The 15 Best Tours & Things to Do in Istanbul

Bosphorus Cruises & Boat Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Private, Show, Tour Reviews

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table

1.Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 62,058 reviews · 3 hours · from $28Our pick

3-hour Bosphorus dinner cruise with live Turkish and Latin shows, a private table, and big-city views from a mega yacht.

“It was an amazing experience. we really enjoyed it .all cultural programmes are really good. food is amazing and their service also really impressed which include serving food pick up and drop off. friendly people .”

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Audio Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Guided, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews

Istanbul: Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise & Audio Guide

2.Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise & Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 14,430 reviews · 2 hours · from $8

Two hours on a Bosphorus mega yacht with an audio guide, unlimited drinks, and optional dinner, ideal for classic sunset views.

“The overall cruise experience was awesome, travelled about an hour each way, got to see a different view of the major buildings, voice over (english) would speak a little about each building as we got close to it. Free tea and coffee on the boat, food was offered too but I didnt eat anything. I saw other people have drinks too. There was seating inside and outside, 3 levels for the outside and 2 for the inside with good views wherever you were seated. It was a good experience, if you are in Istanbul for a short time or want to get your bearings.”

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Bosphorus Cruises & Boat Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dining Experiences, Dinner Experiences, Evening Experiences, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Show, Tour Reviews, Turkish Night & Folklore Shows

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show

3.Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Turkish Night Show

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 12,954 reviews · 3 hours · from $28

Cruise the Bosphorus at night with Turkish dinner, unlimited soft drinks and local alcohol, then a Turkish Night show with dancing and live DJ.

“Wonderful experience, the show and food was amazing I enjoyed it a lot.”

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3-Day Experiences, Guided, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours

Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

4.Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8,922 reviews · 7 to 21 hours (approx.) · from $100Top rated

Private guided Istanbul in 1 to 3 days, from Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque to Bosphorus ferries and Balat streets.

“Our guide Volkan was super knowledgeable and took us all around the city. He was able to accommodate our interests and we saw more than we thought possible in just 3 days”

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Audio Tours, Basilica Cistern Visits, Guided, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews

Istanbul: Basilica Cistern Fast-Track Entry and Audio Guide

5.Basilica Cistern Fast-Track Entry and Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 7,521 reviews · 1 day · from $44

Skip the Basilica Cistern ticket line with an all-day QR pass and 11-language audio guide, plus optional Hagia Sophia entry.

“Great and impressive place to visit. Great having priority and being able to skip the long line”

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Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque Visits, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Museums, Skip the Line, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Istanbul: Hagia Sophia Skip-the-Line Ticket & Museum Option

6.Hagia Sophia Skip-the-Line Ticket & Museum Option

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 4,958 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $33

Skip-the-line Hagia Sophia entry with optional History and Experience Museum, AR, and 23-language audio commentary.

“Was very easy to pick up my ticket. I experienced no wait at ticket booth or entrance. The Hagia Sofia has some restoration construction work right now but you can still see almost everything. The museum has an informative but too loud multimedia presentation you're forced through on entry and then a modest but interesting set of artifact exhibitions. Before, after, or in between walk the plaza, eat street vendor simit, and reflect inside the blue mosque.”

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Istanbul Tours & Activities, Museums, Show, Tour Reviews, Whirling Dervish Sema Shows

Istanbul: Hodjapasha Whirling Dervishes Show & Exhibition

7.Hodjapasha Whirling Dervishes Show & Exhibition

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 4,790 reviews · 1 hour · from $32

Watch the Mevlevi Sema at Hodjapasha Culture Center, a restored Ottoman bath in Istanbul, with live music and 800-year whirling.

“The ceremony was simply beautiful. The chairs were terribly uncomfortable and placed extremely close to each other. Ended up sitting stuck to my neighbors.”

