Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Layover Flight. Transfer incl.

based on 213 reviews

Duration:4 hours to 8 hours (approx.)
Location: Istanbul, Turkey

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Infant (Age : 0 to 6)

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ADULT (Age : 13 to 99)

Free Cancellation

Upto 24 hours in Advance.

Mobile or paper ticket accepted

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PRODUCT DETAILS
TRAVELER REVIEWS
TRAVELER PHOTOS

Istanbul Layover Tours is mainly specialized on layover tours from Istanbul Airports.

Meet and Greet: It is easier to find your driver at the airport now. You will be met and accompanied to the vehicle by a welcome host at a spesific spot / time.

Timely & Safe Logistic; Enjoy comfortable round-trip transfer from/to airport with private and spacious van. .

Fast Track Entry: Be VIP and save precious time at the museums ticket desks thanks to the accredited tour guides from Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Professional and Enthusiastic Guides: Our guides are not only a good historian but also your travel companion. Learn about culture, politics & religion through personal stories and anecdotes.

Eat like a local: Taste delicious, reasonable non-touristy local food at the eatiers where the only locals eat. Various food restrictions are welcomed

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

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All listed attractions below are not meant to be visited on every tour scenario due to the time limitations and the tour itinerary can be shortened and altered by the guide's suggestion or traveler's instructions with traveler's consent due to the crowds or restoration work at the sites /museums, personal interests & fitness level, weather conditions & closure times of the places, public gatherings, political rallies, religious/public holidays, marathons, traffic situation and flight arrival times. A tentative itinerary will be communicated prior to the day.
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The equivalent of Maxiumus Circus, city of Rome was immitated in new capital of Roman Empire as we call Byzantine Hippodrome; Hear the stories of glory chariot riders and amazed with monuments erected by the ambitios Roman engineers; Egpytian Obelisk, Serpent Colomn and Colomn of Constantine.
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As an operating mosque, your guide will take you inside of mosque complex in between praying times and help you to barrow a scarf or skirt if needed. it is closed until 14.00 pm on Fridays due to Friday noon prayer service. Attention; There is ongoing restoration and the view is blocked by scaffolding.
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Explore the architectural marvel of Hagia Sophia Mosque with our licensed tour guide, delving into its significance in terms of architecture, religion, and politics. Note that Hagia Sophia opens at 10:00 am, closes on Fridays until 14:00 pm, and welcomes visitors until 22:00 pm. Hagia Sophia serves a dual purpose today, operating as an active mosque for Muslim worshippers and a museum for international visitors. Please be aware that the admission fee is 850 TL or 28 USD, and the duration of this enlightening experience is approximately 45 minutes. Admission ticket is not included.
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Descending the stairs, you'll encounter a palace-like underground water system, crafted by the Romans in the 6th century. Its colossal dimensions allowed it to store ample water, catering to the needs of the Roman Palace and the surrounding neighborhood until it faded into obscurity. Today, it patiently awaits rediscovery. The admission fee for this historical site is 600 TL or 20 USD.
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The world's oldest shopping mall was buit in 1460s by the order of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqurer, in order to generate income for maintaining their newly converted mosque. The city, being in the meeting point of oriental trade routes made the bazaar Grand and Famous. Today, with 3000 thousand shops offer huge range of colourful item from simple souviners to expensive items such as jewelery, carpets, mosaic lamps, magnets, leather. Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
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The mosque is active since 1556 and named after its commissioner, the famous sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. It is located on the 3rd hill of the old city. In a short walk from Grand Bazaar along the wall of Istanbul University, you will be guided through and rest by the amazing view of Asian side and new city from the terrace.
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Taste delicious Turkish Delights, nuts and dried fruits while passing through a 400 year old stracture, Spice Market will help you to understand the origin of spices and Turkish Food.
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Hop on a public ferry and make the fastest intercontinental trip to Asian Side of Istanbul. See Istanbul from old to new while passing by Bosphorus Bridge in distance.
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Explore hip neigborhood of Kadıkoy and eat your way through Kadıkoy Food Market. Sample Turkish food sourced from local suppliers. Maybe you would like to try some home cooked style in Ciya Sofrası, which has been recently featured in Netflix.
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Visit Iconic Topkapi Palace; Learn about Ottoman History and see impressive collections of pieces from treasury to medieval weapons in this massive museum. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. Admission Fee is 1500 TL or 50 USD.
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Get a panaromic view of city form this iconic tower, built late 13th Century by Genoise Colony as a part of defence and watch tower.
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The New Mosque and later New Valide Sultan Mosque after its partial reconstruction and completion between 1660 and 1665, is an Ottoman imperial mosque located in the Eminönü quarter of Istanbul

