Recently Viewed
Private Istanbul Tour: Unique Culture Experience
4.8
170 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 - Discover the captivating charm of Sultanahmet, the historic heart of Istanbul. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history, culture, and architectural wonders that define this vibrant district. Explore the iconic Sultanahmet Square, surrounded by architectural marvels like the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia, the majestic…
- Sultanahmet District - Discover the captivating charm of Sultanahmet, the historic heart of Istanbul. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history, culture, and architectural wonders that define this vibrant district. Explore the iconic Sultanahmet Square, surrounded by architectural marvels like the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia, the majestic Blue Mosque, and the ancient Roman Hippodrome. Wander through the narrow cobblestone streets, lined with charming cafes, artisanal shops, and local bazaars. Indulge in the flavors of Turkish cuisine and delight in the warm hospitality of the locals. Immerse yourself in the captivating ambiance of Sultanahmet, where the ancient and the modern blend seamlessly to create an unforgettable experience.
- Blue Mosque - Sultanahmet Camii as known as Blue Mosque is one of the most magnificent buildings in Turkey. The building is not just a mosque, it is also a social life complex. Its name comes from blue Iznik tiles covered interior of the mosque.
- Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia is the most famous building in Istanbul. Hagia Sophia, the largest church built by the Eastern Roman Empire in Istanbul, was built three times in the same place. Hagia Sophia served as a cathedral as the capital’s largest church where rulers were crowned throughout the Eastern Roman Empire.
- Topkapi Palace - After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the construction of Topkapi Palace, which was started in 1460 at the request of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, was completed in 1478. Topkapı Palace, with all its additional buildings, was expanded with the added structures until the 19th century.
- Grand Bazaar - The Grand Bazaar, which was founded in 1461, resembles a giant scale labyrinth thanks to its aesthetic design. The historical shopping area with nearly 60 streets and more than 3600 shops covers a total area of 30,700 square meters.
- Hippodrome - You will see 4 amazing monuments in the ancient Hippodrome which was the center of Byzantine civic life; Egyptian Obelisk, The German Fountain of Wilhelm II, Serpentine Column and Column of Constantine.
- Basilica Cistern - The Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground water reservoir in Istanbul, features 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
(170 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Ssj20152015
Jun 5, 2025
Istanbul Guided Tour - Our Guide was very Informative . I don't remember his name but I would recommend this tour. It was not physically exhausting for us
Review provided by Tripadvisor
775dlp
Jun 5, 2025
Great day walking the city. - What a fabulous day with Suleyman! We asked for a tour of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and then the markets. As we walked about, Suleyman kept us informed of the history of the sites but also the history of the Muslim culture. He also helped us navigate the purchasing of delicious Turkish delight and spices all the while waving and saying hello to fellow tour guides.
Suleyman was able to bypass the long lines and we settled the cost of all tickets at the end. When you get the notification for the guide to get your tickets, do so. It is so much easier.
This was an outstanding time to learn about this amazing city. Thanks again Suleyman.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
21tripsagain
May 31, 2025
Great guide . Great tour - Great experience with Ibrahim. A very knowledgeable guide who tailored the pace of the tour for us. Saw everything we wanted and more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diana
May 29, 2025
Günes excellent guide - Günes was an exceptional guide. Very friendly at all times and had ample knowledge of the culture. 100% recommended for tour guide in Istanbul
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Abby
May 26, 2025
Knowledgeable and experienced local guide. Lots of walking - We had a great time and learned so much from Suleyman. We had only 1 day to explore Istanbul and were able to see so much. Suleyman was very knowledgeable and experienced, but also flexible to accommodate the tour to what we wanted. It made it so much easier to see the main tourist attractions with a local guide. Just be prepared for a long day of walking :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kevin_b
May 26, 2025
Istanbul is Amazing - Nazan was an amazing guide; very friendly and knowledgeable. She showed us the highlights of Istanbul and taught us much about the history.
Review provided by Viator
Stuartm548
May 26, 2025
Excellent tour - Zel was a wonderful, engaging and informative guide. We also appreciated her candid discussion of current events and culture.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Adventurer379539
Jun 5, 2025
Knowledgeable tour guide - It was a good tour. Tim was very knowledgeable. However, he did not bring us back to the starting point of our tour. He got us on the tram and told us what stop to get off at. Luckily we’re well traveled and could figure it out. Other than that, it was a great tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vsc321
May 28, 2025
Wonderful Overview of Istanbul - I recommend Istanbul's Tours, Full Day Private Guided Cultural Tour. Our tour guide, Necmi met us at our hotel located in the Beyoglu area. Our hotel is conveniently located near the tram line. He took us on the T1 line to Sultanahmet. We saw the Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque. Note, there is a fee to enter inside Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern. It's worth it. Since it's a private tour, you can adjust according to what you want to see. Our tour guide is very knowledgeable and gave us a history lesson. We started at 9:30 a.m. because we wanted a later start since we arrived the previous day and we were still a little tired. I recommend starting early as possible because it's less busy in the morning. We were shown a Turkish rug store where we were offered water, Turkish coffee and apple tea. We were shown how rugs are made and saw many samples. We also went to the Grand Bazaar and led to a Leather store selling jackets, Turkish Delight store, store with imitation bags made of fine leather. At the end of the tour, Necmi was very helpful in showing us how to purchase the Istanbul card (can be used up to 6 people) and adding funds to it. He showed us how the Istanbul card could be used on all transportation (buses, trams, ferries). He recommended we could take the funicular up and walk to Taksim Square or take the ferry to the Asian side. If I had to do it over again, I would have skipped the Turkish rug store and Grand Bazaar so I would had time to see the Topkapi Palace. The staff at the rug store can put a bit of pressure to purchase a rug. The Grand Bazaar stores also pressure you to buy their goods. The leather goods and imitation bags do seem of higher quality. I saw an imitation Hermes bag and I have to admit, the make and quality of the bag was good but I did not buy one. Unless you really want to do some shopping, then go to the Grand Bazaar and rug store since tour guides will know the best places to go. If your taste is more towards the historic sites, then tell your tour guide to skip the stores. You can always check out the Grand Bazaar on your own. Overall, we enjoyed the tour guide and our tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Timdb2163rw
Jun 6, 2025
Not bad but could have had more content. - Guide was knowledable enough....but clearly wanted to shorten the tour from the beginning of the tour...asking us what we wanted to see and not making suggestions...after about 3.5 hours showing the blue mosque, Hagia Sophie, the bazaar and the cistern, he said 'do you have anything else?' Tour ended up being just over half of what was advertized.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
More activities from this operator