True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul
Traveler rating
4.6/5
Based on 11 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul worth booking?
True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul is a 9-hour experience in Istanbul, Turkey, from $229 per person. It scores 60 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 4.6/5 rating across 11 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 60 / 100
- Rating
- 4.6/5 (11)
- Duration
- 9 hours
- From
- $229 per person
Go beyond Istanbul’s top attractions and discover more of the city on this multi-faceted full-day Istanbul bus and boat sightseeing tour. The full-day tour and cruise of Istanbul includes an exploration of Dolmabahce Palace and the Bosphorus. We first drive to Dolmabahce Palace, which is stuffed with lavish chandeliers, gold and marble, this ornate sultans’ residence will astound you with its opulence! Traveling between the sights by air-conditioned coach, visit Çamlıca Hill on the Asian side to witness the breathtaking panoramas over the Bosphorus. Then, drive across the Bosphorus Bridge, the vast suspension bridge that connects Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus Strait. Heading to Pierre Loti Hill to see the city from a different angle, flying over by cable car afterwards. Now time to enjoy the city by the sea, you will hop on board to have buffet lunch served on our boat. We will start cruising from Golden Horn and go all the way to the Black Sea throught Bosphorus.
What you get
About this experience
Go beyond Istanbul’s top attractions and discover more of the city on this multi-faceted full-day Istanbul bus and boat sightseeing tour. The full-day tour and cruise of Istanbul includes an exploration of Dolmabahce Palace and the Bosphorus. We first drive to Dolmabahce Palace, which is stuffed with lavish chandeliers, gold and marble, this ornate sultans’ residence will astound you with its opulence! Traveling between the sights by air-conditioned coach, visit Çamlıca Hill on the Asian side to witness the breathtaking panoramas over the Bosphorus. Then, drive across the Bosphorus Bridge, the vast suspension bridge that connects Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus Strait. Heading to Pierre Loti Hill to see the city from a different angle, flying over by cable car afterwards. Now time to enjoy the city by the sea, you will hop on board to have buffet lunch served on our boat. We will start cruising from Golden Horn and go all the way to the Black Sea throught Bosphorus.
What's included
Included
- Lunch
- Entrance ticket to Dolmabahce Palace
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Cable car tickets
Not included
- Drinks
- Gratuities
What you'll see and do
Pierre Loti
Named after the well-known French novelist Pierre Loti, this hill offers perfect views of the Golden Horn. It’s also home to a famous café that bears the same name. Loti lived in Istanbul for many years and was a big fan of the city. The café is a meeting point for lovers and couples, and has featured in many Turkish romance films.
30 minutes here
Eyup Sultan Mosque
The Eyüp Sultan Mosque is situated in the Eyüp district of Istanbul, outside the city walls near the Golden Horn. The present building dates from the beginning of the 19th century
Pass by without stopping
Dolmabahce Palace
It stands on the European shore of the Bosphorus and the with its various dependencies forms almost a little town, its gardens extending for a mile or more along the water's edge. Though the exterior of the Dolmabahce Palace, built by Sultan Abdülmecit (1839-1861) exhibits a variety of architectural styles, mainly baroque, and is decorated with a profusion of ornament, the general effect is not unpleasing, and the site is remarkably well-chosen
60 minutes here · Admission included
Bosphorus Bridge
Which was inaugurated on October 29, 1973 on the fiftieth anniversary of the Turkish Republic, has the longest span in Europe and the fourth in the world. This suspension bridge has a total length of 1560 metres (1706 yards) and a width of 33.4 metres (110ft). The span between pylons is 1074 metres (1175 yards) and the clearance above sea level is 64 metres (210ft). The constrnction of the steel box-girder suspension was carried out by a British-german consortium. The second bridge to link Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus will be completed in 1989 between Emirgan and Kanlica.
Pass by without stopping
Camlica Hill
Çamlıca Hill, aka Big Çamlıca Hill to differentiate from the nearby Little Çamlıca Hill, is a hill in Üsküdar district of Istanbul, Turkey. Situated on the Asian part of the city at 268 m above sea level, Çamlıca Hill has a panoramic view of the southern part of Bosphorus and the mouth of Golden Horn
45 minutes here
Halic
The Golden Horn, also known by its modern Turkish name, Haliç, is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.
Pass by without stopping
Bosphorus Strait
The Bosporus or Bosphorus is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey. It forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia, and divides Turkey by separating Anatolia from Thrace.
4 minutes here · Admission included
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge
The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge, is a bridge in Istanbul, Turkey spanning the Bosphorus strait. When completed in 1988, it was the 5th-longest suspension bridge span in the world; today it is the 24th.
Pass by without stopping
Rumeli Fortress
Rumelishisari Fortress - (Rumelihisari Castle) At the narrowest point of the Bosphorus stands the Rumelihisarr Fortress, built by Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror on the European shore. The Sultan himself on the 26th day of March 1452 laid the foundation stone of the Fortress with a view to controlling the passage of the ships through the Bosphorus and using it as a base for his attack on the city.
Pass by without stopping
Anadolu Kavagi
Anadolukavağı, also known as Anadolu Kavağı, is a neighborhood of Beykoz district in İstanbul Province, Turkey. "Anadolu" is the Turkish name for Anatolia, and "Kavak" means "control post" in Ottoman Turkish referring to the strategical position of the location on the Bosporous.
