The Best Private Tours in Istanbul: Your Guide to the Perfect Private Istanbul Tours

Istanbul is an incredible city, but it also can be overwhelming to explore. That’s why Bri has put together her favourite private tours in Istanbul, so you can get the full experience of the city, with none of the hassle.

Cats in Istanbul — Coming across some cats in the Balat neighbourhood.

Istanbul is an incredible city to visit. With all the sights, sounds, history, food and culture to take in, it is an adventure for the senses. It can also be extremely overwhelming city to plan a trip for.

Fortunately, there are so many different types of tours that you can take to help make your experience in Istanbul a little easier. Private tours allow you to connect more deeply with local experiences and the people who lead the tours.

Tours also help to pack the most exciting or interesting experiences into whichever type of tour you’re looking into, from a half-day to a few days. It’s definitely worth taking a tour to help you feel more deeply rooted in Istanbul when you visit.

While tours can make planning a trip to Istanbul less overwhelming, there are still so many different types of tours to take, all of which are worth it in their own right. I’ve taken the liberty of breaking down some of the best private tours in Istanbul that you can take during your visit to this inspiring city.

A Brief History of Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul straddles the continents of Asia and Europe, split by the Bosphorus Strait. This divide in the city separates what are called the “European Side” and the “Asian Side”. When you’re visiting Istanbul, make sure you embrace these two terms to describe where you’re headed, since they are understood across the city.

To say that Istanbul has a complex and extensive history would be an understatement. It’s thought to have been inhabited from as early as 3000 BC, but the best recorded history shows that Greek colonialists founded the city of Byzantium around 300AD. During the city’s development, the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great overtook the building of the city, and it was named Constantinople.

For the next thousand years or so, the Greeks and Romans changed hands in controlling the city. After gradually becoming weakened, the Ottomans conquered the city in the 1400’s. The Ottomans controlled the city for centuries, until WW1. After Constantinople was occupied by the allies, the Turkish War of Independence took place, and the Turkish Republic was born.

Ataturk (a name which translates to “The Father of Turkey”) became the president of the Turkish Republic, and was responsible for anglicizing the Ottoman alphabet, and transitioning Istanbul and Turkey to his vision of a more educated, progressive and worldly city. Constantinople was renamed “Istanbul” in the 1930’s, and much of Ataturk’s vision for Istanbul is still alive and well in this amazing city.

*Please note that this article may contain affiliate links. Simply put, that just means that I may get a small commission from some of my recommendations at absolutely zero extra cost to you.

Top Istanbul Sites to Have on Your Radar

The Blue Mosque, located in the Sultanahmet neighbourhood.

Thanks to the millenia of changes in leadership and governance, today Istanbul is home to centuries of wonders at your fingertips when you visit. Some of the most memorable sites to visit are the:

Hagia Sofia - a major cultural site in Istanbul. It is currently a mosque, but was originally built as an Eastern Orthodox church from 360 A.D. until the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire in 1453.
Blue Mosque - an Ottoman imperial mosque, constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I.
Basilica Cistern - the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that are beneath the city. It was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor, Justinian I.
Topkapi Palace - the epicentre of leadership in the city and the residence to the sultans from the 1460s to 1856. Now a museum, well-worth visiting.
Obelisk of Theodosius - an Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III, which was re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD.
The Grand Bazaar - one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. It’s often regarded as the oldest “mall” in the world, with over 60 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.
The Spice Bazaar - another one of the largest bazaars in the city. It is the most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.
Galata Tower - this is an old Genoese tower in the Galata part of the city. It was built as a watchtower at the highest point of the Walls of Galata. It’s now a great place to visit to get views of the city and learn more about the city and tower’s history.
Dolmabahçe Palace - located in the Beşiktaş district, this served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887, and then again from 1909 to 1922.
Rumeli Hisar - a medieval fortress located in Istanbul, Turkey, on a series of hills on the European banks of the Bosphorus. The fortress also lends its name to the immediate neighborhood around it in the city's Sarıyer district.
Chora Church - a medieval Greek Orthodox church, which has been mostly used as a mosque since the 1500s. It is mainly famous for its outstanding Late Byzantine mosaics and frescos.

The Benefits of a Private Tour in Istanbul

There are a lot of reasons that taking a private tour is a good idea in Istanbul. Private tours can allow you to:

Meet someone who is from Istanbul and/or Turkey, who can shed more light on the places you’re visiting. Meeting a local will allow you to learn far more about Turkey and the places in Istanbul than you would on your own. There are so many knowledgeable, personable and caring tour guides in Istanbul who will share all sorts of stories and experiences.
Understand the intricacies of the history and culture you’re experiencing around you. The Hagia Sophia itself has been a mosque, church, central gathering place, and far more through the years. Taking a tour around some of these significant historical structures and areas will help you to understand the religious and cultural tribulations that have taken place on these sites for centuries.
Skip lines at major sites and landmarks, saving you precious time on your trip. If you plan on visiting any of the major sites in the city on a private tour, like the Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern or Topkapi Palace, then your tour guide can help you. Most tour guides at these locations have “skip-the-line” privileges, allowing you to get straight into the tour and avoid waiting during your trip. Considering many of these places can have long lines depending on the day, this is a great reason to go on a private tour.
Travel through the city with ease, free from difficulties with language. While areas like Sultanahmet have many multi-lingual shopkeepers and workers, there is not a lot of multilingualism in Istanbul. Walking around with a guide will help you to feel comfortable with any language barriers for this portion of your trip.
Understand scams and problematic encounters. A reputable tour guide will ensure that you don’t run into any complications on a private tour. A guide will also help to caution you about potential scams in the city. While the majority of Istanbullus are friendly and overjoyed that you are visiting their city, like any major city (especially one with around 20 million residents), there are going to be some people looking to take advantage. In the three years that Chris and I lived in Turkey, we can count on one hand the number of times we were put into seriously problematic situations, but if this is the type of city or density you aren’t familiar with, heading out with a guide on the first or second day of your trip can be a good way to think about how to proactively avoid problems in this city.

The Best Private Tours in Istanbul

There are so many different types of tours that you can take when you visit Istanbul. Reflecting on my time living in Turkey, I’ve pinpointed the best experiences that you can have on a tour.

tour the trifecta of sultanahmet

The stunning interior of the Hagia Sophia.

If you only have a few days in Istanbul and you’ve never visited before, taking in these three places will be a great start to understanding the intricate and captivating history of Constantinople, specifically The Golden Horn. The “trifecta” of Sultanahmet consists of the famous Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern. All three of these are sites in the old town that I recommend seeing above all else when you first visit the city.

This tour offers you the option of taking a private tour, or joining a group tour. You’ll get line bypass at each of the sites, and explore each place in its entirety. Your guide will help you understand the interesting points and connections between all these three sites. You’ll definitely finish your day feeling like you took a crash course in Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman history and architecture.

take an extended walking tour of sultanahmet

A tour walking around Istanbul is another great option while you are exploring the city. Istanbul is a city that was made to be walked around.

This tour is a great option if you are short on time and are looking to see the best sites in Istanbul. It also functions well as a great start to a longer time in the city, to get your bearings and understand your surroundings. Since this tour covers more ground, there will be some local transportation necessities that your guide will help you navigate around the city, but you’ll experience more of the city on foot, which is memorable in itself.

You can modify this tour, and choose either one or two days in the city. A one-day tour will offer you a lot of the same experience as the Trifecta tour, as you’ll explore Sultanahmet. The exciting part of this two-day tour is not only will you see the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, which are other fantastic sites in Sultanahmet, but on the second day you will see much more. This includes the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, a Bosphorus Cruise, Dolmabahce Palace, Istiklal Street and Taksim.

head on a shopping tour of the famous grand bazaar

A shopping tour in the Grand Bazaar is another great way to plan to spend your time on a tour in Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar is absolutely huge and overwhelming. There are countless covered streets with cafes, shops, rug & textile vendors, and everything else under the sun.

Once you’re inside the bazaar, it’s a bit of a maze. Having a local guide take you around on a tour like this will enable you to stay on track and avoid getting lost (which can happen!).

You’ll also visit a variety of different types of shops, and they can help you find incredible gems. Pillow shams, towels, pottery, mosaics, small rugs/kilims and similar items like this make great items to buy for yourself, or as presents for others while you’re here. Of course if you’re in the market for something larger, then you can arrange to have it shipped home, and it will meet you when you return.

take a private bosphorus tour in istanbul

Although there are plenty of different public ferries and large boat tours to head up and down the Bosphorus, there is absolutely no better way to see the city than from a private yacht. We used to get together with friends and rent out a yacht like this from time to time, and it is an elite experience, no matter the time of day.

A late afternoon or early evening cruise is sure to blow you away. I’ll never forget one evening cruise we took when there were fireworks on the shoreline, and we watched a couple on another boat get engaged! It was a beautiful night, and you just feel extra special taking it all in from the privacy of your own boat.

On a private tour like this, you’ll have that same luxury of a boat all to yourself. Regardless of the time of year or the weather (between the months of April and September would be best), there are several different parts of the boat that you could hang out on. There’s a back table/deck area, an upper deck, an indoor living space and the bow of the boat. You’ll be picked up from your city centre hotel, and brought to the dock before your board.

Passing sites like Dolmabahce Palace, the Ortakoy Mosque, the Bosphorus Bridge, the Fatih Bridge, Rumeli Hisar and beyond from a boat is a magical experience. Adding a guide to a tour like this is recommended to better understand these sites. But if you’re more interested in just relaxing and taking in the hustle and bustle of Istanbul from the relaxing vantage point of a boat, this will be such a nice experience.

wander the most beautiful & historic neighbourhoods

Galata

Walking tours around quaint and historic neighbourhoods are a must on a multi-day trip to Istanbul. Some of these neighbourhoods might not have as many clear “landmarks” to see as areas like Sultanahmet, but they are equally complex and full of interesting history.

Galata is a great neighbourhood to explore on foot. It firstly takes you across the bridge from Sultanahmet, and has some incredible views of the old town from across the water. It’s also the site of so many historic homes and cobblestoned streets, steep, winding staircases and hills, and of course the stunning Galata Tower.

This particular tour is an excellent way to understand the history and culture of areas like Pera, Galata, Taksim and Karakoy. These are some of the best neighbourhoods to explore in Istanbul after Sultanahmet, since they represent more of a modern, turn-of-the-century Turkey, as opposed to the Ottoman history of Sultanahmet.

These neighbourhoods are chock full of great shops, restaurants, beautiful historic structures and architecture, like the Cicek Pazaar or the Istiklal Trolley.

Fener & Balat

These two other neighbouring districts in Istanbul should definitely be at the top of your list of neighbourhoods to check out. These areas have some of the deepest history in Istanbul. They are recognized as UNESCO Heritage Sites in their own right, and have intricate streets and to wander around.

A tour like this walking tour of Fener and Balat is great for anyone looking be swept away by a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Istanbul, too. These neighbourhoods house some of the oldest churches, mosques and synagogues in the city, and represent the diverse history that has always been a part of this city.

A nice addition to this tour is you’ll also get some time on a ferry on the water, to take in some sights of the Golden Horn by boat. A knowledgeable guide taking you around these neighbourhoods will be a very memorable addition to your trip to Istanbul.

take a walk on the asian side

The ever eccentric neighbourhood of Kadikoy.

After you’ve spent a few days in Istanbul exploring Sultanahmet, the Golden Horn and Galata, you should definitely take some time to experience “the Asian side” of Istanbul. You can’t quite say you’ve properly explored Istanbul without having a taste of both continents.

