Istanbul Turkey Package ToursIstanbul Private Tour: 1, 2 or 3 Days with a Licensed Guide
This istanbul private tour from Guided Istanbul Tours sells a licensed guide for 1, 2 or 3 days, with the option of a private van. It starts from $90 per person and carries 10,468 reviews at 5.0, the highest review count in this catalog. You get guiding and skip-the-line ticket help, not hotels, flights or meals. That makes it a natural add-on for Istanbul days before or after a longer trip through Turkey tour packages such as Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale routes. This page sets out what the price covers, what you pay on the day, the day-by-day route and who should book a full package instead.
About This Tour
Guided Istanbul Tours offers private guiding in 1, 2 or 3 day options, each day running about 7 hours, in English or Spanish. A licensed professional guide leads you through Sultanahmet, the palaces, mosques, bazaars, the Bosphorus ferry day and the Fener and Balat day. A Mercedes Vito or Sprinter van is available as a paid option on some choices, otherwise you walk and use public transport.
The price shown is the lowest of many options, likely the 1-day guide-only version. Museum, ferry and cable car tickets, lunch, drinks and gratuities are extra. Pickup is at central hotels, Airbnb or Galataport, with cruise guests met at the terminal exit gate.
From $90 per person. The listing does not state which option this is, it is likely the 1-day guide-only tour.
1 to 3 days, about 7 hours each day.
Central Istanbul hotels, Airbnb or Galataport. Cruise guests meet the guide outside the cruise terminal main exit gate with a name board.
Private group only. Guide in English or Spanish depending on the option.
No meals included, drinks not included. Walking, public transport or an optional private Mercedes Vito or Sprinter van.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times vary by option, so check live dates for the 1, 2 or 3-day version you want.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer What $90 covers
This istanbul private tour costs from $90 per person for a licensed private guide, likely on the 1-day guide-only option, with 10,468 reviews at 5.0. Hotels, flights, meals, tickets and the van are not in that price.
Key takeaways
- What is covered: the guide, skip-the-line ticket help and a flexible pickup point. See what the price covers.
- Day by day: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, the Grand Bazaar, then the Bosphorus and Dolmabahce. See the itinerary.
- Closures matter: Topkapi is closed on Tuesdays, the Grand Bazaar on Sundays, Dolmabahce on Mondays.
- Want the rest of Turkey? Compare the 7-Day Best of Turkey Tour or the 2-Day All-Inclusive Cappadocia Trip.
What the Price Actually Covers
This is a guiding-only product, so the from-price buys far less than a package tour. Here is the split, with the extras priced in euros or lira where published guides give figures.
In and Out of the Price
The inclusions are the private licensed guide, a flexible pickup point, skip-the-line tickets arranged by the guide and paid directly to the guide, and a traditional Turkish arts and crafts experience depending on interest. Everything else costs extra on the day. The pickup is included only on the private van options.
Museum tickets are the biggest extra. Hagia Sophia upper gallery access is 25 EUR for foreign visitors and the Istanbul Museum Pass does not cover it. Topkapi prices differ by guide. One quotes the palace at about 1,500 TL and another puts the palace with the Harem at 60 to 70 EUR, so check the current price before you go. The Blue Mosque is free to enter. Tickets are available on request from the operator, or the guide arranges priority tickets you pay for directly.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed private guide | Yes | English or Spanish, 1, 2 or 3 days at about 7 hours a day |
| Private van | No | Optional Mercedes Vito or Sprinter, pickup included on these options |
| Museum, ferry and cable car tickets | No | Available on request, or arranged by the guide and paid to the guide |
| Blue Mosque entry | Free | No ticket needed, Friday visits move to the afternoon for prayers |
| Hagia Sophia upper gallery | No | 25 EUR for foreign visitors, Museum Pass not valid |
| Topkapi Palace | No | About 1,500 TL on one guide, 60 to 70 EUR with the Harem on another |
| Lunch and drinks | No | You pay your own |
| Gratuities | No | Suggested, guides commonly receive 10 to 15 percent of the tour cost |
Sources: Wikipedia: Turkey, Wikivoyage: Turkey
A Medusa head in the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul. Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing gives no clock start times, check availability for those. Each touring day runs about 7 hours.
Before the Start
Your guide contacts you in advance to agree the meeting. On the day they wait at your central hotel, Airbnb or Galataport, or just outside the cruise terminal main exit gate holding a name board with your name.
Day 1, the Old Town on Foot
The suggested first day is a walking tour. It covers highlights of Topkapi Palace Museum, Sultanahmet Square, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Transport is only needed between your hotel and the old town if you stay outside it.
Skip-the-line service is not available at active mosques, so expect a queue at the Blue Mosque.
Day 2, the Bosphorus and the New Town
Day 2 covers a Bosphorus cruise by public ferry, Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Cicek Passage, Galata Tower from outside and the Spice Market. The listing says this day is easily managed by public transportation. The ferry ticket and the Dolmabahce entry are extras.
Dolmabahce is closed on Mondays, and museum rules there mean no live guiding inside.
Day 3, Suleymaniye, Fener and Balat
Day 3 covers Suleymaniye Mosque, the Fener and Balat districts, St. Stephen Church, the Iron Church, the Pierre Loti panoramic hill by cable car and Chora Church or alternative sites. The cable car ticket is an extra.
Where It Ends
The listing states no return point or return time. The tour ends in Istanbul after the last touring block, and the guide adjusts the program to your priorities.
Late Starts
Tours starting after 11 am may have to skip one or a couple of sites, because most close by 7 pm. Start early if you want the full list.
19 Tips I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Istanbul
Istanbul tips for the days around a tour. Third-party video by Camden David. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
Honest limits, each with the alternative to look at instead.