Pass by without stopping
Yavuz Sultan Selim Koprusu
The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge is a bridge for rail and motor vehicle transit over the Bosphorus strait, to the north of two existing suspension bridges in Istanbul, Turkey. It was initially named the Third Bosphorus Bridge.
Pass by without stopping
Beykoy
Beykoz, also known as Beicos and Beikos, is a district in Istanbul, Turkey at the northern end of the Bosphorus on the Anatolian side. Beykoz includes everything from the streams of Küçüksu and Göksu up to the opening of the Bosphorus into the Black Sea, and the villages in the hinterland as far as the river of Riva.
30 minutes here
Beylerbeyi Palace
Situated on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus between the villages of Kuzguncuk and Cengelköy, the palace was built by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1865. Beylerbeyi Palace seen from the Bosphorus floats like a white vision in a fairy tale. It is the most extravagant royal house of the 19th Century on which millions were spent. It is built completely of marble, surpassing all the Palaces of European Kings. Empress Eugénie, during her visit of 1869 stayed in this palace as well as Czar Nicholas Il of Russia.
Pass by without stopping
Kucuksu Pavilion
The summer Palace of Kucuksu, sometimes called the Palace of Göksu, is situated between the villages of Anadoluhisan and Kandilli on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus. The Kucuksu Palace was first built by Mahmut I in 1749. Later it underwent a restoration during the reigns of Selim Ill and Ahmet Il. It was renovated by Sultan Abdülmecit in 1857. Sultan Abdülaziz gave the palace a new face-lift and had it refurbished and redecorated. It is a small but elegant edifice, stretching along the lip of the Bosphorus, surrounded by intricately cast iron railings. Waters and waves of the Bosphorus wash its terraces of glittering marble and sometimes penetrate their latticed and mysterious recesses.
Pass by without stopping
KIz Kulesi
About 180 metres away from the shores of Üsküdar stands this tower which bears two different names. Europeans who named it the Leander's Tower thought that it was here where Leander was drowned while attempting to swim the Bosphorus to reach his beloved Hero, the priestess of Aphrodite.
Pass by without stopping
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Istanbul
We meet you in front of Dolmabahce Palace.
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 45 minutes before departure.
Ends at
The tour generally ends in Kabatas Pier.
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 30 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Istanbul Bosphorus Tours
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 11 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
5 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
3 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
3 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Food and drink
3 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Pace and timing
2 mentionsSeveral reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
Traveler reviews
11 verified traveler reviews for True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
The Very Best of Istanbul
If you only have one day in Istanbul, this is THE tour that you need to book. In 8 hours, you will see a wider swath of the city than many locals see in the course of a year. You’ll start by heading to Belgradkapi then to Pierre Loti Hill followed by a quick foray to the Asian side of the city and then a walk though of Dolmabahçe Palace. But the pinnacle of the tour is undeniably the 3 hours you will spend sailing the length of the Bosporus Strait from the mouth of the Black Sea down to the Sea of Marmara (with a quick stopover in Anadolu Kavaǧi). Lunch on a yacht at the crossroads of history and global geopolitics? What more could one ask for in a day-tour? No matter how much time you spend in Istanbul, this excursion will surely be among the most idyllic moments that you spend in the city.
via Tripadvisor
Cancelled last minute
The trip was cancelled at 10:30 pm, and I wasn't able to book another trip. Money not refunded yet. Very disappointed
via Viator
Fantastic tour which takes in all the sites in a day
Fantastic tour . Guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Visited all the main historical attractions plus a few more . Lunch included as well as transfer back to hotel. Relaxing yacht boat trip along the Bosphorus to end the day with a selection on non alcoholic drinks and nibbles. Long day but throughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend
Response from the operator: Dear Sam, Thank you very much taking part of our Istanbul city tour and Bosphorus yacht cruises. Indeed, we loved to host you on our tours and we wish to see you back in Istanbul. With warm wishes,
via Tripadvisor
We have been very nice time
We have been treated very nice, it was very well organised. Connected via a phone call and it arranged right away (however we were 4, no discount 😀), meet with the guide clearly indicated meeting point and have been seen so much things on the city. I guess it is the only tour in Istanbul you could see both Eurepean ans Asian side and have also both land and cruise tour. Thank you very much for this very nice day
via Tripadvisor
All day istanbul Cruise and tour
We had a fantastic time on Bosphorus Cruise and İstanbul City tour last September. The weather was very good and that helped us to enjoy our day too. We had a limited time and were able to explore both İstanbul main attractions and sights along the Bosphorus on land and water.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 4
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Istanbul Bosphorus Tours, who run 4 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 71.4 and 1 in the 90+ Club.
See everything Istanbul Bosphorus Tours runsWhy this scores 60
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Istanbul.
How much does True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul cost?
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Prices start at $229 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 True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul take?
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Plan for about 9 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 True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 60 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.6/5 across 11 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 True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul?
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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 True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 9-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul?
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Around 4 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 9-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul 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 Princes Islands Blue Journey from Old City Istanbul, Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience, Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul 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.
What is included in True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul?
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Included: Lunch; Entrance ticket to Dolmabahce Palace; In-vehicle air conditioning; and Cable car tickets. Not included: Drinks; and Gratuities. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 803 listed pickup locations in and around Istanbul. Be ready about 45 minutes before the start time.
What languages is True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul offered in?
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It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; and Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about True Discovery: Full Day Tour and Cruise of Istanbul?
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Across 11 reviews averaging 4.6 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, organization. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Several reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
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