Start by taking a ferry across the Bosphorus (which is an experience in itself!) to Kadıköy. The views as you cross the strait will be incredible. Kadıköy is the local hub of the Asian side, for all intents and purposes. This walking tour will take you to all the notable side streets, beautiful views of the Golden Horn of the water, and to all of the best areas to shop, eat, walk and explore.

take a street food tour in kadikoy

Another great way to enjoy the Asian side is to go on a food tour on that side of the Bosphorus.

This tour takes place in the evening, so you’ll take in stunning sights of the Golden Horn as you walk around to sample food. You’ll enjoy all different types of traiditonal Turkish “meze”, or side dishes, as you sample your way through this point of the city.

The Best Private Tours from Istanbul

While there are so many great private tours in Istanbul, there are also some ideal, quick tours that you can take that take you out of Istanbul for one or a few days, to experience even more of what Turkey has to offer.

Take a day trip to Bursa

A day trip to Bursa is a manageable day trip. It’s an historic and traditionally Muslim city, with several stunning historic mosques to visit, like the Green Mosque, with its stunning tiled enclaves.

A tour like this from Istanbul to Bursa involves taking a 45-minute minute ferry across the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul to Topcular, and then a short drive to Bursa. The whole journey takes around 1.5 hours, and is the perfect length for a solid day trip.

Once you’re in Bursa, you have so many different options of what you’d like to check out. You should definitely visit a few notable mosques in the city, and walk around some of the stunning natural wonders, like parks and check out the city parks. The famous mountain Uludag is right behind the city, and famous for winter skiing, but is stunning any time of year.

While you’re in Bursa, you’d be remiss if you didn’t try the famous dish called Iskender, which is finely shaved doner kebab, served over homemade pita bread, and topped with butter. It is an absolutely delicious dish, made famous in Bursa. Kebabci Iskender is the most famous place to try it while you’re in town.

Take a 2-day trip to cappadocia

Hot air balloons in Cappadocia — The famous hot air balloons in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia is arguably the most famous place to visit in Turkey, next to Istanbul. Even if you haven’t heard the name of this town and region, you’ve definitely seen it pictured, with its “fairy chimneys” and hot air balloons.

Taking a guided tour to Cappadocia from Istanbul is an excellent way to enjoy this gem on a visit to Istanbul and exploring more of Turkey. This private tour will take you on a round-trip flight to the region, allowing you to explore the sites like Goreme Open Air Museum, Avanos Village, Uchisar Castle, Old Greek Love Valley, Kaymakli Underground City, and Pigeon Valley.

You should definitely plan to take a hot air balloon ride on the morning of your tour in Cappadocia. Unfortunately they sometimes don’t run due to weather, but if the weather conditions are good, then in my opinion, it’s meant to be! This will be an absolutely packed tour that you will always remember.

tAKE A 2-DAY TOUR TO EPHESUS AND PAMMUKALE

Part of why I love writing about Turkey is because there are honestly too many good options to count when it comes to planning trips.

This is another one of the great options for tours from Istanbul. Ephesus is an ancient Greek city, best known for its entry to the Library of Celsus and its giant Ancient Greek Theatre, which are both stunning to visit. It’s in the south of Turkey, close to the city of Selcuk and the Aegean Sea. Meanwhile, Pammukale is a stunning site of terraced salt flats, that you can explore and take a plunge in during your visit.

This private tour will take you on a trip to both of these incredible areas, and leave you wanting more from the south of Turkey when you depart.

The Library of Celsus in Ephesus, Turkey.

Your Very Own Istanbul Tour Awaits

Any one of these tours, or a combination, will take you to corners of Istanbul and beyond that you likely didn’t even know about before visiting. There isn’t a bad choice in this list, and the opportunities are endless when you select one of the best private tours available to you.

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