Istanbul · CITY TOURS
Think of this as the shortlist you would text a friend: 15 city tours that hold up, each with what it costs, how long it takes and the one thing worth knowing before you pay.
Meet at Beethoven Senfoni Hotel in Istanbul’s Old City for a private hamam ritual with body scrub and foam massage. Add a 30, 50, or 75-minute massage, sauna, steam room, and face mask. Female therapists, towels, slippers, tea, coffee, and water are included.
“Everything was great....from the place till the manager and the masseur's!!”
This 6 to 8 hour private Istanbul tour links Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar. Your English-speaking guide can adjust the pace, suggest food and shopping stops, and help with practical details. Admissions and lunch cost extra.
“We booked this walking tour through viator and were gifted an incredible tour guide Zel. This was one of the best walking tours we’ve ever done and we’re so appreciative to have such a kind and knowledgable tour guide. Highly recommend doing this tour towards the beginning of your stay in Istanbul as you see the many of the large tourist attractions in a short amount of time leaving free time for other days. The only regret we have is not booking other tours with Zel around the city. If you don’t get her as a tour guide, you’re missing out! Thank you viator for putting us together! This tour…”
Spend eight hours in Istanbul’s Old City with an English-speaking guide, visiting the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar. Choose a shared or private tour, with hotel, Airbnb, or Galataport pickup. Expect substantial walking and separate entrance fees.
“Kemal was an amazing guide. so knowledgeable. lots of walking at a nice pace. Great lunch and the sites of Istanbul were incredible. highly recommend”
See Istanbul at your own pace with a private guide such as Cicek, Mustafa, Kubra, or Fuat, depending on availability. Choose one, two, or three days covering Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, bazaars, the Bosphorus, Dolmabahce, and local neighborhoods. Transport and entrance fees cost extra.
“Our tour guide Kerim was the best guide we have ever experienced. His knowledge and delivery was immaculate. He even took us to the “Pudding Shop” for lunch and we got a copy of his book. Our kids were so engaged and there wasn’t a question Kerim could not answer. This tour was a fantastic way to end our time in Turkey I would give 6 Stars if we could.”
Spend four hours exploring Istanbul’s old city with a live guide in English, Spanish, Russian, or Japanese. Visit Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar. Pickup is offered from selected hotels and Istanbul Port. Guides such as Ali, Baris, and Sibel are praised for clear storytelling.
“Fadi, our guide was excellent, knowledgeable, answered all questions and made the tour very enjoyable. I would highly recommend him. The transport and choice of activities and sites was very good. We loved our tour…. Plus compared to others offered by our ship it was a good value. Group size was nice and small.”
Step into Sultan Mehmed Hammam inside Ramada by Wyndham Sultanahmet for a 50 to 115-minute Turkish bath. Choose a public, private, or VIP session with sauna, steam, kese scrub, foam wash, massage, face mask, tea, and coffee.
“Such a great experience!! only thing I regret is not booking a longer massage session. Heads up for women that want to use the sauna and steam room without running into any men, book the earliest session on a weekday when they are not as busy. I wear a hijab and was able to do all the things without running into any men so I didn't have to skip any of the experiences or worry about covering up.”
Meet a private guide at your central Istanbul hotel or port and shape a one, two, or three-day sightseeing plan around your priorities. Guides such as Ahmet, Sema, Ozan, and Can lead visits to imperial palaces, mosques, bazaars, neighborhoods, and the Bosphorus, with van transport available as an option.
“We were able to see the main attractions that we want. Our tour guide, Sema, was very knowledgeable and communicates very well. She explained very well in detail the significance and highlights of each attractions we visited. She saved us a lot of time as she knows how to ‘skip the lines’. She’s a top notch tour guide and loves what she’s doing. Thanks Sema for a wonderful trip.”
Spend seven hours with a private English or Spanish-speaking guide exploring Istanbul’s old city. Visit Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar, with hotel or port pickup and optional Mercedes Sprinter transport.
“This was a wonderful day. Gülşen was an exceptional guide. Her knowledge of the historic sites was comprehensive and really brought them alive to me. Helpful and kind, she works to make the experience the best that it can be for each of her clients. I cannot praise her too highly.”
Explore Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, and Grand Bazaar with a private English-speaking guide. Guides such as Volkan, Fettah, Aytaç, and Sema tailor the pace, suggest local food, and help you avoid long lines.
“Sema, our guide , was very knowledgeable and informative. She got us to the front of lines and was flexible about our interests and schedule.”
Book a private, door-to-door ride from Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport to a central Istanbul hotel. A greeter meets you after luggage claim, helps with bags, and leads you to an air-conditioned vehicle. Expect about an hour, though Istanbul traffic can stretch the journey.
“We were exceptionally happy with our private pick up from Istanbul Airport to our hotel. Our vehicle was very comfortable and it was a great start to our visit to Istanbul. We would definitely use Viator in the future.”
Build a private Istanbul itinerary around your interests with an English-speaking guide. Cover Sultanahmet’s great monuments, cruise the Bosphorus, visit Kadikoy, or explore Balat and Fener. Guides including Emel, Emre, Ozge, Ugur, and Selcuk have earned strong praise for flexibility and local insight.
“An excellent tour, fabulous guide, van and sights! Highly recommended! Great communication and overall experience.”
Spend seven hours exploring Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Sultanahmet Square, and the Grand Bazaar with an English-speaking guide. Pickup is available from central hotels, lunch is included, and guides such as Baris, Okan, and Ece adjust the pace for small groups.
“10 out of 10!! Fatih was a fabulous guide. Really friendly, full of interesting information about all the sites we saw and made our visit to Istanbul one to remember. A must book!”
Spend a full day crossing Istanbul by bus and boat, with stops at Camlica Hill, Camlica Mosque, Beylerbeyi Palace, Eyup Mosque, and Pierre Loti Hill. Hotel pickup, lunch, guide service, and a two-hour Bosporus cruise are included. Guides may speak English, Russian, Spanish, French, or Arabic.
“We had a wonderful trip to Istanbul. We visited many different places, and our guide was very knowledgeable.”
Book a private, one-way ride between Istanbul Airport and hotels in Fatih, Beyoğlu, Şişli, Kağıthane, or Beşiktaş. At IST, look for the R99 sign near Gate 13. A representative leads you to an air-conditioned vehicle with Wi-Fi and bottled water.
“Took a few ppl to find him , he was not waiting for us as stated would be. then there was no air conditioning in van.”
Spend seven hours with a private licensed guide exploring Istanbul’s Old City. Visit Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, and possibly Basilica Cistern, with a flexible pace and help buying priority tickets.
“We did a one day walking tour of Istanbul. Our guide Sel was friendly and super knowledgeable, provided a lot of color and history about everything we were seeing. Also worked in a delicious stop for lunch. Highly recommend, especially if you have a limited time to see the city.”
A boat, a dome, a bathhouse or a coach out of town.
