Private Tour: Istanbul in One Day Sightseeing Tour including Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace
4.5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
Private Tour: Istanbul in One Day Sightseeing Tour including Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace
By Neon Tours
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99
Duration: 8h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Local guide
- Transport by private vehicle
What's not included- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Lunch
- Entry/Admission - Hagia Sophia Mosque
- Entry/Admission - Topkapı Palace
- Entry/Admission - Basilica Cistern
- Entry/Admission - Hagia Irene Museum
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3795IST_P01- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for children aged 4 and under
- In the event of any museum closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited
- Customers booking this tour for shore excursions will not have time to visit the Basilica Cistern, due to the limited time in Istanbul
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3795IST_P01
From
$225.00
per adult (price varies by group size)
Select date and travelers
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Itinerary
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- 9Pass byDivanyolu Street
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- 580murielw0 contributionsGreat timeWe had such a wonderful time with this walking tour! In one day, we were able to see so much of the Sultanahmet with our guide, Nadriye. We learned so much and had the best time walking around the city!Written September 10, 2024
- 345gerryw0 contributionsPilgrimage to ANZAC Cove and GallipoliExcellent - all went very well - the minibus from Istanbul was comfortable and our guide to ANZAC Cove etc was excellent, and very knowledgeable A very pleasant and informative day..Written July 25, 2024
- 67kaneb0 contributionsBeautiful sites rich with History. Our tour guide Paul was professional and well informed.Stunning and Beautiful location. Turkey is Rich with History and was well articulated by our tour guide Paul. Our driver Mr Salehetin drove us safely and was very professional. Beautiful sites rich with History.Written July 10, 2024
- Journey1430180 contributionsCHAUHAN family turkey 2024Our tour guide Paul was absolutely amazing!!! Very knowledgeable , kind and really took care of everyone. We would definitely recommend your company to our friends and family . The bus was great and comfortable. The hotel selection was good except the Double Tree in Çanakkale and the Adempira in Pamukkale were both very disappointing and definitely NOT 5 star. In some places, we did not get any choice for dinner. Dinner in Grand Mecure was a set menu with only one option of chicken (very bland and tasteless). If you include dinner in your itinerary then it should have choices.Written July 10, 2024
- dulcep4110 contributionsAn Amazing Istanbul tourMe and my sister enjoyed an amazing tour of the old city of Istanbul in a small group given by Miss Arzu Tuna. She had a lot of interesting things to say about the city whilst also keeping us engaged in conversation and making sure that we had some of our own time during the tour to explore! Thanks again for the amazing day and showing us all the main and wonderful highlights of Istanbul!Written July 9, 2024
- 720sajidam0 contributionsAmazingGreat tour! Sevilay Tokmak, the tour guide was amazing. She was a treasure trove of information. And not only that, she showed us some really good, authentic art and crafts shops in the area. Best of all, she is great with the photography, specially those of us soli travellers!Written June 20, 2024
- Katti F0 contributionsGreat tour!This is one of the most interesting tours I have ever taken. Sevilay our tour guide for the day was very kind, knowledgeable, and detailed oriented. She made us feel very welcome. The highlight of my day was the Blue Mosque… breathtaking! This tour was very well organized to take advantage of every minute. Sevilay gave us a great recommendation to try local and fresh food at lunch time! I highly recommend this tour. Thanks so much for an amazing day!Written June 13, 2024
- Safari483800 contributionsBad experience of shopping at places shown by neon toursI took 11 nights tour through make my trip. The tour guide was knowledgeable and the driver and bus condition were excellent. Hotels were good too. However, me and my co passengers found that there are so many commercial places visited where we were told that this is original manufacturer etc. These so called original manufacturer will give the price AT LEAST 5 times more than outside prices. Since tourists don't know anything in turkey and they see places only what Neon tour shows end up paying very big price. Neon tour operators know this but is done for obvious reasons. Lot of time is also wasted in this at the cost of reducing time at places of tourist interest as we are rushed in early morning and cut time in important places or skipping some. This shopping stops are nothing but ripping places for innocent tourists as the first price is always 5 times the normal quote. We come to turkey to directly join the tour and end of tour we return to our country. This makes us ignorant about prices and is exploited since we have to buy things for family and friends.Written May 30, 2024
