1.Circle Istanbul (Extraordinary Istanbul)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 370 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $200Our pick

A 10-hour small-group Istanbul food-and-hamam day with ferry and Bosphorus cruise views, baklava tasting, and a finale on Istiklal Street.

“Had a great time with Ayse. She was very knowledgeable about the hystory and the places to go to enjoy the best the tour can offer. Delicious food, I tried what I wanted to try when planning my trip, very good experience. She was very friendly and open to fulfill our needs (mine and my husband) I would definetely recommend this tour with Ayse, won’t be dissapointed.”

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2.Istanbul Grand Bazaar: From Rooftops to the Secret Passages

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 337 reviews · 2 - 2.5 hours · from $31Best value

Follow Istanbul Grand Bazaar’s hidden routes from rooftop viewpoints to secret passages, with artisan stops, tea, and a local guide.

“Great overview of the grand bazaar with many hidden treasures. The guide was kind and very informative. Booking this tour made the grand bazaar seem less crazy.”

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3.Istanbul City and Hidden Gem Private Guided Tour 1, 2, 3 Day opt.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 264 reviews · 6 to 18 hours (approx.) · from $250

Private, customizable Istanbul tour for up to 8. From Topkapi to Hagia Sophia, with Bosphorus and local neighborhoods.

“A Great two day tour to see all of the most important sites! Our tour guide Melmet was outstanding! Her history knowledge was superb, her English was excellent and she really cared about us learning, exploring and having some good conversation. I would highly recommend this tour especially with Melmet!!”

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4.Highlights & Hidden Gems With Locals: Best of Istanbul Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 247 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $134

A 3-hour private Istanbul tour focused on Topkapi, Hagia Sophia (outside), and the Blue Mosque, plus local stories and a drink.

“Wonderful tour guide! We were only on a layover, 2 nights in Istanbul, and we took this tour to maximize our time. My niece and I had the guide all to ourselves, and he did a wonderful job with sights and information, and because it was only the 3 of us, we got to spend time talking about life as a citizen of Istanbul, which was exactly the kind of information I like know. Great tour, especially if you have limited time on your visit.”

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5.Istanbul Off the Beaten Path Tour with Guide, Lunch and Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 237 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $121

A small-group Istanbul day mixing Greek and Jewish neighborhoods, ferry and tram rides, spice markets, and lunch, ending near Grand Bazaar.

“I had been looking forward to this tour for months! Ozge was so kind and knowledgeable. Our walk covered 18,000 steps and lived up to its promise to explore less talked about parts of Istanbul. Highly recommend!”

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6.Istanbul Modern City Walking: Taksim to Galata With Secret Passages

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $66

Walk from Taksim to Galata through secret passages, arcades, churches, and local hangouts, with a small-group guide in about 3 hours.

“Great experience! Tour guide was very knowledgeable and easy going. I really enjoyed the tour and learned lots”

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7.Istanbul Old City Highlights and Hidden Gems Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $290

Walk Istanbul’s Old City highlights: Topkapı Palace, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, plus Arasta Bazaar with a private guide.

“We had an absolutely wonderful experience with Eylem as our tour guide in Istanbul. From the very beginning, she was incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and accommodating—but what truly set her apart was how genuinely caring and flexible she was.”

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8.Istanbul Old Town Tour: Classics, Highlights & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $100

Istanbul Old Town classics in one 7-8 hour route: Topkapi, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Grand Bazaar with coffee and dessert

“Had a great tour with Tuğçe, and she is such a warm and cheerful lady! She has great historical knowledge and able to show me all the beautiful places in Istanbul. Without her, I don’t think I can cover so many sights in a day! What I also love is the hidden cafe that she brought me to have coffee, what a cool and quirky place! Thank you Tuğçe 😉”

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9.Istanbul Modern City: Taksim to Galata With Secret Passages

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 30 reviews · 3 hours · from $61

Walk from Taksim to Galata through Beyoğlu secret passages, with local food stops and Beyoğlu chocolate on a small-group 3-hour tour.

“Erol was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and eager to answer all our questions! We got to know the modern part of Istanbul while exploring some hidden passages you would usually miss as a tourist. Erol also recommended us some restaurants in the area, so make sure to do the tour at the beginning of your Istanbul trip. We had a great time getting to know Istanbul and the Turkish culture better. This tour is a must if you find the time to also explore this part of Istanbul. Thanks again to Erol for this wonderful experience!”

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10.Sidecar Tour, Highlights,Hidden Gems & 2 Continents

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 4 hours · from $355

Private vintage sidecar tour mixing Europe and Asia, Ottoman gardens, Bosphorus bridge views, ferry moments, and a pistachio sand coffee finale.

“We had a great time with Cem! We had only two days to spend in Istanbul, sadly. This was a great way to maximize our time and see a lot of cool things! Plus, it was fun and Cem was a wonderful host and tour guide.”

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11.Taksim to Galata Walking Tour: Secret Passages & Local Hangouts

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $60

Walk from Taksim to Galata through Beyoğlu passages, churches, and local hangouts, led by an English small-group guide for $60.08.

“3 hour walking tour of back streets, passages and monuments of Taksim. Our guide made it really interesting and took us to places we would otherwise not have found.”

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12.Istanbul Unveiled: A Quest for the Unique and Unusual Jewels

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $490

Six to seven hours of Istanbul’s unusual sites, tea, boza, and cistern visits, led by Serif, with central hotel drop-off.

“Serif is SO knowledgeable and has some marvelous insights into the places he takes you in Istanbul. We so enjoyed his tour and to meet him again.”

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13.The Other Face of Istanbul- Istanbul off the Beaten

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $78

A small-group, tram-based Istanbul tour to quiet mosques, the Valens Aqueduct, Kadinlar Pazari, and a long-running Boza stop, plus optional lunch.

“We travelled by tram toward the university district, and started our tour of non-touristy parts of Istanbul to see some lesser known but equally historically important mosques, a Women's market, the aqueducts, a small significant shop to try some Bosa and ended at a magnificent viewpoint. Denker was a knowledgeable and engaging guide ..... great to get out of the hub-bub to where people who aren't servicing tourists live and work.”

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14.Galata Tower, Bosphorus & Hidden Gems Photo Shoot

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 10 reviews · 30 - 75 minutes · from $106

Private Istanbul photo shoot from Galata Tower to the Bosphorus. Get guided posing and edited digital photos in 48 hours.

“It was definitely a good idea to spend calm Monday morning with Nur! She was very involved, professional and ready to provide ideas for picture poses. Effect is really nice, entire phototour went smoothly and all family members are more than happy:-)”

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15.Hidden Gems of the Istanbul: From Galata Tower to Balat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $105

Galata Tower, SALT Galata, a ferry across the Golden Horn, and Balat churches, ending at Egyptian Bazaar with sweet tastings.

“We had a wonderful Galata, Fener, and Balat tour. Enru- our guide was extremely knowledgeable, very patient, and accommodating to our schedule. It made the experience relaxed and enjoyable. Highly recommended.”

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