Istanbul · MARKETS
Good market tours fill up fast here, and the best go first. Below are the 15 to book early, what each one includes and exactly how they differ.
A 2 to 2.5 hour guided walk through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, with exclusive rooftop access, artisan workshops, and secret passages.
“Loved this tour! So much information and detail and so many different perspectives of the Bazaar. Just one word of warning, it’s not for those who aren’t agile as mountain goats!”
Small-group 4-hour walk in Istanbul's Old City: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar, with pickup and skip-the-line tickets.
“We were picked up at the exit of the tunnel, which is about a 15 minute walk from the ship. Our Guide, Ali, met us with a sign! We were taken by a van to the old town, where he let us off, and we began our tour. We saw countless monuments, the blue mosque, Hagia Sophia and countless others. Ali is very knowledgeable in the history of Istanbul and all of these priceless places. He then walked us to an amazing lunch spot near the fantastic marketplace where we had the most delicious lunch, trying all kinds of Turkish delicacies. After lunch, we got to walk through the marketplace,…”
A small-group half-day in Istanbul with hotel pickup, a guided visit to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, then a Bosphorus cruise past palaces.
“It was very pleasant to ride on the Bosphorous, and the Egptian Bazaar inside smelled wonderfully!”
5-hour Istanbul guided tour hitting the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar, with skip-the-ticket-line access.
“Oz was very knowledgeable and also patient with my children! Great tour.”
4-hour guided tour of Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome area, and Grand Bazaar, with pickup and Hagia Sophia skip-the-line.
“Fantastic, passionate guide. Perfect way to see a few of the highlights if you’re short on time.”
5.5-hour small-group food walk in Istanbul’s Bazaar Quarter. Two meals, snacks, refreshments, hot drink, and time with craftsmen near Grand Bazaar.
“Our tour began outside the train station in Fatih and was easy to find. Our tour guide Esin was wonderful. She had arranged a traditional Turkish breakfast for us inside the train station (the same one built to accommodate the Orient Express! After breakfast we continued through the streets of Fatih constantly stopping at various restaurants for different selections of traditional Turkish dishes. Esin explained all the meals and how they were prepared. She also talked about the area and history of Istanbul. She took us behind the scenes near the Grand Bazaar to meet with some local craftsman. The tour lasted several hours and we learned so much. Our…”
Make a Turkish mosaic lamp in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar area with hands-on instruction, tea and coffee, and a take-home option for an extra spot fee.
“The Workshop was so much fun. We‘d loved every minute of it and everything was well thought out. Gökay was there and explained every single thing in a Perfect english. If we’re in Istanbul next time, there is a 100% Chance, that we‘ll do this Workshop again. Thanks for having us. We had such a Great time. 🫶🏻”
3-hour Istanbul highlights walk featuring Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar, led by a small-group guide.
“Great tour with great tour guide. Istanbul is great and the people. Blue mosque so beautiful. Highly recommend”
A small-group Istanbul morning hitting Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome Square, then free time in the Grand Bazaar.
“Book the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia separately and do the Bazaar on your own. The rest is a scam. We had barely any time in either Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque. When we tried to depart from the group, we were led to a shop and a sales pitch. No thanks.”
3.5-hour Bosphorus cruise and Spice Bazaar walk with hotel pickup, guided tour, and 1.5 hours on the water in Istanbul.
“La guida è stata molto competente gentile e disponibile. Bella la crociera …”
4-hour Bosphorus cruise and Egyptian Spice Bazaar visit with pickup, guide, and views like Rumeli Hisari and the Bosphorus Bridge.
“The spice bazaar where we had a private meeting with a shop owner to learn about their products without the pushing nature of most vendors. Also the cruise was beautiful. My only complaint is that sitting on the outdoor deck, it was not possible to hear the boat’s explanations of what we were seeing over the boat’s speakers. We could have gone downstairs which was indoors and perhaps heard better. But it was too sunny of a day to be inside.”
4-hour Grand Bazaar shopping with a local guide in Istanbul. Bargain better and find quality textiles, jewelry, mosaics, snacks.
“Musa was fabulous. Got us into places we would have never found on our own and helped us get better prices.”
Half-day Istanbul tour pairing Dolmabahce Palace and the Grand Bazaar, with a licensed guide, hotel pickup, and skip-the-line entry.
“It was the best activity that we did in Istanbul”
Morning bus and boat loop through Istanbul’s Bosphorus and Golden Horn, plus time at the Spice Bazaar, with pickup and a guide.
“Friendly and informative tour guide. Prompt pickup and drop off where we asked. Driver spoke English and shared with us his knowledge of Scotland ( where we all originated from).”
A 3-hour morning tour with a guided walk in the Egyptian Spice Bazaar and a 1.5-hour Bosphorus cruise between Europe and Asia.
“La guìa llego tarde, no se le entendìa bien el ingles y como tal el tour esta muy equis.”
Every kind of day out in the city, and the best of each.
