43 reviews of Istanbul in One Day Sightseeing Tour: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar

I was the only person, so it was essentially a private tour. The guide was wonderful. He was friendly and very knowledgeable. He gave me enough time to walk around each place on my own. We had a nice lunch inside the Topkapi Palace, and I got addicted to apple tea. The only part of the tour I didn't care for was the visit to the rug gallery. Since I was the only person, they had a captive audience. Though I did see many beautiful carpets, I didn't know enough to actually invest in one. I had to resist giving into the sales pitch. What I was more interested in were the ceramic tiles and brilliant plates they had. Most of the sites are close to each other, so you'll walk most of the time. I didn't mind it because everything was so interesting. It was almost a visual overload. Just remember a lot of these places do not allow flash photography, so bring a camera that can take good photos at slow speed. Also, no photos allowed at all of the artifacts inside the Topaki Palace. The visit to the Grand Bazaar was mainly just a walk-through at the end of the tour. My hotel was only a block away so I went back in the evening and bought some souvenirs. There's much to see in the old part of Istanbul, and the tour covers the most essential places. Many guidebooks recommend a few other places like the archeological museum and Suleymaniye mosque, which one can explorer on his or her own.

I would definitely recommend this tour. We had a wonderful day in Istanbul. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. We booked with Viator instead of the cruise ship which had the exact same tour but was double the price of Viator.

I was the only person on the tour. Tour guide was an excellent guide. Definitely a tour to do when you first arrive in Istanbul. The lunch at the Topkapi Palace was great too. Incredible view of the Bosphorus from the restaurant terrace. Best tour of my trip. Thanks!

We were met at the end of the Ship's gangway and left back at the same spot. That is what I call good service. The tour guide was very approachable and gave a lot of information regarding the sights. I will most certainly use VIATOR again.

Really good trip. Just 8 of us in a very comfortable, clean, air-conditioned minibus. The driver was good, and the guide was just excellent. So much better than doing it from the cruise ship. Included a very good lunch. I shall be using Viator again!

There was only one other couple in the tour with us which made it feel almost like a private tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot of Turkish history from him. We liked that he explained about each of the sites first and then gave us some free time to do our own exploring and to take photos. He spoke perfect English. He wasn't the chatty type though he would answer questions when asked. Basically he did his job, nothing more and nothing less. We still enjoyed the tour very much nevertheless!

This was the best way to get acquainted with Istanbul! Our guide was especially well informed, offered superb insights and even arranged a tour of a rug factory for us. Excellent choice.

Our guided met us promptly at our hotel. As we were the only ones on the tour that day, we really had a private tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, very friendly, and full of insights. He gave us information and insights not only on history, but of current Turkey as well. Also gave us tips on sights to see on our own. Excellent value and experience. Would do again.