Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day)
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.8/5
Based on 4 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) worth booking?
Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) is a 5-hour experience in Istanbul, Turkey, from $138 per person. It scores 55 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 4.8/5 rating across 4 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 55 / 100
- Rating
- 4.8/5 (4)
- Duration
- 5 hours
- From
- $138 per person
This fullday tour of Istanbul visits sites in the historic area of Istanbul. - Hagia Sophia an important Byzantine structure in Istanbul and one of the world’s great monuments. - Sultanahmet Mosque is known as the Blue
What you get
- Pick up from your hotel
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- Guided Full Day Istanbul City Tour
- Return transfer to your hotel
- Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
- Topkapı Palace entry fee
About this experience
This fullday tour of Istanbul visits sites in the historic area of Istanbul. - Hagia Sophia an important Byzantine structure in Istanbul and one of the world’s great monuments. - Sultanahmet Mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design. (Closed on Friday) - The Topkapi Palace once served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the powerful sultans of the Ottoman Empire during. (Closed on Tuesday) - Hippodrome of Constantinople, located in Sultanahmet/Istanbul, was a public arena mainly for chariot races.- Hippodrome - The Grand Bazaar built in the 15th century, is the oldest covered market in the world. (Closed on Sunday)
What's included
Included
- Pick up from your hotel
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- Guided Full Day Istanbul City Tour
- Return transfer to your hotel
- Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coach
- Topkapı Palace entry fee
Not included
- Personal expenses: Lunches, extras at hotel or additional meals
- Tipping: Tips for guides and drivers
- Hagia Sophia entry fee
What you'll see and do
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
The Hagia Sophia that you can visit today was the primary church of Byzantine Constantinople and was built upon the site of two earlier churches that had been destroyed. Emperor Justinian I (527-565) commissioned the project and had materials brought in from all around his empire for the massive church’s construction. The Hagia Sophia was the most important church of the Christian East. Structurally, it was the first of its design and boasted the largest dome that had yet been engineered which provided a voluminous and well illuminated interior. After Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque and was used as such throughout the Ottoman period. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the modern Turkish Republic’s most revered founding father and its first Prime Minister, initiated the process to have the Hagia Sophia transformed into a museum which opened for visitors in February 1935.
60 minutes here · Admission not included
TopkapI Palace
TOPKAPI PALACE The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
120 minutes here · Admission included
Blue Mosque
This mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I between 1609 and 1616 and is located in the district of old Istanbul that is named after this Ottoman Sultan and it is distinguished by its six slender minarets. The central dome is 43 m in height and 33.4 m in diameter and there are 260 stained glass windows throughout the mosque. Due to the intricately decorated blue, green and red tiles of its interior, it has long been referred to as the Blue Mosque. These tiles, produced and painted by hand in Iznik (ancient Nicaea), are an attraction in and of themselves. The Quranic inscriptions that you will see throughout the mosque were made by Seyyid Kasım Gubari, one of the most famous calligraphers of his time.
30 minutes here
Hippodrome
The ancient Hippodrome was the center of Byzantine social life and the scene of fiercely competitive chariot races. It was located in the square that is now in front of the Blue Mosque and is still the site of ancient relics from its glory days. These are the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Remains of the curved end of the Hippodrome wall can be seen on the southwest side of the three monuments.
20 minutes here
Grand Bazaar
Your guide will then take you to the GRAND SPICE BAZAAR In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more then 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes. After your tour, transfer back to your hotel.
120 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 30 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Apasas travel
Know before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 4 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
4 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
2 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Photo opportunities
1 mentionThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Small groups
1 mentionThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Traveler reviews
4 verified traveler reviews for Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day). Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Walk all day and see the wonders of Istanbul!
While our tour guide spoke wonderful English and shared lots of knowledge about Istanbul and the sites. We found his historical sharings very interesting and valuable. He would take us to each place give us a little history and then send us to view the spaces on our own. We did have private car pick up at hotel and drop off but beware there is NO transportation between locations. It is an ENTIRE day of walking! Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared! He pressured us to leave the Grand Bazaar by stressing that the car could not wait and we should hurry to be on time etc etc. but then took us to a carpet store even when we said we felt we could skip the carpet shop. Make of it what you will. We were awed by the Hagia Sofia, enthralled by the Topkapi Palace and truly enjoyed the rich culture of Turkey and on the whole pleased.
via Tripadvisor
Istanbul!!
We joined this tour. The guide (Berk) was enjoyable and knowledgeable. We visited Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar. Istanbul is an amazing city. Highly recommended
Response from the operator: Dear Sir... Thank you very much for your valuable online review. We are very pleased that you enjoyed our excursion. We wish you all the best again.
via Tripadvisor
I love Turkey and turkish culture
Turkey was beautiful, Cappadocia Pamukkale and Ephesus I had a nice time,I enjoyed the ephesus and istanbul tour a lot.. Apasas travel organized the ephesus and istanbul tour, they made me very happy,I had an amazing time with his excellent team and guide...thank you very much APASAS TRAVEL you left me a nice memory
Response from the operator: Thanks for your comment. We hope you will come again
via Tripadvisor
City tour Istanbul
İ loved the old city tour the atmosphere from the hippodrome and the old town . A good guide who spoke fluent English
Response from the operator: Thanks for your comment. We hope you will come again
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 5 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 1
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Why this scores 55
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day): questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Istanbul.
How much does Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) cost?
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Prices start at $138 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Istanbul usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) take?
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Plan for about 5 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Istanbul is not rushed.
Is Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 55 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.8/5 across 4 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Istanbul, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day)?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 5-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day)?
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Around 1 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Istanbul can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Istanbul and add a light layer if any part of the 5-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Guided Istanbul Old City Tour (Full-Day) start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Istanbul within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Istanbul?
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On Outty we rank every Istanbul experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour, Istanbul Luxury Bosphorus Yacht Cruise with Asian Side Stop, ISTANBUL BEST: Iconic Landmarks Full Day PRIVATE Guided City Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Istanbul?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Istanbul?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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