- Istanbul
- From €220
Discover Istanbul – the perfect private tour for first-time visitors (half day)
Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Cistern compact in four hours – morning or afternoon.
- ✓ Strictly private – only your group, no other guests
- ✓ State-licensed guides
- ✓ No shopping stops
At a glance
- Region
- Istanbul
- Duration
- approx. 4 hrs
- Level
- Moderate
on foot, with breaks - Age
- All ages
- Start
- Your choice
- Price
- From €220
Fixed price for your private group. We will confirm the exact amount for your number of people before you make a binding booking.
The essentials of the old town in four hours: ideal for your first day, a short stay or cruise guests with limited time in port. Private, no queuing, with a licensed guide.
Highlights
- Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
- Hippodrome and Basilica Cistern
- Morning or afternoon – your choice
- Ideal for short stays and cruise guests
- No queuing, tickets at the guides' counter
Full description
Four hours are enough for the four places every visitor to Istanbul must see – if someone knows the way and gets the tickets. We stay in Sultanahmet, everything is within walking distance.
If you also want Topkapı Palace, choose the full-day tour; if time is short, this is the perfect overview.
What we see
We adapt order and selection to weekday, opening hours, weather and your wishes.
- Hippodrome
Obelisk, Serpent Column, German Fountain. - Blue Mosque
Six minarets, Iznik tiles, the great courtyard. - Hagia Sophia
Dome, mosaics, emperors and sultans. - Basilica Cistern
336 columns and two Medusa heads.
Included
- 4 hours private, state-licensed guide in your language (Mehmet Humayunoğlu or an experienced colleague from his team)
- Planning, coordination and time management of the day
- Headsets for groups of 16 or more
- Meeting point of your choice: hotel lobby, Galataport or Sultanahmet
Not included
- Entrance fees and donations
- Lunch and drinks
- Vehicle and transfers, optional
- Personal expenses, tips
Meeting point
Choose your meeting point in the form: your hotel lobby, the Galataport cruise terminal or Sultanahmet at the fountain between Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. Please arrive five minutes early; if you are late I wait up to 20 minutes.
You will recognise me by the sign “MeinReiseleiter.de” and the visibly worn guide licence. We confirm meeting point and time with your booking.
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Important information
German, English, Turkish, French, Italian, Spanish – 25 more languages on request.
- Comfortable shoes – Lots of cobblestones in the old town, uphill and downhill.
- Dress code in mosques – Shoulders and knees covered, ladies with headscarf. Scarves are available at the entrance.
- Fridays – We visit mosques only after the noon prayer and adjust the order.
Deposit, payment and cancellation
- 30% deposit on booking by PayPal or credit card, calculated on the total booking including all extras.
- Balance payable in cash on the day of the tour.
- Cancellation fees: 365 to 30 days before 30%, 29–15 days 50%, 14–7 days 75%, 6–1 days before and in case of no-show 100%.
- A fee is charged for changes to bookings.
- Free cancellation or rebooking is not possible. We recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance: https://www.passion-reisen.eu/service-beratung/reiseversicherungen/
- Tours ending after 19:00 are subject to a 50% surcharge on the guiding fee.
- Bookings can be made up to 48 hours before the start of the tour. At shorter notice, we will first check whether a guide is available and get back to you immediately.