Any tour, privately, built around your group and priced for it.
In short
Any of our tours can be run privately, and we also build days from nothing. Start from one of the itineraries below, or tell us what you want to see and we will send back a plan and a price.
Istanbul gives you more than you can fit in, and the hard part is deciding what to leave out. Rather than spending your evenings building an itinerary, take one of ours and change it until it is yours.
Entrance fees and public transport fares are covered on most of the itineraries below, and each one lists what its own price covers. Food, drinks and anything you buy along the way are not included unless your quote says otherwise.
Our scheduled small group tours can also be booked privately, with a minimum of four people. Ask us for a quote and we will price it for your group.
Two half days can be joined into a full day. Finish times move when they are, because traffic, queues and the weather do not read itineraries.
Private tours run with English speaking guides. We also have German, Spanish and Italian speaking guides. Tell us which you need when you ask for a quote and we will confirm who is free on your dates.
Your guide meets you at your hotel or at the cruise port and confirms the plan with you there. In the old city you travel by tram and on foot, because a private car in Istanbul traffic is usually the slowest way between two sights that are ten minutes apart. Itineraries that reach further out use a car with a driver. At the end of the day you are free to carry on by yourself, or your guide walks you back.
Several sights close one day a week, and the days move with the season and with restoration work. As things stand, Topkapı Palace and the Harem close on Tuesdays, the Grand Bazaar closes on Sundays, Dolmabahçe Palace closes on Mondays, and Chora and Rumeli Fortress close on Wednesdays. We check the days again before we confirm your date, and we rearrange the order rather than walk you to a locked door.
These are not on the online calendar. Ask for them by name and we will quote them.
Four hours. Topkapı Palace, then the Spice Bazaar or the Grand Bazaar, whichever suits the day and the traffic.
The price covers your guide, entrance to Topkapı Palace and public transport fares. The Harem is an optional extra with a separate ticket. Food, drinks and shopping are not included.
Seven to eight hours. Fener and Balat, the Byzantine land walls, the Chora museum, then Eyüp with a break at the Pierre Loti cafe on the hill above the Golden Horn, and a public ferry back down the water.
The price covers your guide, museum and ferry tickets and public transport fares. Food, drinks and shopping are not included.
Seven to eight hours with a private car and driver. Ortaköy, Rumeli Fortress, the Bosphorus bridge, Beylerbeyi Palace, and Çamlıca Hill for the view from the highest point in the city. A lunch break at the Kadıköy food market on the Asian side, Turkish coffee in Üsküdar looking across at the Maiden’s Tower, then the ferry back to Europe.
The price covers your guide, the car and driver, entrance fees and the Turkish coffee. Food, drinks and shopping are not included.
Private tours are quoted once we know your dates and how many of you there are. Send the form below and you get an itinerary and a price back, not a checkout.
6 tours in this group
Your own guide, your own pace, and a plan written around what you actually want to see.
The palace the Ottoman court actually lived in, including the Harem, with a private guide who can spend the time where your…
Eight days across the southeast, from Göbekli Tepe to the Tigris, with the food and the history of a part of Turkey…
Five sights you can walk between, in half a day, with the guide talking only to your group. Hagia Sophia, the Basilica…
The old city given the time it actually needs. Everything on the half day tour plus Topkapı Palace, and a lunch stop…
The Istanbul that is not Sultanahmet. Dolmabahçe Palace on the waterfront, Taksim and İstiklal Street on foot, Galata Tower, and ninety minutes…
Eight hours or more between flights is enough to see Istanbul properly. Send us your two flight numbers and we build the…
How it works
There is no basket and no card form. You tell us what you are after, we write back with a plan and a price, and nothing is fixed until you say so.
Pick a tour you like, or describe the day you have in mind.
Dates, group size, hotel, walking pace, anything you cannot eat.
A tailored itinerary with a clear price, adjusted until it fits.
The more you tell us, the more useful the first reply will be.
Before you ask
Salih was an outstanding guide for this walking tour through Fener, Balat, and the old Greek and Jewish quarters. His knowledge of the neighborhoods' history was impressive; he brought the streets to life with stories about the different communities that shaped this part of Istanbul over the centuries. He was engaging, spoke excellent English, and clearly loved sharing his city with visitors. He also gave us great tips for exploring on our own afterward. Highly recommend this tour, and ask for Salih if you can. He made the experience truly memorable.
Exploring Balat in Istanbul was easily one of the highlights of my trip. The tour brought this historic neighborhood to life with its colorful streets, charming old houses, and deep cultural history. Walking through the narrow alleys felt like stepping back in time, with every corner offering something unique, from vibrant cafes to hidden churches and local artisan shops. What really made the experience special was the guide. They were incredibly knowledgeable, sharing stories about the neighborhood's diverse past, including its Jewish, Greek, and Armenian influences. It wasn't just sightseeing, it felt like understanding the soul of the area. I also loved how authentic Balat felt compared to more touristy parts of Istanbul. It's a perfect mix of history, culture, and everyday life. If you're looking for something beyond the typical attractions, this tour is absolutely worth it. Highly recommend for anyone visiting Istanbul, especially if you enjoy photography and history.
The tour was wonderful. Onder Denker is an excellent guide, kind, attentive, and he explains how other peoples, such as the Greeks and Jews, have been part of Istanbul's history. The Fener and Balat neighborhoods, with their hillsides and colorful houses, are delightful. The stop to have tea and a traditional dessert was wonderful. Having a guide on this tour is essential, as it's the only way to learn about the history of the area, including the churches we visited. I highly recommend it!
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Ready when you are
Tours with a calendar can be booked on the spot. Anything private, or anything you are not sure about, gets a written answer from Salih.