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Audio Tours, Guided, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Self-Guided Tours, Skip the Line, Tickets, Topkapi Palace Visits, Tour Reviews

Topkapi Palace and Harem Skip-the-Line-Tickets & Audio Guide

8.Topkapi Palace and Harem Skip-the-Line-Tickets & Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 4,745 reviews · 1 day · from $81

Skip-the-line Topkapi Palace and Harem tickets with an app audio guide, plus optional Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern upgrades in Istanbul.

“The history and the architecture are both really stunning! Absolutely worth going.”

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Audio Tours, Bosphorus Cruises & Boat Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Self-Guided Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide

9.Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4,704 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $7Best value

Affordable Bosphorus cruise from Eminönü with phone audio in 11 languages, tea and great skyline views of Europe and Asia.

“it was perfect to see istanbul from the coastal side.nice trip to expe4 while visting the city”

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Bosphorus Cruises & Boat Trips, Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Sailing, Tour Reviews, VIP

Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht

10.Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,465 reviews · 2 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $30.23

Watch the Bosphorus sunset on a luxury yacht with photo stops, tea, coffee, homemade lemonade, snacks, and classic Istanbul views.

“We had a great time on this cruise. Definitely worth the money. The crew was very attentive to our needs, and provided all the things as advertised.”

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Cruises & Boat Tours, Evening Experiences, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Sailing, Tour Reviews

Istanbul: Sunset or Day Small-Group Yacht Cruise with Snacks

11.Sunset or Day Small-Group Yacht Cruise with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 3,774 reviews · 2 hours · from $31

Small-group Bosphorus sunset or daytime yacht cruise with audio guide, mini pizza snacks, fruit, and standout Istanbul views.

“Outstanding! This trip was beyond our expectations and will be remembered for many years to come. Just do it!!”

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Guided, Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque Visits, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours

Istanbul: Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia Guided Tour w/ Tickets

12.Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia Guided Tour w/ Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 3,600 reviews · 2.5 - 3 hours · from $39

Small-group guided visit to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia with priority tickets, expert storytelling, and Galataport pickup.

“It’s was very enjoyable and interesting. Our guide Murat was entertaining and responsive to the wishes of the group.”

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Basilica Cistern Visits, Hagia Sophia & Blue Mosque Visits, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Topkapi Palace Visits, Tour Reviews

Basilica Cistern & Hagia Sophia with Optional Topkapi Palace

13.Basilica Cistern & Hagia Sophia with Optional Topkapi Palace

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,547 reviews · 3 days · from $81

Skip ticket lines in Istanbul with a 3-day combo pass for Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, plus optional Topkapi Palace.

“Easy to use with QR code. But there was no skip the line at Hagia Sophia Mosque, just a line with already purchased tickets. Luckily the wait was not long. I wonder if there is any skip the line?”

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City Tours, City Tours in Istanbul, Hamam & Turkish Bath Sessions, Hamams & Turkish Baths in Istanbul, Istanbul Tours & Activities, Massage, Massage & Relaxation, Private, Spa & Hot Springs, Tour Reviews

Istanbul: Private Turkish Bath, Massage, and Spa in Old City

14.Private Turkish Bath, Massage, and Spa in Old City

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,225 reviews · 50 - 125 minutes · from $53

Private Turkish bath in Istanbul’s Old City with scrub, foam, steam and sauna, plus optional massage. Tea, coffee, and full comfort.

“I would recommend it to everyone, it's an excellent Turkish bath.”

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Istanbul Tours & Activities, Mosaic Lamp Making Workshops, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Istanbul:Original Turkish Mosaic Lamp Workshop w/ Snacks

15.Original Turkish Mosaic Lamp Workshop w/ Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 3,077 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $29

Make your own Turkish mosaic lamp in Istanbul with expert guidance, unlimited tea and coffee, and snacks. Take it home with a US adapter.

“Amazing experience! This lamp-making workshop was so much fun and a real highlight of my time in Istanbul. The instructor was welcoming and patient, and the whole process was both relaxing and creative. I loved learning about Turkish craftsmanship and left with a beautiful handmade lamp. Highly recommended!”

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