- John E0 contributionsA fantastic small group walking tour of Istanbul. Very good value for money .Our guide collected us from our hotel and took us on a full day walking tour of the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia , the Topkapi Palace and Harem. the Grand Bazaar and a pottery workshop. He was very friendly knowledgeable and interesting. There were only 5 people in our group. We had lunch in a rooftop restaurant with a view of the Bosphorus. This tour included the entrance fees and skip the line and lunch. It was a highly enjoyable walking tour with a great guide which we highly recommend if you are in Istanbul.Written May 22, 2024
- LaGalette20140 contributionsTrip of a lifetimeMy Canadian travel agent booked Neon Tours through a Toronto-based company, Dan Tours. The itinerary included a 15-day tour, beginning/ending in Istanbul, including Gallipoli, Troy, Izmir, Pamukkale, Bodrum, Antalya, Konya, Cappadoccia, and Ankara. The tour guide, Hakan Kocaturk, was extremely well-informed, personable, and focussed on given the 5 people on our tour the very best experience possible. In popular sites, he able steered us around crowds to corners where we could interact without feeling pressed or rushed. when we stopped for meals, it was always some small establishment offering local fare, far away from other tourists. Hakan adapted the itinerary to focus on our interests rather than insist on the printed route; for example, he substituted time at Rumi’s lodge in Konya – which we all were interested in – in lieu of crawling around in an underground city – which none of us was keen on. Hakan’s attention to detail; his personable and responsive approach; his collegial relationship with our driver, Akif; all of his many positive attributes made this the trip of a lifetime for all of us. He was an able problem-solver when challenges arose and went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that we were well-taken care of. I am grateful for thisWritten May 21, 2024
- Happiness467611569140 contributionsIstanbul walkingGood day out. Guide and ddriver was punctual which I like. Informative. Only suggestion - get the "whispers" as crowds are big and sometimes hard to hear or keep up.Written May 20, 2024
- Venture334540309480 contributionsMost memorable honeymoon in Turkey.Our honeymoon was made even more special by being in Turkey and having the experienced tour guide, Hakan Kocaturk, who is so passionate about his country. Together with his competent driver Akif we went to all the hi lights as well as some special extra spots not mentioned in the itinerary… and all the best food stops for the most delicious local cuisine. We truly got a taste of Turkey from food to culture to scenery to historical sites and all the memorable experiences. Thank you for this special honeymoon holiday!Written May 20, 2024
- KristinQ330 contributionsVery informative and a well planned tour!We took this tour on our first day in Istanbul (a few days ago). Our guide was kind, informative, and so funny! Very easy to talk to. She answered all of our questions, even my irrelevant ones (how to say “thank you” in Turkish, safety tips, etc). I really enjoyed her company and she made the tour so much fun! The order we did things in was perfect in my opinion, and the hand-knotted rug demonstration was such a cool unique experience that I wouldn’t have been able to do on my own. Loved it!!Written May 14, 2024
- GrandTour018802215430 contributionsExceptional Tour GuideA wonderful tour of Ephesus and St Mary's house. Elif is an excellent tour guide who has in-depth knowledge of the history, culture and social life of Ephesus. Also my wife had an ankle ligament issue - hence Elif was very patient and took extra time not to rush the tour. We felt very comfortable and endeared by her honesty, integrity and friendliness. Thank you.Written May 12, 2024
- Pioneer921390 contributionsAwesome TurkeyOverall the tour was well organized by Ms. Arzu Kahraman. All transfers were coordinated, punctual and with spotless vehicles. Tour guides were well informed, professional and engaged well. Thanks to our tour guide @cappadocia and Mr. Kuble @istanbul for the awesome time. Do note to never assume any tour attraction or activity/ meal to be included in the tour. Do not rely on a mail confirmation or verbal agreement. Instead insist on an inclusion in the invoice that will be provided.Written March 24, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
26 reviews
Excellent
20
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4
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1
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Curt S
Bend, OR9 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Seckin was a fabulous guide and we learned so much. We did the one day private tour and saw all the top historical items in istanbul. Our experience was fabulous and I would highly recommend this company and definitely Seckin as your tourist guide if he is available.
