This daily Istanbul city tour from Izmir lets you see the highlights of the former Ottoman capital without spending a night away from the Aegean. After being collected at your Izmir hotel and a short domestic flight, you are met in Istanbul and taken straight to Sultanahmet for a fully guided day tour, with lunch at a local restaurant included.
This Istanbul City Tour also works as a shore excursion from the İzmir cruise port — a popular choice for passengers who have one day ashore. As a private excursion it is fully flexible — pickup is right at the pier, the pace follows your group, and we make sure you are back on board well before departure. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Simply share your cruise itinerary and the date you are in İzmir, and we will reserve your places.
Topkapi Palace was the seat of Ottoman power, and its courtyards, treasury and chambers now display imperial jewels, royal robes and sacred relics of Islam. Across the square, the Sultanahmet Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, is still an active place of worship, admired for its blue Iznik tilework and graceful domes. Beside it lies the Hippodrome, once the chariot-racing arena of Byzantine Constantinople, where an Egyptian obelisk and a bronze serpent column still stand.
The Istanbul day trip ends among the colourful stalls of the Spice Bazaar before the return flight to Izmir and the drop-off at your hotel. This daily excursion is long, starting early and finishing late, and involves moderate walking. Domestic flight tickets are arranged separately from the tour. Topkapi Palace closes on Tuesdays, when Hagia Sophia is visited instead. Modest clothing is needed in mosques, and women should bring a headscarf. The minimum age is 11.
Your full day programme — click to see every stop.
Istanbul Old City Programme The day starts early when our driver collects you at your Izmir hotel and takes you to Izmir Airport for the short domestic flight to Istanbul. On arrival at Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport, our team welcomes you and drives you to Sultanahmet, the historic core of the city. Your guide begins at Topkapi Palace, walking you through the courtyards where the Ottoman court lived and showing the treasury pieces, ceremonial garments and holy relics on display. Next comes the Blue Mosque, where you can admire the tiled interior and the play of light beneath its domes. A few steps away is the Hippodrome, and here you see the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine while hearing about the chariot races of Byzantine times. Lunch is served at a local restaurant, with vegetarian, halal and meat options. In the afternoon you stroll through the Spice Bazaar, a lively market for Turkish delight, baklava, teas, spices and handmade goods, with shopping entirely optional. Afterwards you are driven back to the airport for the evening flight to Izmir, and on landing you are taken to your hotel. On Tuesdays Hagia Sophia replaces Topkapi Palace.
Izmir → Istanbul → Izmir Topkapi Palace → Blue Mosque
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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Real, verified reviews from travellers who explored Turkey with us.
My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!