches, with the possibility of eating locally or internationally. In Istanbul we were personally attended by Salim, Very good Guide, friendly, pleasant, prepared. Very nice person. Without asking him, he paid us for the visits and food of a member who did not participate one day. He chose Top-rated places and themes. An unparalleled experience, highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Monica_b
Jul 1, 2024
My daughter and I had a... - My daughter and I had a great tour. Our guide was super informative about Istanbul and also gave us many suggestions and tips for our next day. Would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
L837kavirginiam
Apr 5, 2025
MAI PIÙ - The guide was a middle-aged gentleman who spoke Italian quite well (although some typo with Spanish but understandable). Arrived on time under our hotel did not immediately make a good impression on us and during the tour did not improve his position much. He was very hasty in visiting the places of interest and explaining them. He was saying the essentials and very often we wondered if he actually knew what he was talking about. On the way from one place to another he even increased his pace and stayed ahead of us without saying a word. Last year I turned to the online agency “discover Istanbul” and I had a great time! Unfortunately this year there were no guides available for private tours and I turned to TripAdvisor.... never again! Money thrown away! The only positive note was that at least we skipped the line in the tank and in Hagia Sophia!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $23
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).