Private Guided Best of Istanbul Tour 1,2 or 3 Days | La Vacanza Travel

Private Guided Best of Istanbul Tour 1,2 or 3 Days

Duration: 3 days
Destination: Türkiye, İstanbul, Istanbul
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  • 3 days
  • Istanbul
  • E-Voucher
  • Lowest Price
  • Not-Cancellable

Overview

Prepare to be awed by Istanbul’s magnificent architecture, rich history, and eclectic bazaars as you discover the unmissable highlights of the Old City on this 1-, 2-, or 3-day private tour.
Take the time to explore Istanbul’s most magnificent sites at your own pace with a full-day, guided tour of the city's historic places and landmarks. Follow in the footsteps of charioteers and Roman soldiers at the Hippodrome
Marvel over the glorious Hagia Sophia, learn how the Blue Mosque earned its famous nickname, and see the ancient Basilica Cistern. Tour Topkapi Palace to gain an insight into the lavish lifestyles of the Ottoman sultans and their harem, and browse the legendary Grand Bazaar, where you find everything from carpets to Turkish delight.
•Exclusive Istanbul tour led by a private guide
•Comprehensive tour of the city over one, two, or three days
•Explore the local streets on a walking tour of the city
•Customize the itinerary according to your schedule

Itinerary

Day 1: 1- Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour ( Old City Tour)

Stop At: Sultanahmet District, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Sultanahmet District
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: German Fountain, Hippodrome Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
German Fountain / Alman Çeşmesi
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul Turkiye
Sultanahmet Square
Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Hagia Sophia Mosque, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya MeydanI No:1, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Hagia Sophia Museum / Ayasofya / Santa Sofia Built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian, played a very important role in the Christian and Islamic World. After the Ottoman conquest the bells, altar, iconoclastic, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many of the mosaics were eventually plastered over to convert the church into a mosque then a museum and now it’s a mosque for the second time. The most important stop of an Istanbul tour is operated in Old City Istanbul / Constantinople. *Please note that as it's not a museum anymore, tour guides don't have skip-the-line priority there. You may need to wait in the security line, in order to avoid queues we suggest departing at 8:30am or 9:00am.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mah At Meydani Cad No 7, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Built between 1609-1616 for Sultan Ahmet I of the Ottoman Empire,, this impressive mosque has six minarets. Why is it called "Blue Mosque?" There are two stories: the first, more common one is that the interior is covered in Blue İznik tiles. The second is: many years ago, ancient sailors who sailed by the mosque on the Marmara Sea saw the blue colors of the sea reflected in the mosque.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Basilica Cistern, Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3, Istanbul 34410 Turkiye
The Basilica Cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns beneath the city that provided a water filtration system for the buildings nearby. This underground chamber measures approximately 138 meters (453 ft) by 64.6 meters (212 ft) and is capable of holding 80,000 cubic meters (2,800,000 cu ft) of water. The ceiling is supported by 336 marble columns.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Topkapi Palace, Cankurtaran Mahallesi Gulhane Park, Near Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
This enormous Topkapi Palace Museum / Topkapı Sarayı More than just an Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, it was the seat of the Supreme Executive and Judiciary Council for almost 400 years long. Topkapi Palace is a great monument of Oriental architecture which resembles the power of the Ottoman Empire.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Grand Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
Final destination is the world-famous authentic Grand Bazaar renowned being the biggest covered bazaar in the world. This colorful, one of a kind bazaar with more than 4000 shops bursting with traditional textiles, tiles, handmade products, jewelry and much more attract both local and tourists from all around the world.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: 2- Days Private Guided Istanbul Tour – (Bosphorus Region Tour)

Stop At: Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Bosphorus Cruise by Public Ferry or Private Cruise ( if option is chosen) Take the public ferry for Bosphorus Cruise to see both Istanbul’s European and Asian sides, Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, the Rumeli Fortress, old Ottoman villas, Bosphorus bridges, mosques. Your best Istanbul tour memories will definitely include the Bosphorus.


Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Dolmabahce Palace, Visnezade Mahallesi Dolmabahce Cd, Istanbul 34357 Turkiye
This palace was built in the mid 1800s to replace an earlier structure that was made of wood. The new palace incorporated sixteen separate buildings with stables, a flour mill and a clock tower among them.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Taksim Square, Gumussuyu Mh., Istanbul 34435 Turkiye
Taksim Square / Taksim Meydanı A great place defining modern Turkey which witnessed important historical moments. Close to Istiklal Street (Istiklal Caddesi) and Galata Tower along with embassies of European countries in Taxim. Cicek Passage has very good food joints, cafes, shops, bars, night clubs around Taksim.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Istiklal Caddesi, Istiklal Street Taksim Beyoglu, Istanbul Turkiye
Istiklal Street is the modern and colorful face of Turkey with churches, modern art galeries, embassies, pubs, cafes and shops selling different kind of products.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Galata Tower, Buyuk Hendek Cad. 2, Istanbul Turkiye
Cicek Passage / Flower Passage Originally named as Cite de Pera, a combined structure of traditional and modern construction methods and architectural style by Ottoman Empire is reflected and today we see the small shops and cafes here. We will see the tower FROM OUTSIDE, due to the regulations unfortunately tour guides don't have skip the line priority here so it takes long time to wait queue. Your tour guide will make you explanation about tower.
Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Misir Carsisi (Spice Market), Rustem Pasa Mahallesi, Erzak Ambari Sok. No:92 Eminonu - Fatih, Istanbul 34116 Turkiye
Spice Market / Mısır Çarşısı Egyptian Bazaar is a colorful indoor bazaar and has lots of shops offering a variety of spices, purses, flavored teas, Turkish delight, nuts, as well as ceramics, and small souvenirs. Spice Bazaar is located in Eminonu Square which is the connection point of Bosphorus and Golden Horn.


