Full-Day Old City, Bosphorus Cruise & Cable Car Tour, Istanbul

Full-Day Old City, Bosphorus Cruise & Cable Car Tour in Istanbul

See the very best of Istanbul in a single day on this full-day Old City, Bosphorus cruise and cable car tour, combining the imperial monuments of Sultanahmet, a relaxing boat trip between two continents and a scenic cable-car ride for the city's finest panorama. With a professional guide and comfortable transport, it is the ideal way to capture Istanbul's history, waterways and views in one well-paced day.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Istanbul

This Full-Day Old City, Bosphorus Cruise & Cable Car Tour, Istanbul also works as a shore excursion from the Istanbul cruise port — a popular choice for passengers who have one day ashore. Shared departures follow a fixed timetable, so please send us your ship’s arrival and departure times when booking — we confirm pier pickup or suggest the private option for tight port calls. 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 Istanbul, and we will reserve your places.

Highlights of the Full-Day Istanbul Tour

• Old City (Sultanahmet) — the great monuments of historic Istanbul, from Hagia Sophia to the Blue Mosque and the ancient Hippodrome.
• Grand Bazaar — one of the world's oldest and largest covered markets.
• Bosphorus cruise — a boat trip along the strait that divides Europe and Asia, past palaces and fortresses.
• Cable car ride — a scenic ascent for a sweeping panorama over the Golden Horn and the city.
• Guided & transferred — a professional guide and hotel pick-up and drop-off.

The day begins in the Old City of Sultanahmet, the historic heart of Istanbul, where you take in the great Byzantine church-turned-mosque of Hagia Sophia, the blue-tiled Blue Mosque and the ancient Hippodrome with its Egyptian Obelisk and Serpentine Column, before browsing the spices, carpets and treasures of the Grand Bazaar. It is a rich introduction to the city's Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past.

In the second half of the day you board a boat for a Bosphorus cruise, gliding along the strait between Europe and Asia past waterfront mansions, marble palaces and the mighty fortresses that guard the waterway, before riding a cable car up for a breathtaking panorama over the Golden Horn and the domes and minarets of old Istanbul. With a knowledgeable guide and hotel transfers included, this full day brings together the city's monuments, waterways and most memorable views.