Written March 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Guest,
Thank you for your positive feed back. We are happy to hear such good comments.
Kind regards
Written March 20, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sami473
Kuwait141 contributions
May 2018
A day tour to see Haga Sofia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Museum are little tiring but very informative. All the three places are of great historic value and if you have guides then you enjoy more. Take a heavy breakfast and good shoes and get ready for the walks.
Written May 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Sami,
Thank you for your kind and valued comments about our services and guide. We are delighted to hear that you had great time and made you happy here with our services and guide.
Delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and liked this amazing city, hope to see you soon again here in Istanbul. Hope you had wonderful memories about the tour and Istanbul / Turkey.
Once again we would like to thank you on behalf of Neon Team and looking forward to be able at your service on your next trip to Turkey, with traditional Turkish hospitality and famous Neon Tours' high quality services
Written August 14, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chuck W
Indianapolis, IN49 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
Tour Guides can make or break your tour. Our guide was okay; not great; not bad; seemed a tad bit arrogant to me which turned me off at times. Lunch is included in the tour. Not sure if they leave the location of the lunch up to the guide. Our guide made it sound that way and he went out of his way to say how he had selected a better place than most tours would offer. The lunch was average at best; The real downer of the tour for me (and others) was taking us to a wholesale carpet company where they showed u how they hand make the carpets (that was neat) and then we sat and listened to a 10-15 minute sales pitch followed by hounding salesman asking us 3-4 times what are we interested in.
The upside is that we did see the main attractions in a timely manner and the guide seemed to know how to miss and/or skirt the lines if they were long.
The tour was OK but I have zero desire to endure a sales pitch when on a paid tour!
The upside is that we did see the main attractions in a timely manner and the guide seemed to know how to miss and/or skirt the lines if they were long.
The tour was OK but I have zero desire to endure a sales pitch when on a paid tour!
Written July 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Chuck,
Thank you for your valued comments regarding our service. We will be paying much more attention to avoid the issues that you pointed on your comments. By the way handicraft center visit is not a compulsory issue, always you can ask the guide that you would like to skip this part and if on a regular tour, our guides give you a meeting point where you can meet the group after the visit and you have a free time during the handicraft center visit; because the rest of the group may like to visit there. But if private one, always you can ask the guide the skip this part, our guides always respect your oppinion and decisions.
Thank you again for your valued comments
Neon Tours
Written July 27, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TheScruffyTraveler
Singapore, Singapore577 contributions
I booked a private 1 day tour of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Topkapi Palace. This was my first time in Istanbul and I went on this tour with the intention not only to see these historical sites but also to gain as much knowledge as I could about them in a short span of time. Sevilay Tokmak was the guide assigned to me by Neon Tours for this tour. Both she and the driver arrived promptly at the hotel. She spoke English well and on the way to our first stop which was the Hagia Sophia she began giving a synopsis of the history of Istanbul to ensure that I had sufficient historical background. During the site visits she was thorough but yet concise in her explanations. Sevilay was clearly both knowledgable and passionate about her job as a guide! The mini bus was clean and luxurious. Importantly, the driver drove safely. Lunch was included as part of the tour and we ate at the rooftop Panorama Restaurant. We continued with the tour to the Blue Mosque after lunch. We concluded the day at the Grand Bazaar. For anyone intending to book a private tour, I'd recommend using Neon Tours and Sevilay as the guide.
