Half-Day Tours in Istanbul [by Local Tour Guide 2024]

Hello, I’m Serhat Engul, a local tour guide based in Istanbul. As a history buff, I organize private guided tours that tell the stories of historical districts in Istanbul. These districts include Sultanahmet, Fener & Balat and Beyoglu.

Sultanahmet and Fener & Balat districts are within the boundaries of Istanbul’s Historical Peninsula (former Constantinople). On the other hand, although Beyoglu is a relatively new district, it’s a historically important place.

In this article, I would like to introduce you to my walking tours in these districts. I have been a licensed tourist guide in Istanbul since 2004 and I have shown these routes to hundreds of people.

If you want to see Istanbul through the eyes of a local guide, you can reach out to me by filling out the form on the contact page. You can be sure that these tours will leave unforgettable memories for you!

1. Sultanahmet Walking Tour

Private half-day Sultanahmet Tour is an excellent option to get general information about Istanbul. On this 4-hour walking tour, you will discover the heart of Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula, Sultanahmet and its surroundings.

The half-day Istanbul walking tour basically has five stops. These are buildings that represent different periods from the history of Istanbul. For this reason, this tour gives you a clear idea of the cosmopolitan nature of the city.

a. Hippodrome

The Hippodrome is my favorite starting place for my tours in Sultanahmet. Because this place dates back to the Roman Empire period and has some of the oldest historical artifacts in the city.

b. Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque is the most famous mosque in Istanbul and takes its name from the blue Ottoman tiles in its interior decoration. This is the most distinctive structure of Ottoman history in the half-day Sultanahmet tour.

c. Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia was built in the 6th century, during the Byzantine Empire. After the 15th century, it was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. As such, it is a work that perfectly reflects the cosmopolitan nature of Istanbul.

d. Basilica Cistern

Basilica Cistern is the most mysterious among dozens of Byzantine cisterns in Istanbul. This place is famous for the Medusa Heads under the columns. The Basilica Cistern was also featured in some scenes of famous movies such as James Bond and Inferno.

e. Spice Bazaar

Spice Bazaar is located in Eminonu, the transportation hub of Old Istanbul. On our way to this historical bazaar, we pass through streets filled with Istanbul’s best local restaurants and public markets. The half-day tour of Old Istanbul ends in this 350-year-old bazaar.

Why Should You Take a Half-Day Istanbul Tour?

Half-day Istanbul tour introduces you to Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman structures. However, this tour is not just about visiting historical monuments. During the tour, you learn a lot about the culture and daily life of Istanbul.

Especially at the end of the tour, during our walk to Spice Bazaar, you discover the restaurants and dessert shops in the city where the locals eat. Thus, this history tour also offers a partial food tour experience.

The private guide fee for the half-day Sultanahmet tour is 200 Euros. This fee does not include entrance to museums, but in this itinerary we only pay entrance fee for Basilica Cistern. Admission is free for guides and you just buy your own tickets.

2. Historical Peninsula Walking Tour

The Historical Peninsula tour primarily covers Sultanahmet, but goes a little outside the tourist circle and also shows you alternative places in Old Istanbul (former Constantinople). This tour is a perfect blend of Ottoman and Byzantine history.

The half-day Historical Peninsula tour covers Cistern of Philoxenos, Forum of Constantine, Grand Bazaar, Suleymaniye Mosque, Sehzade Mosque, Valens Aqueduct, Zeyrek Mosque (former Monastery of Pantocrator) and with this route it perfectly completes the Sultanahmet tour in the first title.

In this second tour, you will complete the missing parts of the first tour and visit the most important buildings in Byzantine and Ottoman period Istanbul. The private guidance price for this second tour, which covers a larger area and requires more expertise than the first tour on the list, is 250 Euros.

3. Fener and Balat Walking Tour

Fener and Balat walking tour is for those who want to explore the historical districts of Istanbul that are off the tourist route. Although these districts stand out with their colorful houses, they also contain great historical and cultural riches.

Churches, mosques and synagogues on this route are not well known as they are not easily visited without a guide. However, you can thoroughly explore these magnificent districts of Istanbul with a local tour guide.

Fener and Balat tour is the most unique and special tour of all my tours. The private guide price for this walking tour is 220 Euros. We also pay a tip of 600 Turkish Liras (approximately 15 Euros) in total to the church officials who open places for us that are normally closed to tourists.

4. Beyoglu Walking Tour

Beyoglu walking tour covers the relatively newer districts of Istanbul compared to the Old City. These areas where the heart of the city beats. Most of the top restaurants and cafés located within these neighborhoods.

The Beyoglu walking tour starts from the Tophane district, where the Istanbul cruise port is, and then continues along Karakoy, Galata, Istiklal Street. At the end of the tour, we arrive at Taksim Square, the heart of Istanbul.

Galata and its surroundings were the autonomous area of the Genoese during the Byzantine period. In this tour, you will learn very important details that an ordinary tourist misses about the history of Istanbul.

The private guide fee for this nostalgic tour, which has a very different vibe, is 220 Euros. There are no other extra costs on the tour. However, it should be noted that we see the Galata Tower from the outside.

5. Byzantine History Tour

Byzantine History Tour allows you to discover the traces of a civilization that no longer exists in Istanbul. There are many churches, cisterns, palaces and artifacts left from the Eastern Roman (aka Byzantine) empire in Istanbul. You can see what’s left of Constantinople on this tour.

The itinerary of the Byzantine Istanbul tour may vary depending on the restoration status of the relevant historical monuments. This tour is designed for History buffs and the private guide fee is 220 Euros.

Serhat Engul on TripAdvisor

Majority of the local tour guides in Istanbul are registered on TripAdvisor and their reviews are visible there. You are advised to check the guide’s background from internet, to make sure that he/she is the right person for you.

I suggest you read the comments carefully. Long and detailed reviews will help you better to find the right local tour guide for you in Istanbul. You may read my reviews on TripAdvisor from this link.

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