Who Should Book Something Else
There are no hotels, no domestic flights, no balloon and no meals here. If you want Cappadocia, Ephesus or Pamukkale handled end to end, a package is a better fit. The 7-Day Best of Turkey Tour covers Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale with 3 domestic flights and entrance fees for $1,713. The 2-Day All-Inclusive Cappadocia Trip includes return flights and a cave hotel from $674.
The bag rule is none stated and no wheelchair provision is stated, so confirm access needs with the operator before booking. The listing groups travellers from infants 0 to 2 through adults 18 to 99 and states no minimum age. The listing says the tour suits all fitness levels, though day 1 is a walking day in the old town and the Hagia Sophia upper gallery is reached by a ramp and stairs with no elevator.
No balloon is offered. If a flight over the valleys matters, the 3-Day Cappadocia Tour with Balloon has it on the with-balloon option. Travellers set on battlefields and antiquity should look at the 2-Day Gallipoli and Troy Tour instead. Cancellation closes 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
The Grand Bazaar, closed on Sundays. Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and What to Add
How to reach Istanbul, and how to use the days before and after this tour.
Flying in
Istanbul has two airports. Istanbul Airport uses code IST, opened to all scheduled passenger flights in 2019 and served by metro line M11. Sabiha Gokcen uses code SAW, opened in 2001, lies about 32 km southeast of the centre on the Asian side, and is a base for Pegasus and AJet. Domestic routes are mostly covered by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, with SunExpress and AJet on tourist corridors, and a domestic flight booked a few weeks ahead costs about 30 to 80 EUR one way. An Istanbulkart works on buses, metro, trams and ferries.
The listing does not state an airport transfer, it meets you at central hotels, Airbnb or Galataport, so plan your own arrival transfer. Emergencies in Turkey use 112.
Adding Days Around It
This tour is a good frame for a longer Turkey itinerary. Take it on the days before or after a flight to Cappadocia, which sources put at roughly 1h15 to 1h30 from Istanbul. Check the best time to visit Turkey before fixing dates, and read whether Turkey is safe for the practical background.
Watch the small stuff too, some tourist restaurants hand foreigners a higher-priced menu, and in the shoe-shine scam a dropped brush leads to a large demand, so agree prices first.
Itinerary at a Glance
The route by option, with the listing's own stops and durations.
-
Start
Meet your guide
Your guide contacts you in advance and meets you at your central hotel, Airbnb or Galataport. Cruise guests meet at the terminal main exit gate with a name board.
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Day 1
Old town walking tour
About 7 hours: Topkapi Palace highlights, Sultanahmet Square, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Topkapi is closed on Tuesdays and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays, replacements are offered.
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Day 2
Bosphorus and new town
About 7 hours: Bosphorus cruise by public ferry, Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, Cicek Passage, Galata Tower from outside and the Spice Market. Dolmabahce is closed on Mondays.
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Day 3
Suleymaniye, Fener and Balat
About 7 hours: Suleymaniye Mosque, Fener and Balat, St. Stephen Church, Pierre Loti hill by cable car and Chora Church or alternatives.
-
End
Wrap up
The listing states no fixed end point. Days 2 and 3 use public transport unless the van option is selected.
Pros and Cons
What this listing does well, and where it asks more of you.
What we genuinely like
- The most reviewed listing in the catalog, 10,468 reviews at 5.0, and the lowest from-price at $90 per person
- Private group throughout, so the pace and the site list are yours to set
- Flexible pickup at central hotels, Airbnb or Galataport, and cruise guests are met at the terminal gate
- 1, 2 or 3 days in English or Spanish, with an optional Mercedes Vito or Sprinter van
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
The honest downsides
- No hotels, flights, meals, drinks or tickets in the price, museum entries such as 25 EUR at Hagia Sophia add up on the day
- Pickup is included only on the van options, on guide-only options you reach the meeting point yourself
- No balloon ride and nothing outside Istanbul, this is not a multi-city package
- Sites close by 7 pm, so a start after 11 am can cost you one or more stops
- Live guiding is not allowed inside Dolmabahce Palace under museum rules
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who want Cappadocia, Ephesus or Pamukkale handled with hotels, flights and tickets in one booking.
Questions About This Tour
What does the $90 price actually include?
It includes a private licensed guide for the option you pick, a flexible pickup point, skip-the-line ticket help and an arts and crafts experience if you want it. Tickets, lunch, drinks and the van are extra, and full comparisons sit in the Turkey tour packages overview.
Is pickup from my hotel included?
Pickup is included on the private van options, otherwise the guide meets you at central hotels, Airbnb or Galataport. Cruise guests meet the guide at the terminal exit gate.
Which days should I avoid for closures?
Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, the Grand Bazaar on Sundays and Dolmabahce Palace on Mondays, with replacements offered. Bazaar and Spice Market also close during Eid.
How much should I budget for tickets on top?
Hagia Sophia upper gallery is 25 EUR, Topkapi is quoted at about 1,500 TL on one guide and 60 to 70 EUR with the Harem on another, and the Blue Mosque is free. One guide prices the Istanbul Museum Pass at about 6,500 TL for five days, another at 105 EUR.
Can children join this tour?
Yes, the listing groups travellers as infants 0 to 2, children 3 to 6, youth 7 to 17 and adults 18 to 99 and states no minimum age. Infant seats are available, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.
Does this tour include Cappadocia or a balloon flight?
No, it is Istanbul only with no balloon offered. For the valleys, see the 2-3 Day Cappadocia Tour with Flights, which includes round-trip flights and a cave hotel in Goreme.
How far ahead can I cancel for free?
Cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time for a full refund. That is the same window as most listings in the Turkey tour package on the homepage.
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