Top Istanbul Tours: Sightseeing and Cruises Explored
Istanbul, very that crossroads of culture and history, kinda offers something for everyone. Like your into ancient architecture, stunning views, or maybe a relaxing cruise, then there’s probably an Istanbul tour waiting for you. Very this article very is a look, pretty in depth, at the top 5 Istanbul tours, like your helping you find the one that’s just a little the best fit for your travel style.
1. Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Small-Group Tour
If you very are fascinated basically by history, you might just adore a tour focusing on the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. The chance of going into the Hagia Sophia kinda offers is a special look back. This stunning creation, with its mix, kinda that mashup, of Byzantine and Ottoman art, has honestly played the role of church, mosque, and it’s even now more or less a museum. Walking here actually does, it feels like a journey through history.
Then, the Blue Mosque, actually just across a small open space from the Hagia Sophia, actually showcases just a little incredible Islamic design. That part is more or less adorned with a staggering amount of blue Iznik tiles, the Blue Mosque actually earns its name with the cool feel of the interior and minarets. A tour led by local experts gives some unique perspectives. These experts tell the stories to kinda breathe that life into both locations.
You know what’s great? That the tour is mostly capped to a small group, too it’s almost offering what feels like an intimate look at this historic location. This really means that the place never feels like it’s becoming overloaded with tourists and you definitely aren’t just moving to the pace set by masses. Another important benefit, and really it is pretty good to note this benefit here: the groups also just tend to be friendlier, with all those that are traveling actually finding common ground to form. A quality that can often be missed with the standard travel package deal! Instead, consider getting one of the many tours, just that much more appealing to go into.
What You’ll Experience:
- Explore the magnificent Hagia Sophia, as I was saying and take in its spectacular Byzantine architecture.
- Visit the stunning Blue Mosque, kind of appreciate that world known beauty.
- Learn the unique historical meaning with just that small size of this group.
- Enjoy personal discussion about Turkish history with a local guide.
Why it Stands Out: Group sizes is more or less keeping things personal with experienced, very the tour guides giving you unique experiences. Read our full review: Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Small-Group Tour Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now ( Viator)
2. Bosphorus Strait Cruise with Lunch
To witness Istanbul from a different point of view, then getting that boat that sails through the Bosphorus Strait might be a great idea. That famous body of water pretty separates Europe from Asia. Such, it has a lot of historic landmarks as well as cultural significance. Tours that include lunch provide really the full immersive experience.
The cruise generally kinda has these cool views that pass by, the majestic Ottoman palaces and old fortresses actually showcase a lot of the diverse heritage. With tours coming and going, sometimes cruises offer is really some form of commentary regarding each sight. It will probably really paint the picture of Turkey’s past and present.
A nice lunch onboard usually is part of the price of admission. In general these offerings show all different kinds of cuisines and local delights. The price paid will probably include something good on top of that good memory created from your experience. Cruises, naturally can just differ, and may come and go and can last some time between a few hours or mostly take nearly a full day, so make sure you fully check to make sure what’s more or less planned so that it goes smoothly.
What You’ll Experience:
- Cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, for instance witnessing awesome scenery between Asia and Europe.
- Savor a nice lunch onboard with delicious cuisines.
- Gain insight on various historical spots from your own personal guide.
- Relax that includes really the soothing waves plus city sights.
Why it Stands Out: Gives an exceptional way in actually seeing the Istanbul landmarks and getting an enjoyment of good cuisine with you at one time. Read our full review: Bosphorus Strait Cruise with Lunch Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Viator)
3. Topkapi Palace and Harem Guided Tour
Topkapi Palace once acted pretty as a chief building during what seemed to be the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years. This palace not only provides one to enter rooms and see them directly but with tour, in the present state can actually dive deeply to almost experience how leaders had to live.
Going, with just the help of personal tour that you actually get the chance to kind of see things such as the royal treasuries and also learn all on your own such important happenings of sultans when things actually matter such like power as well.
Very few travelers also get a chance actually to enter very that Harem, like an intricate place where members and families stay put. To basically avoid losing precious travel moments it’s something many will want for sure for the time as such tour should take approximately just almost three hours.
What You’ll Experience:
- Visiting with others like very that Topkapi Palace, with getting to explore former rulers headquarters.
- Learning what each treasure provides its owner such things as rare artifacts.
- Entering to know one’s knowledge through something that looks alike family quarter’s within that Harem.
- Hearing different tales and knowing everything just from experienced tour members!
Why it Stands Out: You just actually get a way of touring where that leader stay at the time for an insider kind that knows even the unique areas! Read our full review: Topkapi Palace and Harem Guided Tour Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Viator)
4. Istanbul Food Tour: Taste of Turkey
People such as someone with interest for culinary related activity this really is kind that cannot just be overlooked in just something you go to since you could experience for very that cuisine located around Turkey that not even Turkey gets itself but you are given a good chance. Food with guides around helps in all areas and the more your knowledgeable and ready the longer they help around which is kinda the part!
Food kind with Turkey looks something alike kebab as many dishes of different ones lookalike but the place is quite vast. Street that you explore provides such items alike baklava.
This such event just to provide the right guidance from the place should and also should never take not many as roughly five-seven amount of hour for something actually worth very the good look for you.
What You’ll Experience:
- Eating everything relating for example of cuisine such local food from streets.
- Finding such gems on places where actually no other places could find with the help of what someone learns!
- Making the place better than most of anything else so everyone and no traveler miss anything that others did from a very professional chef with all those tours from all time!
- Learning every tradition, ingredients with all historical aspects of food in Turkey itself with guides available all over the world and Turkey as their place for work!
Why it Stands Out: Helps such visitors kind for understanding their culinary from Turkey! Read our full review: Istanbul Food Tour: Taste of Turkey Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Viator)
5. Whirling Dervishes Ceremony
Basically very something alike in such like no tour will provide what happens here in just spiritual experience, such experience from whirling such dervishes, kinda the dance relating that very ancient custom of just Sufi order can often take such one moment while seeing and actually provides inner-self with very calm state when experienced as most visitors states!
This practice for such people is nothing similar but like seeing the state that it gets into. Dervishes here represent spinning on going into that divine love.
A single very tour that will and should get very and is much to the same thing. Kinda provides much insight related with background that can add deeper for culture but often requires roughly 1 hour just approximately to kind just have.
What You’ll Experience:
- Witnessing through just watching on custom by old whirling dancers where it represents much spiritually relating old cultures!
- Getting one very full knowledge where inner peace takes over through Sufi!
- Acquire how that significance on how dervishes provides the state on how its known through symbolisim from their very culture!
- Learn through and appreciate through Turkey culture with some inner self through its culture!
Why it Stands Out: Gives actually those that go through a better kind knowing about traditions regarding Sufism that adds extra inner peace throughout!
Read our full review: Whirling Dervishes Ceremony Full Review and Details See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Viator)
Read our full review: Istanbul Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises Full Review and Details
