Magical Sights of Istanbul Private Walking Tour
Description
An excellent full-day private guided tour to get a comprehensive understanding of Istanbul's rich history. Explore the mixed heritage of the city with an expert tour guide. Visit the famous highlights such as the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar. Skip the long queues with guide and make the most of your time in this magical city. Entrance fees are included.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Next stop is the iconic Blue Mosque, renowned for its six minarets and beautiful handmade blue tiles. More than 20000 17th century tiles adorn the interior of the Blue Mosque and dazzle the visitors with astonishingly beautiful flower designs.
"Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks, originally built as a grand cathedral in the 6th century. Over the centuries, it has been transformed into a mosque, then a museum, and now back to a mosque, each phase adding to its rich history. With its stunning dome, breathtaking mosaics, and towering minarets, Hagia Sophia offers visitors a rare chance to experience the perfect blend of Byzantine and Ottoman influences. A must-see for anyone visiting Istanbul, this architectural wonder takes you on a journey through the city’s fascinating past
Experience Istanbul’s imperial past through a curated, private journey designed for the discerning traveler. With exclusive insights and captivating stories, you’ll explore the opulent chambers and the timeless majesty of Topkapı Palace . This is more than a tour—it’s an elegant immersion into the world of sultans, viziers, and royal intrigue, guided with warmth, depth, and a personal touch. Expect a refined, unhurried experience that reveals the city’s most iconic treasures in unforgettable detail.
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.
The tour will start in the Hippodrome, which was an arena for chariot racing and public events throughout the Byzantine era. You will learn about the famous relics such as the Egyptian obelisk, Serpent Column and the Walled obelisk.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We can meet our guests at their centrally located Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Karakoy and Taksim hotels, for non-central hotels MEETING POINT can be set by guest after booking. For cruise passengers this tour can be operated as Shore Excursion Tour from GalataPort.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(53)
Easy to walk around with guide who was knowledgeable and easy to get on with... Worth doing this tour if you want more personalised tour... Worth the cost for the more personalised tour.
Thank you so much for joining our tours.Hope to see you again.
Highly recommend this private walking tour. Kadir Kurt was an exceptional guide — warm, thoughtful, and extremely knowledgeable about Istanbul’s history, art, and the religious/cultural context that makes the city come alive. We visited major highlights like Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque (plus other key sites), but the day never felt rushed or scripted. Because it was private, it felt relaxed and personal. We also wandered into quieter local streets, found a small outdoor café for Turkish coffee, and got a break from the crowds — which ended up being one of my favorite parts. What made it unforgettable was Kadir as a person. He went far beyond “guiding” — genuinely kind, present, and attentive in a way that made me feel welcomed and at ease as a solo traveler. He shared his love for Istanbul, and it honestly made me fall in love with the city too. I left with a deeper appreciation for Turkish life and culture and a truly memorable experience.
A big thank you, We are thrilled you had such a great experience with us. Thank you for the recommendation—it’s the best compliment we could receive. Safe travels and keep travelling well!
Highly recommend this tour… aside from visiting a hamam, it was the highlight of my trip. Kadir Kurt was incredibly knowledgeable and made the history, art, and religious context of Istanbul easy to understand and genuinely interesting. Because I visited in the slow season, it ended up being a 1:1 tour, which made it feel personal and flexible. We covered the main sights, but also wandered down quieter cobblestone streets, stopped at a small outdoor coffee spot for Turkish coffee, and explored some non-touristy areas as a break from the crowds. I left with a much deeper appreciation for Turkish life and culture… and it honestly felt like I made a new friend in Istanbul. Kadir was fantastic.
Dear Jonathan, We are thrilled you had such a great experience with us. Thank you for the recommendation—it’s the best compliment we could receive. Safe travels and keep traveling well!
Yusuf Sipani was very knowledgeable and good company. Arrived at our hotel promptly and was very helpful with other tips for our time in Istanbul. It’s good to make it clear how long you’d like to spend at each location.
Sara made our Istanbul tour unforgettable! Her knowledge brought the city to life. From famous landmarks to hidden gems, she guided us efficiently and expertly. The tour was low-priced and kids-friendly. The only downside was that she initially wanted us to visit the stores of her friends, even when they were similar to ones she had said were not worth it. However, when I told her I didn’t want to go, she completely understood and stopped trying to convince me. Aside from that small detail, it was a wonderful tour, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic Istanbul experience!
Our guide, Yusuf Sipahi, was extraordinary. He explained so well every place, history, architecture, the city and its times. An incredible guide.
Our tour guide Emel was awesome. She answered all our questions and gave us a great memory we will never forget
We had the most amazing day with Emel! We couldn’t have asked for a better guide! We both learned so much about history, culture, and life in Istanbul. The Blue Mosque is one of the most amazing sites we’ve ever experienced. Emel was generous with her time and her expertise! We had an amazing lunch at her recommendation. Emel went above and beyond by helping us secure a dinner reservation at an incredible restaurant with our family. She did this on her own time and it was the highlight of our trip! We hope we will get to tour with her again!
The tour was incredibly wonderful, Kadir brought great knowledge, telling us the story in detail of every place we passed. Super attentive, provided us with a unique and unforgettable experience, like feeding the birds on the rooftop, feeding the cats of the city, as a form of good luck, showed us the Muslim temple, where explained us about the religion, its customs, beliefs and prayers, taught us about the rich diversity of culture present in Istanbul, the different parts of the city, all the architecture, food and way of life. It was really magical to have him as our guide on this tour. Thank you for your attention and for sharing the richness of all your knowledge. I definitely want to have the opportunity to do it again. Kadir is very professional and also provided us with a relaxed and very fun day.
This tour was amazing! I was able to visit the Blue mosque, Hagia Sofia, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, and the Basilica Cistern. Ms. Sibel, my tour guide, was very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Istanbul. During the tour, she also took me to a bookstore, a baklava shop, and a Turkish carpet and rug shop. We also had lunch at a nice seafood restaurant along the water. If you're visiting Istanbul, I highly recommend a tour with Ms. Sibel!
