Best of Istanbul: Full-Day Tour with Bosphorus Cruise

Prepare for a captivating journey through the heart of Istanbul, where ancient history meets vibrant culture, on our “Best of Istanbul” full-day tour. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of this enchanting city as we explore its most iconic sights, ensuring an unforgettable experience.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Hippodrome - Start your adventure in the historic Hippodrome, a former chariot-racing arena that witnessed countless events in its storied past. Here, you’ll discover the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpent Column, both cherished remnants of Byzantine history.
What's Included
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges included
  • Professional English-speaking tour guide
  • Air-conditioned, non-smoking transportation
  • Hotel/Port pick-up service
What's Not Included
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratitudes
  • Lunch
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Location
Hippodrome
Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet ParkI No:2,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(18 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
L6456pcmm
May 18, 2024
Best Vacation Ever! - My True Blue family is really the best! My cousins, husband, and I had the best vacation ever! This would not have been possible without True Blue. I love this family of mine.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rdmckool
Nov 30, 2023
So glad we arranged for a private tour of Istanbul! - We had a great few days in Istanbul - Serkan was great company and an excellent tour guide! He was very knowledgeable, fun to spend the day with and was very flexible with plans. My husband needed medical help and he was able to make arrangements for us to get to a hospital and get treated in no time. He definitely made sure that we had what we needed in order to enjoy our stay. From when we arrived until we left Istanbul, Serkan ( also Dodo and the rest of the True Blue Tour Team) was available for anything every step of the way. Thank you so much guys!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louieelizaga
Nov 15, 2023
Highly Recommended! - Turkey is a beautiful country and our trip was further complemented by the excellent and personalized service of True Blue. They took care of my family to the detail - from prompt pick up time, arrange our domestic boarding passes, selection of hotels and even giving my wife a surprise birthday gift!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Miguelds2666xn
Nov 8, 2023
Awesome experience. Well done. - It was our first time to meet Yilmaz Ozluk, owner of True Blue Travel Agency and from the get go it was wonderful. Great guide, certainly knowledgable, great sense of humor and he brought us to places which were not tourist traps. We asked for great local food and he gladly delivered. It was our first time in Istanbul and it will not be the last, all because of our experience with Yilmaz and his lady colleague (sorry i forgot her name).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Henrycq5948og
May 20, 2023
True Blue is the best in Turkiye - True Blue is the best, seamless, no headaches, no language problem, no transport issus. Completely relaxed stress free holiday. We went to Istandbul, Cappadoccia, Ephesus, Pamukkale - all trransfers, tours, hotels, flights - all arranged by True Blue for a a very reasonable price.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jay_ras
Oct 5, 2020
Perfect experience - The TrueBlue staff was excellent, personal, honest, professional, well priced, and well-knowledged. It was truly like being with family, as they always went above and beyond with the experiences. Will definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jules_syquia
Apr 23, 2020
Best Tour Ever - Turkey has easily become one of my most favorite places because of Eyup and everyone at True Blue. They planned the best tour anyone can ever put together. The trip was perfect. We loved all the locations we were taken and all the restaurants we ate in. They took care of us like we were their family. So far the best tour I've had in my life. Rating: 5 out of 5 baklava Shout-out to the best tour guide over, Serkan! He did an amazing job as our tour guide. I was surprised with all the information he had in his head about all the places we visited! He was very friendly, warm and most of all patient. It felt like he was a friend I haven't seen in a while than a guy doing his job. Rating: 5 out of 5 baklava
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christinetsv
Sep 17, 2019
Best Tour Company - Our visit to Turkey September 2019 was an excellent trip. Our tour company True Blue stayed true to their promises of a good holiday. Our tour guide was very informative and went that extra mile to make sure my friends and i were comfortable and having a good time. The driver was always careful on the road. The hotel selection were great. This is the best organised tour i have been to. Well done to Mr Yilmaz and staff of True Blue.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Teach3210
Sep 15, 2019
