Recently Viewed
Private Istanbul Tour: Unique Culture Experience
4.8
234 Ratings
Fatih
These private tours would offer you the comfort of unique culture experience. If you want to stay away from crowded groups, to avoid long entrance queues, we invite you to live the best of your Istanbul experience with a private tour.
These private tours would offer you the comfort of unique culture experience. If you want to stay away from crowded groups, to avoid long entrance queues, we invite you to live the best of your Istanbul experience with a private tour.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Sultanahmet District - Experience the enchanting allure of Sultanahmet, the historic core of Istanbul. Dive into the rich blend of history, culture, and architectural wonders that characterize this lively district. Visit the iconic Sultanahmet Square, encircled by architectural masterpieces such as the breathtaking Hagia Sophia, the grand Blue…
- Sultanahmet District - Experience the enchanting allure of Sultanahmet, the historic core of Istanbul. Dive into the rich blend of history, culture, and architectural wonders that characterize this lively district. Visit the iconic Sultanahmet Square, encircled by architectural masterpieces such as the breathtaking Hagia Sophia, the grand Blue Mosque, and the ancient Roman Hippodrome. Stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets, lined with delightful cafes, artisanal shops, and local bazaars. Savor the tastes of Turkish cuisine and enjoy the warm hospitality of the locals. Embrace the captivating atmosphere of Sultanahmet, where the ancient and modern merge seamlessly to create an unforgettable experience.
- Blue Mosque - Known as Sultanahmet Camii, the Blue Mosque is one of Turkey’s most magnificent structures. It is not only a mosque but also a social complex. Its name is derived from the blue Iznik tiles that adorn the mosque’s interior.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia is the most renowned building in Istanbul. It was the largest church constructed by the Eastern Roman Empire in Istanbul, built three times on the same site. Hagia Sophia served as a cathedral, being the capital’s largest church where rulers were crowned throughout the Eastern Roman Empire.
- Topkapi Palace - Following the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the construction of Topkapi Palace began in 1460 at the behest of Fatih Sultan Mehmet and was completed in 1478. Topkapi Palace, with its additional buildings, was expanded with added structures until the 19th century. CLOSED ON TUESDAY.
- Grand Bazaar - Established in 1461, the Grand Bazaar resembles a vast labyrinth due to its aesthetic design. This historic shopping area, with nearly 60 streets and over 3600 shops, spans a total area of 30,700 square meters. Closed on Sunday.
- Hippodrome - Discover four remarkable monuments in the ancient Hippodrome, the center of Byzantine civic life: the Egyptian Obelisk, The German Fountain of Wilhelm II, the Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
- Basilica Cistern - The Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground water reservoir in Istanbul, showcases stunning columns and a mysterious ambiance, reflecting the city’s rich history and architectural brilliance. A must-visit marvel.

What's Included
- Discover rich tradition of Turkish handicrafts through unique art & shopping experiences in GORDES
- Fast Track Ticket Available to skip the huge queue
- Professional Licensed Tour Guide
- Public Transportation Fees
- Discover rich tradition of Turkish handicrafts through unique art & shopping experiences in GORDES
- Fast Track Ticket Available to skip the huge queue
- Professional Licensed Tour Guide
- Public Transportation Fees
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Tips
- Museum/Attraction Tickets
- Topkapi Palace on Tuesday ( Closed on Tuesday )
- Lunch
- Tips
- Museum/Attraction Tickets
- Topkapi Palace on Tuesday ( Closed on Tuesday )
Additional Information
- Tour guides don’t have skip-the-line priority in Hagia Sophia. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives.
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with alternatives.
- Skip the line service is not available for active mosques - there is a queue for the entrance.
- Tour guides don’t have skip-the-line priority in Hagia Sophia. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays can be replaced with alternatives.
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays can be replaced with alternatives.
- Skip the line service is not available for active mosques - there is a queue for the entrance.
Location
German Fountain
At Meydanı Caddesi
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(234 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
William_v
Aug 23, 2025
Excellent Tour! - This was an awesome all day tour! Our guide Ender was excellent! We got to see what we wanted to see, and at our own pace.
Review provided by Viator
Sue_c
Aug 22, 2025
A Lovely Day on the Historic Asian side of Istanbul - My tour guide was lovely. She met me at a coffee shop near my hotel and gave me the option of taking a taxi, tram or walking to the Asian side. I was really jet lagged and choose to take a cab from the European side to the Hagia Sophia. We entered the Hagia Sophia when it was early so we didn’t need to wait in line. After that we visited the Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern. We also visited a rug shop that demonstrated how the rugs were woven and a ceramics shop that demonstrated how the ceramics were made. Finally we visited the Grand Bazaar where she brought me into a couple shops where she knew the owners. If a person was interested in spices, textiles, handbags or candy she would direct me to the best shops. She seemed to know someone everywhere we went.
I choose not to visit Topkapi Palace because was tired. Since this was a private tour we were able to modify the tour. And she paced to tour to accommodate my walking speed.
We had a great lunch with lots of conversation.
Note: Meals and entrance fees were not included.
Review provided by Viator
Suresh
Aug 19, 2025
Tour of Istanbul - Well organized. Fateh, our guide was excellent! His English impeccable. Reorganized the trip around our needs.
Istanbul has old and new world charm.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ishtariamnathalia
Aug 17, 2025
Great tour!!! - We had a great day in Istanbul!!!
The tour was tailored to our needs and speed. Our guide was great, very acknowledgeable, generous and kind.
Also it paid off to have a guide because you can skip the line in many places!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort802273
Aug 15, 2025
Old city tour - Highly professional and very knowledgeable.Time management was excellent to be able to complete the tour and for a lunch break
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer
Aug 8, 2025
Incredible guide and family tour - We had an amazing time on our tour of Istanbul. Our guide Nazan was incredible. She was kind and well spoken. We intentionally booked a private tour so we could be on our own timeline as we were a family of 4 with twin 6yr olds, one of which is autistic and can struggle emotionally at times. Nazan bonded with our kids, spending much of the time holding their hands as we walked. We cannot recommend her and this tour enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Smith1958
Aug 7, 2025
Sedat knows his stuff - We really enjoyed Sedat’s company. His knowledge of the history and culture of Istanbul was impressive. He kept us moving at all times and we appreciated that we didn’t need to wait in any lines.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Betravling
Aug 7, 2025
Very impressive tour! - Wow! We had a great day touring the Istanbul Old Town area. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative. Musa has a graduate degree from University of Istanbul in Ottoman and Turkish history. Also, the Roman history and mythology. Couldn’t have asked for a better guide.
Loved this tour because it included all the major sites: Hagia Sofia, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Cistern, Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar! Just the two of us and Musa our guide! Really were able to delve into the history and experiences of the locations.
Well done!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joyce
Aug 18, 2025
Definitely have some flaws - We hired a driver with this tour. Driver is the highlight of this tour for being attentive. However, the tour guide was 1.5hr late.
We need to circle around the city to wait for the tour guide. Because we are late, we didn’t end up for having time for the Palace (but we do have time for the high pressure selling rug shop, and forced to buy a rug there).
I gave four stars because the tour agency was nice enough to refund 50% after I complained about the punctuality here. However, if you want to sign up for this tour, please make sure you make strong opinions on where to go and where not, and maybe be prepared that it can be a quite loosely managed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Journey45327153119
Aug 15, 2025
Overpriced - For the cost of this trip it’s a total waste of time. The guide was 45 minutes late and whilst informative was not that interested. You have to pay for everything and it’s very expensive to get into these places on top of the initial cost. Don’t waste your money on this service.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator