Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Layover Flight. Transfer incl. | 4 hours to 8 hours

244 Reviews | Istanbul
Select Date and Travelers
You can select up to 15 travelers in total.
Adult (13-99) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 15
2
Child (7-12) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 10
0
Infant (0-6) Minimum: 0, Maximum: 15
0
Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Istanbul Private Guided Tour for Layover Flight. Transfer incl.
2 Adults x $300.00
$600.00
Approx Total
$600.00
Pickup included

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English
  • Round-Trip Private Airport Transfers (not dedicated full time)
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Private Tour
  • Proffesional Guide
  • Food & Drinks
  • Entry/Admission - Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace
  • Cabin Bags and Carry-ons should be stored at the Left Lugagge.
  • Visa Requirements; Please check evisa.gov.tr/en
  • Full Time Driving Tour with Dedicated Driver & Van

Overview

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

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Meet & Greet Service: After your flight lands, an SBL MEET&GREET representative will be ready to greet you. Please look for the “SBL” sign as you exit from Gate #14 in the Arrivals Terminal. Important Note: The representative will be waiting for you outside the terminal, just beyond the exit ... door of Gate #14, not inside the terminal near the gate. Left Luggage Service: We suggest storing any luggage at the airport's left luggage facility before you proceed through Gate #14, ensuring a more comfortable and hassle-free tour, unless you will be taken to your accommodation first and have an overnight stay in the city. Timing and Contact: Expect to meet our representative about 1 hour after your flight's arrival. The earliest meeting times are 06:00 AM on weekdays and 06:30 AM on weekends. We will be closely tracking your flight to adjust the pick-up time as needed. If you have trouble locating the meet & greet team or encounter any issues on the day, please contact Mr. Latif at +90 544 585 98 51 immediately. For efficiency, please add this number to your contacts, with WhatsApp available, particularly if you are concerned about internet access. Transfer and Tour: Your transfer to the city center will take approximately 45-60 minutes. Here, you'll meet your guide for a personalized tour of Istanbul. Post-tour, we'll make sure you're back at the airport at least 2 hours prior to your departure flight. Important Steps Upon Arrival: Proceed through passport control after landing. Do not go to the Transit Area if you are starting the tour right away. Follow the signs towards the Exit after passport control. Store your bags at the left luggage facility before exiting through Gate 14, unless you're proceeding directly to your accommodation for an overnight stay. Upon exiting, look for the SBL sign outside of Gate #14 where the meet & greet team will be eagerly awaiting your arrival. Read more ▼

Itinerary

  • Istanbul (Pass By)

    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.

  • Hippodrome

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Blue Mosque

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Hagia Sophia Moschee

    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.

    45 minutes

  • Basilica Cistern

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Grand Bazaar Jewelers

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Suleymaniye Mosque

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Misir Carsisi (Spice Market)

    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.

    30 minutes

  • Bosphorus Strait

    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.

    20 minutes

  • KadIkoy CarsIsI

    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.

    1 hour

  • TopkapI Palace

    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.

    2 hours 30 minutes

  • Galata Tower (Pass By)

    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.

  • Yeni Camii (Pass By)

    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

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are closed until 2.30 pm on Fridays.
  • Topkapı Palace and Hagia Irene is closed on Tuesdays

Free Cancellation

June 18100% refund
June 19No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Reviews

4.9

244 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    231
  • 4 stars
    10
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    2
  • 1 star
    1

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 231 reviews with 5 stars

Relaxing AND Energizing!

Published on Jan, 2025

When you have an 18 hour layover in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - and you’ve never been, but are a bit afraid that if you take a cab into the city and walk around yourself, you run the risk of: 1. Bad traffic and an unvetted cab driver that may or may not get you back in time, 2. Getting lost and missing your flight - as well as missing out on all the amazing things to see, And/or - 3. Walking and seeing but not learning on your own - anything about the history and culture of this city… Then stop and immediately book a tour with Turkey Layover Tours! We had such a beautiful day, walking all around, both seeing and learning about not just the sights, but about life experiences through conversations with our guide! Dependable, easy to book and a total joy to experience.

Amazing dive into the history and culture of Istanbul

Published on Jan, 2025

I had a 10 hour layover. So I booked this tour. As a US citizen, I did not need a visa. I checked my carry on backpack at a storage for 8 Euro. it was located at the exit gate 14. From there a shuttle took me to the city. It was about a 45 minute ride. It was before sunrise and I slept the whole time. Then I was greeted by Busra and the tour started. It was a very nice walking tour. We saw Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome. then we took the ferry to cross the Bosphorus. And then after spending some time at the Asian side of the city we crossed Bosphorus and this time got to the Jewish village. I had great talk with Busra. She is very friendly and smart. She has a lot of knowledge about history and philosophy. We had a number of stops to have tea, coffee, Turkish delights. It was an enjoyable 4-5 hours. I will highly recommend this tour for anyone who has a long layover and wants to explore this amazing city.

Layover Tour

Published on Jan, 2025

This was the most amazing day the booking process was easy, and everything ran to schedule. Mav was the most amazing tour guide, extremely knowledgeable, super kind and friendly treated us more like friends than customers. Mav tailored the whole day to things we wanted to see and do she made everything exciting and fun. I highly recommend Viator and Mav. Istanbul, you were amazing, and I will be back thankyou

Excellent tour guide!

Published on Jan, 2025

We had a great experience with our Istanbul Layover day tour. During the booking process, Latif was very responsive to our request for an early start and was able to quickly accommodate our last minute change in hotels. The driver picked us up on time and the transportation was clean and comfortable. Mevhibe our guide was wonderful, customizing the tour to what we wanted to see. We enjoyed the food stops, especially, as we started our day with amazing Turkish coffee, had a nice lunch near the Bazaar, and delicious Kunefe. We were thrilled for the opportunity to take a ferry boat ride to the Anatolian side. Everything was timed very well and we made it to the airport in plenty of time to relax before our flight. Definitely recommend as the airport is far and you'll want to maximize your time by having a friendly and knowledgable guide such as Mevhibe.

The tour is very...

Published on Jan, 2025

The tour is very organized. I got picked up from the airport and dropped near the Blue Mosque. The tour guide already waited for me. I had a great time touring Instanbul. Busra, the tour guide, did an excellent job.

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