Custom Private Excursions
Duration
8 Hours
Tour Type
Guided Tour, Private / VIP Service, Sightseeing Transportation
Group Size
8
Language
Turkish 🇹🇷 | German 🇩🇪 | English 🇬🇧 | Chinese 🇨🇳 | French 🇫🇷 | Spanish 🇪🇸 | Italian 🇮🇹 | Russian 🇷🇺 | Arabic 🇸🇦
Custom Private Excursions in Istanbul
- Don't look! Understand what others don't.
- Experience Istanbul through the eyes of the elite, with a team of over 35 leading experts, including historians, archaeologists, and art specialists who speak multiple languages 🇹🇷 🇩🇪 🇬🇧 🇨🇳 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 🇮🇹 🇷🇺 🇸🇦
- Whether you are deconstructing the layers of the Hagia Sophia with a scholar or navigating the Grand Bazaar with an insider, our tours are designed to connect you deeply with Istanbul's soul.
- Ideal if Istanbul is just one stop on your journey and you wish to make the most of your limited time by covering all the highlights.
Popular Features
Airport Transfer & Meet-and-greet service
Live Guide & Luxury Minivan with Driver
No Ticket Queues
Professional driver & door-to-door service
Included
- ✅ 100% Customizable Private Tours for up to 8 Guests
- ✅ Private VIP Experience for a fully flexible itinerary
- ✅ Private Live Guide in your Language
- ✅ Skip the Museum Ticket Lines
- ✅ Shopping Possibilty
- ✅ WhatsApp support
Excluded
- 🚫 Skip the security line
- 🚫 Museum entrance fees and meals
- 🚫 Gratuities-Tips
- 🚫 Chauffeur-Driven Private Minivan ( as an tour extra & fee )
- 🚫 Airport Service ( as an tour extra & fee )
- 🚫 Physical Assistance Service (e.g., wheelchair pushing service)
Istanbul Your Way
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➡️ Fully Customizable Istanbul Private Tours
➡️ Discover the heart and soul of Istanbul through perspective-shifting walking tours led by historians, art curators, archaeologists, and more.
➡️ You can delve into this rich historical narrative through our tailored Istanbul tours, available with or without a vehicle.
➡️ Customize your day as you like, or explore Istanbul’s essential sites, including Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, and Topkapi Palace, to gain a clear understanding of how the city’s Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern identities coexist.
- 8 Hours
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Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s clarify your confusions. Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions which most of our client asks.
Have a question in mind
Looking for more info? Send a question to the tour agent to find out more.
> What exactly is included in the price?
➡️ To help you plan your perfect Istanbul stay, here is a clear breakdown of our professional services.
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Service Type / Duration Price Private Expert Guide 6–8 Hours (Full Day) €250
Please note:
➡️ Museum entrance fees and meals are not included to allow for a fully flexible itinerary.
➡️ Driver, gas, and parking fees are included (Within Old City only)> What is not included ?
➡️ Museum Tickets
➡️ Airport Transfers
➡️ Sightseeing Transportation
➡️ Meals & Drinks
➡️ Personal Expenses
➡️ Gratuities etc.
> Can we add sightseeing transportation?
- ➡️ Yes. The €190 VIP transport fee is dedicated to your 6–8 hour city excursion and includes round-trip door-to-door service between your hotel and the tour sites (not airport transfers).
- ➡️ Your guide will meet you at your hotel, but will not accompany you back there; hotel and site transfers are handled by your professional driver only.
- ➡️ For airport arrivals and departures (IST or SAW), we offer separate VIP Airport Transfer Services at a flat rate.
- ➡️ Tell us in advance if you’d like to use the same luxury minivan before or after your tour so we can arrange timing and driver assignments.
- ⚠️ Please Note:
- ➡️ The airport transfer service is available only as a “Tour Extra” when booking our Custom Private Excursion Istanbul Tours
-
- ➡️Cruise Port Policy: Private transfers can also be arranged to or from the cruise port; please contact us in advance so we can confirm availability, timing, and vehicle/driver assignment for your ship’s schedule.
> Can we add a Airport transportation?
➡️ Yes. We offer private VIP airport transfers (no tour guide in the car, driver only)
➡️ IST – One Way: €75
➡️ IST – Round Trip: €140
➡️ SAW – One Way: €85
➡️SAW – Round Trip: €150
- ⚠️ Please Note:
- ➡️ The airport transfer service is available only as a “Tour Extra” when booking our Custom Private Excursion Istanbul Tours
-
- ➡️Cruise Port Policy: Private transfers can also be arranged to or from the cruise port; please contact us in advance so we can confirm availability, timing, and vehicle/driver assignment for your ship’s schedule.
> How many people can join a private excursion?
- ➡️ Our VIP minivans are designed for comfort and can accommodate up to 8 passengers.
- ➡️ The price remains the same whether you are a solo traveler, a couple, or a large family, making it an excellent value for groups.
> Can we customize the itinerary?
- ➡️ Absolutely. Unlike standard tours, our experiences are 100% bespoke.
- ➡️ While we have "recommended" paths to avoid crowds, your expert guide will sit down with you at the start of the day to tailor the route based on your specific interests, be it Byzantine art, Ottoman architecture, or local culinary secrets or shopping.
> Can we shop on our own during the tour?
- ➡️ Of Course. If you wish, this experience can include shop stops, carpet shopping, etc., and focuses on the historical side of both
- ➡️ Along the way, you can visit several local merchants and art collections.
- ➡️ We recommend that you ask your local guide before making your decision.
- ➡️ You will be able to shop on your own at your own pace.
> Where do we meet our guide and driver?
- ➡️ We provide true door-to-door service.
- ➡️ Your driver and guide will meet you directly at your hotel lobby.
- ➡️ At the end of the day, we will drop you off back at your hotel or at a restaurant of your choice.
> Why are museum tickets not included?
- ➡️ To give you total freedom.
- ➡️ Your guide will assist you in purchasing the right tickets at the venues to ensure you get the correct rates without any hidden markups to utilize professional priority access at the ticket offices.
- ➡️ Instead of waiting in long public lines, your guide will facilitate the purchase through dedicated professional booths, ensuring you enter the landmarks as quickly as possible.
> Is there a dress code for your tours in Istanbul?
- ➡️ Yes, some of the sites visited on this tour are considered holy places. Shoulders and knees must be covered.
- ➡️ Dresses and shorts must be below knee level, and shoulders must be covered (zip-on jackets or scarves are acceptable).
- ➡️ We recommend bringing along scarves or shawls to be able to cover those body parts.
- ⚠️ These rules may seem unduly strict, but remember, you are a guest visiting sites that are regarded as a religious sanctuary.
> Is this tour accessible for people in wheelchairs?
- ➡️ Yes, this tour is accessible for clients with mobility issues or who are in a wheelchair.
- ⚠️ However, the Hagia Sophia is not suitable for wheelchairs and baby strollers
- ➡️ This tour is not walking-intensive for clients with reduced mobility.
- ➡️ We recommend that clients with mobility challenges contact us so we can create a tour adapted to their concerns.
> Is this tour suitable for children?
- ➡️ We are happy to assign a family-friendly guide for your tour.