Quick Details
Private Tour
The total cost is finalized once the itinerary is fully customized to reflect your chosen experiences and logistics.
€ 225
Istanbul: Private Full Day Guided Tour for Cruise Passengers
Enjoy a private full-day tour of Istanbul designed around your time in port. Meet your guide at Galataport and return there at the end of the tour, with the day planned to help you make the most of your time ashore.
Travel from Galataport to Sultanahmet by tram with your private guide, avoiding Istanbul traffic on your way to the historic Old Town. Choose between two ticket options: purchase your entrance tickets in advance when booking, or buy them directly from your guide during the tour.
Begin at the Blue Mosque, where blue Iznik tiles cover the interior and your guide brings its Ottoman architecture and Islamic traditions into context. Continue across the Hippodrome, once the center of public life in Constantinople, to see the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpent Column, and German Fountain.
Step underground into the Basilica Cistern, where hundreds of Byzantine columns rise from the water beneath the city. Walk along the platforms and discover the story behind its famous Medusa heads.
Continue to Hagia Sophia and trace the layers of its long history, from Byzantine cathedral to Ottoman mosque, museum, and its place in Istanbul today.
Take a break for lunch at a local restaurant before visiting Topkapi Palace, the center of Ottoman power for centuries. Explore its courtyards, pavilions, gardens, and terraces while hearing stories of the sultans and the empire they ruled.
Finish at the Grand Bazaar, following your guide through its maze of shops selling Iznik tiles, silk, jewelry, leather goods, carpets, and more.
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- Galataport – Cruise Port Pickup
- Blue Mosque
- Hippodrome of Constantinople
- Basilica Cistern
- Hagia Sophia
- Lunch Break
- Topkapi Palace
- Grand Bazaar
- Galataport – Cruise Port Return
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- Enjoy convenient pickup and drop-off at Galataport Cruise Port.
- Follow a well-planned itinerary designed specifically for cruise passengers.
- Save with an affordable alternative to many cruise-organized shore excursions.
- Visit Istanbul’s must-see sights in one day with your private expert guide.
- Choose pre-purchased tickets or buy entrance tickets from your guide.
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- Private tour with a professional guide
- Pick-up and drop-off at Galataport
- Tour adapted to your ship schedule
- Experience shaped around your interests
- Tram transportation between Galataport and the Old Town
- Choice to purchase tickets in advance or from your guide
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- Lunch (can be purchased on the spot)
- Private vehicle transportation (can be arranged upon request)
- Entrance tickets (depending on the selected option)
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- The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility.
- This tour is not suitable for strollers.
- Please note that women should be required to wear a headscarf when entering the mosque.
- Please note that both men and women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. Shorts, sleeveless tops, and other revealing attire are not permitted inside.
- You are not allowed to bring signs, symbols, banners, flags, documents, drawings, or any materials representing political, ideological, or religious beliefs inside the Hagia Sophia.
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- Expect long lines to enter the Hagia Sophia, especially during local holidays.
- Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. Topkapi is closed on Tuesdays.
- Clients must arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the tour. This is due to the timed entry of the tickets.
- Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.
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Once your ship docks at Galata port, make your way outside the terminal. Walk to the Galata Port Clock Tower Square. Your guide will be holding a sign that says “Walks In Europe” next to the clock tower.