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : Melissa_L
Mev made our trip to Istanbul one that we will always treasure. She made us feel safe and knew all the details about the area. Mev is the best guide!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-09 17:54:54

Posted By : teresamY3297TG
We recently had an evening layover tour with Latif. He was wonderful, pickup and drop off was easy and he showed us so much in a few hours. We were on our way to Greece for a week but the meal we had with Latif in Istanbul was the best of our whole trip. My kids can’t wait to go back to Istanbul and explore more of Turkey and we will definitely use Latif again. Thank you so much.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-06-01 22:41:33

Posted By : michaelkO1284MY
Absolutely amazing tour with Burak. We did the extended layover with Turkish airlines and hopes to see Istanbul. So glad we booked. Burak was one of, if not the, best guides we have ever had. Incredibly knowledgeable and personable, amazing English and knowledge of history and culture, as well as helping us experience the food and culture. Make sure you have Burak for your tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-29 04:53:03

Posted By : James_G
Of course, the sights of Istanbul were spectacular, but the layover excursion was flawless from pickup to drop off back at the airport. Making it even better was my private guide, Latif, who was knowledgeable, personable and spoke flawless English. If I do this again, he will be requested.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-28 19:14:20

Posted By : Pauline_T
I want to thank my tour guide Mev for the excellent service. Not only I get to visit Istanbul, I have a better understanding of what's happening in the country. I would highly recommend this layover trip.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-25 13:36:14

Posted By : Andrea_S
Latif was an amazing guide. He was knowledgeable and interesting and worked with our schedule. The company was very flexible in accommodating our baggage requests and they were easy to get in touch with. We had a great personalized experience! Highly recommend.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-21 07:52:24

Posted By : dowsyp
I had a six-hour layover in Turkey Istanbul. My flight came late at night around 11 PM. I was extremely surprised with how flexible the staff were not only picking me up late at night, but making sure that I get back to my flight on time.

The Guide was extremely informative about Istanbul’s history from the neolithic era all the way to modern times. it was like having a scholar, teach me personally about historical events that happened in the city.

The guide even took my Instagram pictures, which was great lol

i Definitely recommend this to anybody

and when I come back to Istanbul, I will be taking this company again for another tour!!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-05-03 20:39:42

Posted By : 936brandonl
Latif was fantastic! We had a 12-hour layover in Istanbul, and he made sure we were able to see all the main sites and still get back to the airport with plenty of time to make our flight. He was able to work with our specific flight schedule, and we were able to see all of the major sites. We got to go to the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and then we were able to take the ferry to the Asian side for dinner. When we initially got the itinerary, we didn't think we'd be able to do all of that during our layover. But Latif made it happen. We were able to cut the lines to most of the sites, and he was able to answer all of our questions. We learned a lot about Turkey's history, all the way up to the present day.

Latif is also an excellent photographer! My wife and I got so many great pictures from our short time in Istanbul. He also took us to an excellent restaurant for dinner on the Asian side of the city, with a chef who was featured on Netflix!

The car service to transport us to and from the airport was very nice as well.

If you've got a layover in Istanbul and want to see all the main sights, definitely use Istanbul Layover Tours.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-30 21:53:46

Posted By : Pioneer34715727249
My wife and I had an 11 hour layover for our flight on Turkish Airlines from Washington, DC via Istanbul to China. Latif, the owner, provided complete Instructions on how to navigate the airport and contact his agents at the airport. We stored our luggage at the airport. His agents directed us to a taxi/van which took us to the Galata area where we picked him up. The ride is an hour each way along the Golden Horn. He provided an excellent, knowledgeable walking tour of Sultanamet and we finished with a ferry ride to an excellent restaurant. Tips: charge cards work for entries, stop by a Bank ATM for Latif’s fee by debit card (some cards reimburse bank fees), you don’t need to convert to Turkish Lire, and you can contact Latif by FaceTime or WhatsApp for a worry free, healthy break in your long flight. Istanbul and Turkey is beautiful and fascinating for a return trip.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-27 17:23:50

Posted By : Summer_G
We enjoyed learning about the history of Istanbul, the tour guide was very knowledgeable of the area.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-04-26 12:24:12