Istanbul Shore Excursions: The 5 Worth Booking

1.Skip-the-Line Istanbul: Private Tour from Cruise Ship & Hotel

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 536 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $280Our pick

Review of a private Istanbul tour from hotel or cruise port, covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Grand Bazaar.

“We met up with our incredible tour guide Ayshe right at the door (top of escalator) in the port. Very easy to cover alot of ground by hopping in a private shuttle van both to and from old town where all of the sites were located. Ayshe was extremely professional, knowledgeable, a native of Istanbul, highly educated and delightful. We couldn’t ask for anything more from our tour. We were able to discuss the options with Ayshe and customize according to our wants which included a stop at a local coffee shop for a snack and Turkish coffee/tea. Despite the size of the city market Ayshe knew exactly where to…”

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2.Private & Mini Group 7-8 Hours Guided Istanbul Tour / Cruise Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 278 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $99Best value

Review of Istanbul’s private cruise-port tour, covering Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, bazaars, walking demands, costs, and practical tips.

“At the terminal, our Tour Guide, Erkan Elibouyuk, greeted us by displaying a sign with our name on it. He was very personable, friendly and informative throughout the day. We went to the Blue Mosque, the Aquaducts, lunch and The Grand Bazaar. Because it was a private tour, we did not feel pressured or rushed. The Aquaducts were really cool with all the colored lights and ancient pillars. The lunch at the local restaurant was really good. The Grand Bazaar was an indoor mall with over a thousand vendors. Its size was massive!! This is not a tour for someone who does not want to walk as there was a…”

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3.Istanbul in One Day Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 273 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $100

See Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Grand Bazaar in one guided shore excursion from Galataport.

“Although the morning half of the tour to the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, etc. went ok and the lunch arrangement was excellent, the afternoon half to visit the Grand Bazaar was a disaster. During the Grand Bazaar tour, we were led to attend sales pitches in 5 different shops and didn't have a chance to walk around the Grand Bazaar at all. Although the shop owners were okay, we simply were not interested in their merchandise, and felt that the whole time spent at the Grand Bazaar was a waste. Our tour guide was actually okay as she was flexible and guided us through the Blue Mosque, etc. smoothly. I…”

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4.Best Seller Private Istanbul Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 258 reviews · 7 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $100

Explore Istanbul’s top sights on a private shore excursion with expert guides, flexible pacing, Grand Bazaar shopping, and guaranteed ship return.

“We saw the Blue Mosque, stopped for coffee.Topkapi Palace, which should not be missed stopped for coffee again then on to Hagia Sophia then lunch at a nice cafe then the basilica cistern an underground experience. Then on to the grand Bazaar. Somewhere in between we saw the serpents column and sultanalmet square. A well planned day with a wonderful guide Esra. She timed everything perfectly was extremely knowledgeable. She kept the pace at a level that was comfortable for us. She made the tour fun.”

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5.City Sights Tour for Cruise Ship Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 70 reviews · 7 hours · from $115

Review of Istanbul’s 7-hour port tour, covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar.

“Idil was awesome. She is knowledgeable and took us through all the sites easily. Very friendly and personable.”

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