The 15 Best 1-Day Tours in Istanbul

1.Sapanca and Masukiye Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,036 reviews · 12 hours · from $29Our pick

Guided day trip from Istanbul to Sapanca and Maşukiye with Lake views, waterfall-area lunch, cable car options, quad and zipline add-ons.

“Apo was a fantastic guide, and very knowledgeable. Lots of good activities to participate in, such as cable car, quad-biking etc. The lunch by the Sapanca Lake is really nice, with wonderful views and scenery. However, I really think the stop at the Turkish Delight shops are unnecessary and a waste of time, they try to force you into buying overpriced sweets and souvenirs. That time could be better spent to allow us more time to relax and explore at Sapanca Lake.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.All in One Day Istanbul – Historical Tour of Istanbul with Bosphorus Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 489 reviews · 9 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $164Top rated

A full-day VIP tour that strings together Sultanahmet icons, a rooftop lunch, and a 2.5-hour Bosphorus sunset cruise with snacks and baklava.

“The entire day was amazing from beginning to end. So much to learn, see, take and experience in one full day. Best way to experience Istanbul!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Bursa & Uludag Mountain Day Trip w/ Opt. Cable Car

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 447 reviews · 13.5 hours · from $31

Day trip from Istanbul to Bursa, with a ferry over Izmit Bay, Uludağ mountain views, cable car down, Turkish delight making stops, and Green Mosque.

“Amazing tour, very nice and enjoyable. Very kind and helpful tour leader (Mr Noori). I would suggest this tour to anyone willing to go to Bursa mountains.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Istanbul Shore Excursion: Istanbul in One Day Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 273 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $100

Eight hours in Istanbul’s top sights from a cruise port, led by English guides, with Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, and Grand Bazaar.

“It was great! The only issue was that this tour contrary to its name Shore Excursion, was not meant for those in a cruise line just spending the day in Istanbul. We had to leave the tour on our own and get back to the ship in order to be onboard by the time the ship sailed away. It is the perfect tour for those staying in town for a couple of days. It manages to go to a lot of the main attractions in only one day.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Day Trip to Cappadocia with Flight & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 182 reviews · 16 hours · from $188

Istanbul to Cappadocia day trip with roundtrip flights, guided Göreme and fairy chimneys, Avanos lunch, and pottery workshop.

“It was very fast paced. They picked me up super early around 4am and my flight was at 8am. I think they were worried with traffic, but a later time would have been good. I made it through so quickly , but maybe due to luck. Getting to the flight required 2 transfers. We were in one van that dropped everyone off at their hotels. Then they dropped me off where another van took me to my actual meeting point where I got into another car. I wish they had told me though. The guide was great. I was only one in the tour so it was nice. I learned…”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Bursa and Uludag Full-Day Trip with Cable Car Ride

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 164 reviews · 12 hours · from $58

Bursa highlights, Green Mosque and Silk Market, then Uludag Mountain by cable car for winter fun, scenic views, and a hearty lunch.

“guide was really co operative... I like every thing .... beautiful ❤❤❤ day trip.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Gallipoli Day Trip from Istanbul

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 147 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $240

Gallipoli from Istanbul in 14 hours with hotel pickup, guided visits to ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine and The Nek, plus lunch.

“One of the best tour guides iv ever had, can't remember his name. The younger guy with tattoos. He Was really funny and knowledgeable and serious at the same time”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Private Guided Day Trip to Ephesus with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 50 reviews · 15 hours · from $449

Private flight-based Ephesus day trip from Istanbul with hotel pickup, English guide, lunch, and a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary.

“Hugo, our guide, was very helpful and gave us lots of tips, information and recommendations. He gave us detailed explanations of the places we visited. He helped us a lot with the PDF tickets on the phone. We are very grateful to him. Highly recommended.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Guided City Highlights Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · 8 hours · from $94

Guided Istanbul highlights day trip with hotel pickup, air-conditioned van, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar.

“This was an excellent experience from start to the end. We were picked up on time and welcomed nicely. Our guide, Berkcan, was the best. He was very accommodating, kind, and flexible to make our experience positive. Our driver was very nice and our transportation was excellent and comfortable as well. Overall, I recommend it to everyone. Thank you, Berkcan and the team for making our experience a great one! We’ve truly enjoyed it:)”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Day Trip to the Princes’ Islands

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 44 reviews · 6 hours · from $58

Istanbul Princes Islands day trip to Büyükada with a Marmara Sea ferry, guided walk past bay views, Victorian houses, and included lunch for $58.

“Alles was goed verzorgd, alleen de rit ernaartoe was wat lang omdat wij als eerste werden opgehaald. Verder fantastisch verzorgd.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.2-Day Trip to Cappadocia w/Balloon+Cave Hotel

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 40 reviews · 2 days · from $679

2 days from Istanbul to Cappadocia with sunrise balloon, Göreme caves and open-air museum, guided valleys, ATV fun, and a luxury cave hotel.

“The package is perfectly decorated. If you want to explore Capadocia this is the one of the best tour package. I suggest everyone.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Best of One Day Two Continents Tour, Europe&Asia

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 34 reviews · from $136

One day, two continents: Dolmabahçe Palace, Çamlıca Hill views, Bosphorus cruise, Rumeli and Anatolian forts, Eyüp Sultan and Pierre Loti.

“The excursion was very successful and the guide was friendly and cultured. However, lunch was disastrous. The meal arrived cold, no drinks, very ordinary restaurant. You are really stingy because for €240 for two you could offer a decent meal. As for the price of the day, after spending a week in Istanbul including 3 days with a certified guide, it is a real rip-off. Get youri guide, we gave!”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Troy and Gallipoli Day Trip from Canakkale

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $250

Troy and Gallipoli in one 10-hour day from Çanakkale, with a guide, lunch, ferry, and memorial visits.

“Excellent well-paced excursion with very knowledgeable/personable guide. Troy was much more than ruins and Gallipoli campaign brought tonlife.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Bursa Day Trip with Lunch and Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 28 reviews · 12 hours · from $47

Bursa day trip from Istanbul with lunch, ferry transfers, the Green Mosque and Uludag cable car views, plus optional quad and ski time.

“Bursa, no l'hem vista, tret de la mesquita verda, 20 minuts ja de nit”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 22 reviews · from $516

Fly from Istanbul to Izmir for a guided Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary, Artemis, and Isabey Mosque day trip with lunch and transfers.

Check availability →Read our full review