Duration: 45 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 3: 3- Days Private Guided Istanbul Tour (Golden Horn Tour)

Stop At: Historic Areas of Istanbul, Istanbul Turkiye
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Duration: 10 minutes

Stop At: Suleymaniye Mosque, Prof. SIddIk Sami Onar Cd. No:1 Süleymaniye Mah, Istanbul 34116 Turkiye
Famed architect Sinan built this majestic structure for one of the greatest rulers of the Ottoman Empire. Although this mosque is less ornate, there are many similarities between it and the Hagia Sophia since the same architect was responsible for both.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Balat, Istanbul Turkiye
Fener-Balat Neighborhood backstreet walk Continue exploring Istanbul’s rich religious history with a stop at the Church of St. George. Since the 1600s, the church has been the location of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is recognized as the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Religion. Balat District; lines of drying laundry stretch across steep, winding streets. Century-old Ottoman houses lean against each other in a combination of reds, blues, and greens. And art galleries and design shops dot the area along the water.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Fener Rum Patrikhanesi, Dr. SadIk Ahmet Cd. No:44 Yavuz Sultan Selim Mahallesi, Istanbul 34083 Turkiye
Orthodox Patriarch
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Balat Mahallesi, Murselpasa Cd. No:10, Istanbul 34087 Turkiye
St. Stephen Church; Located on the shore of the Golden Horn, the church is also known as the Iron Church due to the fact that it’s made entirely of prefabricated cast iron in 19th century.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Pierre Loti Tepesi, Idris Kosku Cad. Eyup, Istanbul 34050 Turkiye
Pierre Loti Hill and Cable Car are some of the most popular sights to visit since it offers great views for visitors. Take the cable car to reach the top and enjoy the beautiful scenery while sipping your Turkish coffee or tea.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Rahmi M. Koc Museum, Haskoy Cad. No: 5 Beyoglu, Haskoy, Istanbul 34445 Turkiye
The Rahmi M. Koç Museum is the first major museum in Turkey dedicated to the history of Transport, Industry and Communications. Housed in magnificent buildings - themselves prime examples of industrial archaeology - on the shore of the historic Golden Horn, the collection contains thousands of items from gramophone needles to full size ships and aircraft.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Halic, Istanbul Turkiye
Golden Horn region which is one of the oldest settlements of the city of Constantinople.
Duration: 30 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Inclusions
  • Private tour
  • Professional local guide
  • Guide meets you at central hotels

Exclusions
  • Transportation (from/back to hotel, between sites (unless option selected)
  • Museum Tickets
  • Lunch
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Infant seats available
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Departure Point

German Fountain, Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Traveler pickup is offered
Tour guide meets you at central Istanbul hotels or Galata Port. If the hotel is not centrally located, the meeting point will be in front of the German Fountain. If van service is not chosen your guide will pick you up at centrally located hotels on foot. If private van service is booked, please note that there will be a surcharge if your hotel is located outside of the city center or on the


Airports

  • Istanbul Airport, TayakadIn Terminal Street No. 1, Istanbul 34283 Turkiye
  • Sabiha Gokcen, Istanbul Turkiye


Ports

  • Galataport Istanbul, Kılıçali Paşa Mah. Meclis-i Mebusan Cad. No: 8 İç Kapı No: 102, Kılıçali Paşa, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye


Return Details

Returns to original departure point

Voucher info

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

Duration

3 days


User's Reviews

muhammadhazizd

23 Feb, 2024

Lovely place to visit. Especially when accompanied by an expert and friendly tour guide from Temple Travel. Ms Nadzli was very knowledgeable explaining the places that we went in English regarding Türkiye history.

Thomas_S

21 Jan, 2024

Josh was very communicative, punctual and thoughtful when it came to tailoring the two days of touring to me. His historical knowledge was excellent and he was able to tune to the level of detail I was looking for. I'm a fast paced walker and like to see lots during a day and we were able to accomplish that. We were able to skip the line for most of the venue entries and otherwise having a native speaker was invaluable when buying tickets or understanding security screening requirements. I also received some great recommendations for after the day's agenda that saved me hours of my own research.

dorothyo832

11 Nov, 2023

Sercan Gulsumoglu is a very knowledgeable and thoughtful guide. His knowledge was not only comprehensible but also had interesting comments ! He explained all the types of foods that we should try for a real Turkish experience. He was alway happy thoughtful!

MariaR147

09 Nov, 2023

Our trip to Istanbul was amazing and we saw and learnt so much from our tour guide Sercan Gulsumoglu on our private 2 day tour. Sercan explained everything so clearly and we saw so much in our short stay. Sercan is patient, smart, accommodating, personable and listened and understood our needs. We are so fortunate to have him as our guide. He is by far the Best Guide we ever had. If you ever visit Istanbul you must request for Sercan Gulsumoglu as your guide!

721viviennej

07 Nov, 2023

Where to start? A group of 12 friends visited Istanbul Nov 1-Nov 3, where we engaged Sercan Gulsumoglu for a private 2 day tour. At the beginning of the day, Sercan told us exactly what the schedule would be and he delivered on his promise daily. His explanations of the places we visited were simple, super clear and easy to follow along. It was rather amazing the depth and breadth of Sercan's knowledge on the history and the current events in Turkey. As he talked, I could picture myself back in time at many of the places we visited such as the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace to name a few. You gotta appreciate that!!  As a person, Sercan is genuine, personable, patient, smart, accommodating, and really makes an effort to listen and understand our needs. We LOVED him and would recommend him to our family and friends visiting Istanbul and other parts of Turkey. 

User's Picture Gallery

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Will return for another trip.

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Fantastic and Awesome Istanbul with Sercan Gulsumoglu

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