Written December 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your kind and valued comments about our services and guide. Sevilay is one of our in house and knowledgeable guides and also the driver Oner is one of our in house drivers. We are delighted to hear that you had great time and made you happy here with our services, the guide and the driver.
We will absolutely share your valued comments / thoughts with Sevilay and Oner, they will absolutley be delighted and prouded to hear such a kind of valued comments from you and will expect to meet you and be at your service again in Istanbul & Turkey.
Nice to hear that you enjoyed Istanbul as a city and historical place during the tour; as per your comments you should had explanatory details about amazing history of Istanbul and its living culture. Hope you had a great time and return back to home country with wonderful memories.
By the way I would like to say, as Neon Tours our first priority is safety of our valued guests; so our drivers always pay attention to drive safely and make sure about our guests confort. If we made you feel those important details, like as you mentioned on your review, means the effort achieved a goal. Thank you!
Once again we would like to thank you on behalf of Neon Team and looking forward to be able at your service on your next trip to Turkey, with traditional Turkish hospitality and famous Neon Tours' high quality services
Written January 9, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Istvan R
1 contribution
Apr 2018 • Friends
Our guide, Ilker, was very nice, well documented and patient. He led us to visit the places mentioned in the program and even more. We also visited a smaller bazar where local people were preponderant and the place was much more authentic as others. Ilker found the right balance between explaining and letting us simply contemplating that beautiful places. He organised to us an evening booth-trip on the Bosporus. I recommend his services to anyone who expect punctuality and reliability.
Written May 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Istvan,
Thank you for your kind and valued comments about our services and guide. Ilker is one of our in house and knowledgeable guides. We are delighted to hear that you had great time and made you happy here with our services and guide.
We will absolutely share your valued comments / thoughts with Ilker and he will absolutley be delighted and prouded to hear such a kind of valued comments from you and will expect to meet you and be at your service again in Istanbul & Turkey.
Great to hear that you had great time with Ilker and enjoyed our services during the tour in Istanbul. Hope you had wonderful memories about Istanbul with our program. Your recommendation is much valuable for us and the other people who would like to have the services from us; thank you for your enlightening comments.
Once again we would like to thank you on behalf of Neon Team and looking forward to be able at your service on your next trip to Turkey, with traditional Turkish hospitality and famous Neon Tours' high quality services
Written May 15, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amena S
Morges, Switzerland75 contributions
Dec 2019
This is a great tour to take if you have a limited time in Istanbul. We really loved the individual attention we received from out guide who managed us through crowds, facilitated our travels and shared her enthusiasm and love of her city with us. Based on her, I would have given this an “excellent” but the trip to the rug shop made us really uncomfortable. Despite being told multiple times that there was no pressure to buy, we were definitely pressured. But do not be dissuaded. Just firmly tell your guide you do not wish to go to any rug shop
Written December 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Amena,
Thank you for your kind review. We're glad to hear that you enjoyed your time with our guide. We'll deliver your beautiful words to her too.
We hope to be in your service next time too,
Neon Tours
Written January 2, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
GemboWhitty
Istanbul, Türkiye25 contributions
Highly recommend this company. They were extremely helpful and professional when planning our corporate sightseeing activities.
The guides were highly knowledgeable and spoke great English. They were also considerate and allowed the group to explore at our on time / take photos.
The transportation links between hotel and the tourist sights were slick and always on time.
The guides were highly knowledgeable and spoke great English. They were also considerate and allowed the group to explore at our on time / take photos.
The transportation links between hotel and the tourist sights were slick and always on time.
Written July 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear our valued guest,
Thank you for taking your precious time and writing this kind review.
We're glad to hear that we'd be able to gave you perfect services.
Hope to see you again in the future,
Neon Tours
Written July 29, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emily M
Northfield, MN13 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
I recently traveled through Turkey with a friend and had only one full day to explore Istanbul. We arranged a private tour through Neon Tours and truly enjoyed our experience. Hakan Adagume spent the entire day with us leading us around all the highlights of Istanbul. He set a very easy pace, allowing us to explore as much as we would like at any given attraction and we never felt rushed. He was very knowledgeable about the past and present of Istanbul. We highly recommend this tour with Hakan!
