The 15 Tours & Experiences in Istanbul That Earn Their Place

Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour - Bosphorus day two: ferry cruise views plus Dolmabahce Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8,922 reviews · 7 to 21 hours (approx.) · from $100Our pick

Private guided Istanbul in 1 to 3 days, starting at your hotel. Walk historic streets, hit major sights, add ferry views.

“We had an amazing two-day tour of Istanbul with Merve, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. From the moment we met her, it was clear how passionate she is about her city and its history. She has a gift for explaining complicated historical periods in a way that is engaging, easy to follow, and incredibly informative — for both adults and kids. Her energy, warmth, and sense of humor made the experience feel more like exploring with a very knowledgeable friend than being on a guided tour.”

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Blue Mosque Tours, Guided, Hagia Sophia Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia Guided Tour w/ Tickets

2.Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia Guided Tour w/ Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3,600 reviews · 2.5 - 3 hours · from $39

Small-group guided tour of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia with tickets, headsets, and priority entry from Sultanahmet or Galataport.

“Emre Tan was an amazing guide. I would say in fact he was the best we have had. He was extremely knowledgeable, courteous and kept track of everyone. I am looking forward to another tour with him! The company was also very well organised.”

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Audio Tours, Bosphorus Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide

3.Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,694 reviews · from $8Best value

A 2-hour Bosphorus cruise with a phone audio guide, free tea and coffee, and big views from Galata to Maiden’s Tower.

“Very nice experience in Istanbul and very cheap considering the services.”

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Princes Islands Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Princes Islands Tour with Heybeliada and Buyukada

4.Princes Islands Tour with Heybeliada and Buyukada

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,305 reviews · 8 hours · from $18

Cruise from Istanbul to Heybeliada and Büyükada with hotel pickup, lunch onboard, free time to explore, optional swimming, and sea views.

“That tour was a great and unexpected surprise. The islands are charming and the historical houses make it even more interesting. Suleyman and crew/team were very nice and made the time at tha boat super fun. I recommend this tour to everyone.”

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Blue Mosque Tours, Guided, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Blue Mosque Guided Tour

5.Blue Mosque Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,910 reviews · 1 hour · from $19

See Istanbul’s Blue Mosque early with a licensed guide, learn Ottoman and Islamic history, then enjoy free time to explore inside.

“Our guide, Mark, was excellent throughout our tour. Perhaps having a slightly smaller group would have been good. But overall it was a great tour and would thoroughly recommend it.”

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Bursa Day Trips, Lunch Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Bursa & Uludag Tour with Lunch & Cable Car Option

6.Bursa & Uludag Tour with Lunch & Cable Car Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 1,879 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $30

Full-day trip from Istanbul to Bursa and Uludağ for Green Mosque sights, Turkish delight and jam, lunch, and optional cable car snow views.

“We had a great experience on the Bursa & Uludag day tour. The trip was well organized and everything went smoothly from start to finish. The guide was very professional, friendly, and provided useful information throughout the journey. Uludag was especially amazing with its stunning views and peaceful atmosphere. Overall, it was an enjoyable and relaxing day trip.”

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Basilica Cistern Tours, Blue Mosque Tours, Hagia Sophia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, & Basilica Cistern Tour

7.Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, & Basilica Cistern Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,806 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $58

Skip lines to Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern on a 3.5-hour Istanbul tour with Blue Mosque plus Old City highlights for $58.

“Made it easy and quick to see all of the big landmarks without waiting in line”

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Audio Tours, Hagia Sophia Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Skip the Line, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Hagia Sophia Skip-the-Line Ticket with Audio Tour

8.Hagia Sophia Skip-the-Line Ticket with Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,767 reviews · from $42

Skip-the-line Hagia Sophia in Istanbul with a 45 to 60 min English audio guide, instant e-tickets, and an eSIM internet offer.

“We loved the tour and especially our tour guide Oghuzhan! If you have the chance to join a group with this guy, do it! You learn a lot about the Hagia Sophia.”

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Guided, Tickets, Topkapi Palace Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Topkapi Palace and Harem Guided Tour with Ticket

9.Topkapi Palace and Harem Guided Tour with Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,726 reviews · 3 hours · from $55

A guided, skip-the-line tour of Topkapi Palace and the Harem in Istanbul. See Ottoman power, privacy, and Golden Horn views.

“We had a great experience with our tour guide, Furkan, who was very kind, accurate and gave us a lot of interesting information about Topkapi Palace and Harem, and about the life at the time of the Sultans. Recommended!”

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Balat & Fener Tours, Guided, Half-Day, Istanbul Walking Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Fener Balat Half-day Guided Walking Tour

10.Fener Balat Half-day Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,711 reviews · 3 hours · from $20

Walk Istanbul’s Fener and Balat with a guide, visiting the Bulgarian Iron Church and Ahrida Synagogue on a 3-hour route.

“Perfect tour. Thank you our tourguide Yunus. He had everything so interesting and clearly explained. If you want to go new and interesting places in Istanbul I definitely recommend.”

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Full-Day, Guided, Lunch Experiences, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Full-Day Highlights Tour with Guide and Lunch

11.Full-Day Highlights Tour with Guide and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,662 reviews · 7 hours · from $37

Hit Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar in 7 hours with a guide and lunch, with skip-the-line entry.

“We had a great tour with Baris .He was a wealth of information.Never rushed us.Answered all questions .”

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Basilica Cistern Tours, Blue Mosque Tours, Hagia Sophia Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, & Hagia Sophia Tour

12.Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, & Hagia Sophia Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,634 reviews · from $78

3-hour guided Old City tour to the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, and Hagia Sophia, with skip-the-line cistern access.

“We saw so much in just three hours! Our guide was amazing, and the tour was definitely worth the money. If you only have one day in Istanbul, this tour is a must-do.”

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Full-Day, Lunch Experiences, Princes Islands Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Istanbul: Full-Day Princes Island Tour with Lunch

13.Full-Day Princes Island Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,550 reviews · 7 hours · from $26

7-hour cruise from Istanbul to Büyükada and Kınalıada with lunch and a guide. See Ottoman mansions, electric buggies, and sea views.

“It was an amazing experience, the tour guides explained everything quickly and efficiently. The stops at each island should have been a little longer, giving people more time to look around.”

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