Private Istanbul Icons City Tour with Basilica Cistern

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5 to 7 hours (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English and 2 more

Explore Istanbul’s Old City with an award-winning local tour operator and your own private licensed guide.
This is not a standard group tour with a fixed script. Your experience is fully private, flexible, and tailored to your pace, interests, and available time.
Visit Istanbul’s must-see landmarks, including Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Sultanahmet Square, and the Grand Bazaar, while your guide brings centuries of Byzantine and Ottoman history to life with engaging stories, local insights, and practical tips.
Enjoy the convenience of hotel or cruise port pickup, personalized attention throughout the day. This tour is especially ideal for first-time visitors and cruise passengers who want to make the most of their time in Istanbul without the limitations of a large group.
This experience combines professional guiding, flexibility, and local expertise for a more personal and memorable way to discover Istanbul.

What's Included

Private Tour with a Professional Tour Guide
Skip-the-Line Tickets: Your guide will arrange priority tickets, you will pay directly to the guide
Flexible Pick-up Point: Central hotels, Airbnb, or Cruise port
Transportation with Private Van (Available upon Request)
Lunch & Drinks
Gratuities (Suggested)
(Optional) Hagia Sophia
(Optional) Basilica Cistern
(Optional) Topkapi Palace Museum

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
Pickup details:

Your private guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel or port.

Itinerary

Duration: 5 to 7 hours (approximately)
  • 1
    TopkapI Palace

    Topkapi Palace was home to all the Ottoman Sultans, until he reign of Abdulmecid. It is also considered as the main seat of Supreme Council for almost 400 years. Located just behind Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace resembles the power of Ottoman Empire.

    2 hours • Admission ticket not included
  • 2
    Sultanahmet Square

    Square stands as the milestone of today's Old City of Istanbul. It is also home to chariot races that held in Roman Empire times. Today, German Fountain is the cornerstone of square which resembles the good relations of these two empires.

    30 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 3
    Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

    Built in 6th century by Emperor Justinian as a church and converted to mosque after Ottoman conquest. It plays a very important role in Christian and Islamic world. It might be said that Hagia Sophia resembles both separation and combination of two different religions at the same time.

    1 hour • Admission ticket not included
  • 4
    Blue Mosque

    Blue Mosque is located just in the heart of Sultanahmet Square and built in the early 1600s for Sultan Ahmet I by Great Architect Sinan. It embraces the blue skyline of Istanbul and attracts people globally especially for its beautifuly designed interior with blue tiles.

    45 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 5
    Basilica Cistern

    An atmospheric underground reservoir from Byzantine Constantinople, famous for its forest of marble columns, dim lighting, and haunting reflections in shallow water.

    45 minutes • Admission ticket not included
  • 6
    Grand Bazaar

    Built in the 15th century, Grand Bazaar is the oldest and the biggest covered market. It offers a magical shopping experience.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • 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
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Supplied by Guided Istanbul Tours
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Tags

Private and Luxury
Private Sightseeing Tours
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Walking Tours
Ports of Call Tours
Shore Excursions
Additional fees
Port Pickup
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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