Private Istanbul 7 hours Tour with TRAM. Save time with Grp opt.
Description
Small Group tour ( max. 10 guests ) for cruisers only The best and the easiest way to visit Istanbul is LOCAL TRANSPORTATION Tram is the fastest way of transportation to Old city from Istanbul port to escape from Istanbul Heavy Traffic. You can book PRIVATE Option for your family and friends . Visit highlights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome Square, Grand Bazaar) in Istanbul.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meeting with your local tour guide in front of Istanbul Galata Port Terminal Building with YOUR NAME sign at pre-ararnged time ( Meeting time will be given in your confirmation message ). We are going to walk 200 meters to Tophane Tram Station. We are going to take the tram to Sultanahmet area which is about 20 mins.
We are going to start our walking tour from Hippodrome Square which was the former center of sprotive and political activities of Constantinople.
Our next stop is Blue Mosque which is the one of the biggest mosques of Istanbul from 17th century architecture is one of the principal adornments on the skyline of Istanbul. Also famous for its blue tiles and 6 minarest.
A few minutes walk to Topkapi Palace, was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans, but also the administrative and educational center of the state. It was constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople. We will visit the Topkapi Palace including weapons section.
After Topkapi Palace we are going to visit Hagia Sophia which is The magnificent Byzantine Church of all times; one of the finest and largest architectural works of art in the world. Update for St. Sophia interior visit : Live guiding is not allowed in St. Sophia after the 15th January 2024. Guests have to have their smart phones and headphones during their visit. If guests do not have a headphone, they can buy at the entrance at the cost of 3,5-USD The system is similar to audio guide system. Guests who does not have smart phones will follow the signs and the given informations on the signs.
Our last stop is Grand Bazaar where is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 1,200 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. Opened in 1461, it is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops.
After we complete the tour, we are going to walk to Sultanahmet Tram Station to catch the next tram to Tophane Tram Station. After get off the train, around 200 meters walk back to port. The end of services.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The best and the easiest way to visit Istanbul is LOCAL TRANSPORTATION Pick up Istanbul Cruise Terminal for cruise guests only Suggested pick up time will be given on your confirmation message. Small Group tour ( max. 10 guests ) Tram is the fastest way of transportation to Old city from Istanbul port to escape from Istanbul Heavy Traffic. PRIVATE Full Day tour includes 5 highlights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome Square, Grand Bazaar) in Istanbul.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- At time of booking, Hotels guests must provide hotel name
- Visit to holy places of worship such as churches, monasteries, mosques, synagogues bare shoulders are not permitted, nor shoes in mosques.
- Blue Mosque is open from 14.30 to 16.30 on Fridays
- In the event of any museum closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited. On Tuesdays : Topkapi Palace replaced by Underground Cistern, On Sundays: Grand Bazaar will be replaced by Spice Market. Grand Bazaar on religious holidays will be replaced by Arasta Bazaar. On Fridays: Blue Mosque is open from 14.30 to 16.30
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Reviews(39)
Ali was a wonderful, knowledgeable tour guide that took terrific care of us and also assisted while we explored the overwhelming Grand Bazaar. I would not hesitate to recommend Ali and this tour to another group.
We saw so many things in one day. It was fantastic. Our guide Buket was fabulous, she had the tour well organized and she answered all our questions . I can highly recommend this tour company. Very good value.
We LOVED our tour of Istanbul with Erkan! He was personable, knowledgeable, and professional. We enjoyed taking the tram because it saved time and was convenient. We were able to tailor our tour to do exactly what we wanted. We added on the Basilica Cistern at an additional cost, which was well worth it. Even though the day was cool, windy, and rainy, Erkan made the most of our day by taking us to the exact places we wanted to see and sharing his wealth of knowledge with us while at the same time not overwhelming us with facts. We probably won't visit the region again, but if we did, we would absolutely book Curio Travel again!
Dear Stacy, Thank you again for your loyalty and thoughtful insights. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip to Ephesus and will do everything we can to ensure another wonderful travel. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
There are a lot of tour options to Ephesus. I did a lot of research and settled on this one. GREAT DECISION!!! Our guide met us right off the cruise ship. We are a family of 5 with 3 teenagers. Our private minibus was waiting super close by. Our guide was sooooo sooo sooo entertaining, informative, knowledgeable, fun, friendly. At the end of our one week Greece & Turkey cruise, when asking what everyone’s favorite thing was, everybody said the Ephesus tour. Truly, look no further.
Hello, Please rest assured that your kind words have been passed on to the entire Team. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable moments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
Leyla was a wonderful guide. She was flexible, informative, and fun. She made certain we were aware and communicated effectively for our safety and education.
Dear Jane, Thank you so much for sharing your experience and giving us such a good note! We hope to have the occasion to welcome you back soon. Thank you for taking the time to share such a lovely review. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
Istanbul is an amazing city, and we instantly fell in love with its rich history and vibrant culture. Erkan did a wonderful job guiding us—sharing the stories, significance, and hidden details behind each site with clarity and passion. We thoroughly enjoyed our private tour, starting right from our cruise port and traveling together by tram into the heart of the city. Both Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern were absolutely spectacular, and experiencing them with Erkan’s storytelling made the visit deeply interesting. This tour exceeded our expectations, and we are already hoping to return one day to explore more of Istanbul and the rest of this beautiful country. W. Hung
Dear Winnie, We don't know how to thank you enough for your comment. Your feedback is precious and has been proudly share with the entire team. Our colleagues' dedication to our guests is fully rewarded when we received such wonderful comments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
We booked this tour expecting to be joining a group being picked up at the cruise terminal. We were staying in the old quarter, and we were pleasantly surprised when our guide picked us up from our hotel and we were the only people in the group. So seven hours of personal service. We walked down to the Blue Mosque and then on to Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sofia. So much to take in but oh so interesting. We skipped the Grand Bazaar as we had been there the evening before, so we went to the Basilica Cistern. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and spoke perfect English. He has to be the best guide we have ever had. He found a place for us to have lunch while he waited outside. We did ask him to join us but he was happy to chat with other guides while waiting for us. We can highly recommend this tour one of the best.
Dear Mary, Your kind words will be shared with our entire team, who will be thrilled to know they helped create this memorable experience. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
WAY TOO LONG especially without tram transportation. Much too crowded. Unable to often times hear the leader.
Dear John I am sorry but we did not undestand your review Just 2 of you were in the tour with our guide. Travel from port to old city is with local transport TRAM. The name of the tour is with TRAM. there are local people in the TRAM too. when drive takes around 40 minutes, TRAM takes 20 minutes and you walk less because of TRAM station If you email us some more info about your review, we can talk to your guide and we can ask his report about yoour tour Best Regards
Our guide was amazing and showed us all the sites and kept the small group together. She explained everything to us and we made a new friend. The tram was fast and crowded.
Dear Michelle, Once again, we deeply appreciate your long-standing loyalty and the detailed feedback you’ve provided. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
Turkan was such an amazing guide. She did exactly what we needed at exactly the speed we wanted. It’s was like a private tour catered to all our desires. Absolutely the best!
Dear Paul, Thank you so much for sharing your experience and giving us such a good note! We hope to have the occasion to welcome you back soon. Thank you for taking the time to share such a lovely review. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team