True Blue lives up to its name - We came to Turkey without great expectations, just knowing that Turkey was an archeological wonder, has incredible food, and a recommendation that we should only see Turkey through the services of TrueBlue. Turkey was meant to be an arrival and departure point for a trip to Israel and Egypt that didn’t come to light. Instead, my husband, 83 year old mother and I spent 23 days of wondrous discovery. Our private tour began with Ottoman Istanbul, emotionally stirring Gallipoli (Canakkale), epic Troy, Pergamum once capital of the Roman Empire in the east, coastal resort town Kusadasi. Kusadasi was home base for day trips to Mother Mary’s shrine, open air museum of Ephesus and the Biblical churches of Asia Minor -Sardis, Philadelphia, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Laodecia. We hiked the travertine Cotton Castle in Pamukkale, tandem paraglided in turquoise Fetiyeh, wandered the cobblestone streets of the old town in Antalya. At Konya, pilgrimage site of Muslims and all who revere Rumi we watched the mystical whirling dervishes in a caravanserai. We travelled to breathtaking Saklikent Gorge where we sipped tea under the dappled shade and later waded through the icy waters of the stream. Geological wonder, Cappadocia was next. We stayed at charming cave hotel Agartha that served the most bountiful and home-made-delicious breakfast buffet in our trip. The multi-level hotel has pocket terraces affording views of a nearby abandoned cave village and hundreds of hot air balloons at dawn. Our resourceful tour leader managed to get us hot air balloon tickets at peak season. The dawn take off, the fairy chimneys below and the horizon dotted with other balloons was magical. More Cappadocia adventures included UNESCO Goreme open air museum, the underground city of Kaymakli, and a panoramic sunset ATV ride. On the way to Ankara, we stopped to stroll the sunset kissed salt beach of Turkey’s salt lake. The last stop of our grand tour was UNESCO picturesque Safranbolu. In between the shopping was phenomenal. We purchased soaps, colognes and olive oil cream from an olive oil mill turned museum. Unprepared for the warm weather in Ephesus, we practically purchased a new cotton and linen wardrobe from a shop outside the archeological museum, and purchased one of a kind kilim and knitted rugs from an NGO that benefits women weavers. We were delighted to find shawls, tunics, ceramics, lamps that incorporated traditional themes but were modern in design. We had fabulous meals from road side restaurants, street food, family style and upscale restaurants. The white bean soup with lemon and olive oil from a roadside eatery was as exquisite as the succulent lamb ribs from a posh restaurant. We left Turkey with both exhilarating and heartwarming experiences to tell, a broadened understanding of the rich history and culture of Turkey, a respect and awe of the true Islamic spirituality that emphasizes love and tolerance. All this would not have been possible without the masterfully crafted and bespoke itinerary prepared for us. More importantly, it would not have been possible without the people behind the agency embodying its name - true blue. We had the good fortune of having founding director Yilmaz Ozluk as our tour leader. He expertly edited our itinerary along the way to take into consideration our interests, energy level, and needs. He made sure that expert guides who knew their archeology and history satisfied all our questions like Nissam from Ephesus, conceded to find Chinese restaurants for my husband who was missing Asian cuisine, picked fresh mulberries from trees because we developed a taste for them. My mother took ill during the trip. We would have returned to Manila if he had not been like a son to her, making sure she was attended to with extra care at the hospital. He also made sure that she was able to experience as much of the trip as possible such as driving her ATV, hiring golf carts when possible, and hotels were selected for wheelchair accessibility. We have never encountered a tour leader as warm, generous, kind, filled with openness and joy in living. Tesekkur ederim, Yilmaz and True Blue!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Felers
Jun 13, 2019
World class service from a top-notch team - Even though we were traveling thousands of miles away to this foreign country for the first time, Eyup, Yilmaz, Ali, and the rest of the True Blue crew made my family feel right at home. The itinerary they planned for us was perfect, accommodating for all our interests and fitness levels, and they were very flexible in adjusting it on the fly. The logistics were superb -- we didn't have to worry about transportation, admissions, food, etc. As they were all accounted for, making our vacation infinitely more relaxing. Finally, and most impressively, their kindness and hospitality made us feel like they were a part of our family, and we were a part of theirs. Thank you so much True Blue crew!!! You really made our Turkey trip one of the most memorable ones ever :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 14 guests
1
Adult
September 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today