Written October 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Emily,
Thank you for your kind and valued comments about our services and guide. Hakan is one of our in house and knowledgeable guides. We are delighted to hear that you had great time and made you happy here with our services and guide.
We will absolutely share your valued comments / thoughts with Hakan and he will absolutley be delighted and prouded to hear such a kind of valued comments from you and will expect to meet you and be at your service again in Istanbul & Turkey.
Once again we would like to thank you on behalf of Neon Team and looking forward to be able at your service on your next trip to Turkey, with traditional Turkish hospitality and famous Neon Tours' high quality services.
Written November 26, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jack L
Taipei, Taiwan256 contributions
I aways book private tours wherever I travel, as I know I am allowed to travel in a more flexible way and have in-depth knowledge about where I am traveling in. However, this one is the worst one of all! To start with, I waited for the guide for40 minutes and it ended up he picked up the wrong customers! I don’t understand how this could happen, considering he should have names of customers!
For the whole course of tour, he had been walking fast ahead of us without even looking back once in a while to check if we are right behind him, let alone walking with us side-by-side to have a better interaction with us or give us a more detailed introduction. The other guides’ instruction that we overheard was way too much better than his!
For the whole day he has been acting like he was in a rush or he had to be somewhere soon and didn’t let us stay in places we were more interested or asked our preference. By the time we have visited all the stops, we had more than two hours left and we finally realized he saved the time for one of the handcraft centers that’s not on the itinerary and he could get a commission if we purchase jewelry or rugs...
I am really speechless! We are no fools. If this is the so-called private tour, I would rather have taken a taxi and gone to these places by ourselves! The worst private tour I have ever joined!
For the whole course of tour, he had been walking fast ahead of us without even looking back once in a while to check if we are right behind him, let alone walking with us side-by-side to have a better interaction with us or give us a more detailed introduction. The other guides’ instruction that we overheard was way too much better than his!
For the whole day he has been acting like he was in a rush or he had to be somewhere soon and didn’t let us stay in places we were more interested or asked our preference. By the time we have visited all the stops, we had more than two hours left and we finally realized he saved the time for one of the handcraft centers that’s not on the itinerary and he could get a commission if we purchase jewelry or rugs...
I am really speechless! We are no fools. If this is the so-called private tour, I would rather have taken a taxi and gone to these places by ourselves! The worst private tour I have ever joined!
Written March 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear our valued guest,
We're sorry to hear that our guide couldn't satisfy your expectations. If you can send us an email with more details we'd like to investigate about your experience. Can you please inform us your tour date with an email?
Neon Tours
Written March 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jkpatlanta
Atlanta, GA22 contributions
Dec 2018
This was an small group amazing tour. We skipped all the lines at the sights. Lunch was included in the cost and the food was good.
Written January 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear our valued guest,
We're very happy to hear that you enjoyed our services. Thank you for sparing your time for this kind review.
Hope to see you again in Turkey,
Neon Tours
Written February 14, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Are the attractions tickets included ? Can we skip the lines ?
Written August 29, 2020
Hola, quiero saber si hay posibilidad de cambiar el horario de comienzo de la excursion y si el guia puede ser en lengua española. Gracias
Written October 10, 2018
We didn't get to go there because of time constrain. But, Tarik is very flexible, you can discuss what you would like to see & he can custom the itinerary to your needs.
Written July 30, 2018
When I book my flights I could have a layover of 10hrs, would you pick up from the airport for a day visit
Written April 15, 2018
do you pick up from the airport for a tour if I have a lay over
Written April 15, 2018
If I have a 10hr layover could I arrange a tour to include a pick up from the airport and drop off back to the air port
Written April 13, 2018
I have a 4 hour layover at IST on Saturday afternoon. Could you arrange a quick tour to include airport pickup and drop-off?
Written April 9, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.