Istanbul City Sightseeing Tour has collected some of the must-visit places in Istanbul. These are the places where acquaintance with this beautiful city and Turkish culture in general begins. Not sure which excursion to choose to get to know Istanbul better? With Istanbul city tour you can see the most important places of Istanbul and definitely fall in love with this city!
You will visit the unique park – the open-air museum “Miniaturk”, in which all the sights of Turkey are summarized in miniature size. Its area is 60,000 m². In the Eyup area, take the cable car to climb the Pierre Loti hill, where the famous Pierre Loti viewing platform is located. It offers incredible views of the Golden Horn and Istanbul.
You will visit the famous Taksim Square and Istiklal Avenue which will amaze you with its architecture and colorful atmosphere. Take unforgettable photos near the fabulous 14th-century Galata Tower. With the historic “Tünel” funicular railway built in 1875, you descend to the Karakö waterfront promenade.
You have incredible views of the bay and the mighty Galata drawbridge. You can take beautiful photos against the background of the huge minarets of the Suleymaniye Mosque, the beautiful Galata Tower, soaring seagulls and ships along the bay.
A sightseeing tour in Istanbul leaves unforgettable, pleasant impressions and warm memories of the beautiful city of Istanbul!
Istanbul City Sightseeing Tour price is 45 Euro for adults, 40 Euro for children from 5 to 10 years old and for children under 4 years old free.
Please note that we have ‘no hidden costs’
Tour days: Daily
Tour duration: From 08:30 to 13:30
Istanbul Hotels Transfer: Pick up from your hotel
Would you like to join another excursion in İstanbul? Check out Bosporus Cruise and Discover Two Continents.
A comfortable coach will pick you up from your hotel and set off on an unforgettable adventure to get to know the beautiful city of Istanbul. Drive to the Sutluce district to Miniaturk Park on the banks of the Golden Horn. Next, take the cable car up Pierre Loti Hill, home to the famous panoramic viewing platform at Golden Horn Bay.
Afterwards, visit the districts of Taksim and Beyoglu and ride the historical funicular to the dam of Karakoy. Take unforgettable photos on the Galata Drawbridge and observe the cruise ships and the famous sights of Istanbul.
You will go to the picturesque Golden Horn Bay, on the coast of which there is a unique park “Miniaturk”. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that 134 main attractions of Turkey are located on an area of 60,000 m² in miniature scale of 1:25. You have the opportunity to get to know Turkey in just one day. You will see famous temples, palaces, forts and entire cities. You will also see models of Pamukkale with snow-white travertines and the cave city of Cappadocia with colorful balloons. On the territory of Miniature Istanbul, you will be amazed by the Bosphorus Strait with miniature ships, an airport with model airplanes and even the Bosphorus Bridge, which you can walk across.
The whole park is alive and you can start the mechanisms yourself by throwing a 1 lira coin into a special contraption. So you can fly a plane or send a ferry to the other side. Near each object of the museum you can listen to information about it in different languages. You can also download Miniatürk app with audio guide and map. Also on the territory of the park are: a museum complex, a 5D cinema, attractions for children, a cozy restaurant, a souvenir shop, a photo pavilion where you can take photos in the outfits of the sultans and other entertainment. A mini steam locomotive runs through the park, taking both adults and children to the right place.
In the Eyup area there is the Eyup – Pierre Loti cable car, with which you can easily reach the famous Pierre Loti viewing platform in 3 minutes. Its length is 384 meters, one stand can accommodate up to 8 people. During the climb you will see Sultan Abu Eyup Mosque and the hillside behind the mosque filled with Sultan Eyup City Cemetery.
You will have the opportunity to visit one of the best viewing platforms in Istanbul. It is located at an altitude of 53 meters above sea level on the Pierre Loti hill in the Eyup region and offers a magnificent panoramic view of Istanbul and the Golden Horn. This is where the novel “Asiade” was written by the French sailor and writer Julien Vio, who wrote novels under the pseudonym Pierre Loti . The novel is based on the love story of a French officer and a young Turkish woman based on his personal experience.
The famous districts of Taksim and Beyoglu, the famous Istiklal Street are the hallmark of Istanbul. You will visit the most popular place for both tourists and locals. It is the main center for recreation, culture and economy. Life is in full swing here day and night. Many cafes, restaurants, various shops, old mosques and churches. This area was already the main place of trade in ancient times. Beyoglu is considered to be the most Europeanized area. This area was settled 8000 years ago. Since ancient times, mainly foreigners have settled here – Germans, Greeks, Italians and even French. You will be amazed by the architecture you see!
The famous Istiklal Avenue is 1.6 km long. You can capture beautiful, unforgettable photos of the avenue’s elegant architecture and the historic red tram that runs along this street. The famous Pera Palace Hotel is located here, where Turkey’s first elevator was installed in 1892. Famous people have always settled here – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Agatha Christie, Alfred Hitchcock, as well as the passengers of the Orient Express. Ernest Hemingway stayed at the Buyuk Londra Hotel built in 1892. The Beyoglu area is full of old buildings, the history of each one will surely surprise you!
On the site of Taksim Square, from which the famous Istiklal Street begins, there was a cistern with water since 1732, from which water was distributed throughout the city. Now the wall of the cistern is decorated with fountains, and in the center is the monument to the Turkish Republic, made by Italian sculptors in 1928.
You will see the famous Galata Tower built by the Genoese in 1348. A lighthouse once stood in its place, and between 1574 and 1595 the tower was used as an observatory. It is incredibly beautiful day and night – in the rays of multicolored lighting. It is 140 meters above sea level. It offers incredible views of the city and the Bosphorus. Shepherds settled here in the Middle Ages.
From the Greek language “Galatas” is translated as “milkman”. In those days, Galata was the tallest building in the city and was part of the defenses. In 1632, one of the first flights in history was made of it. The scientist Hezarfen Ahmet elebi jumped from the tower using homemade wings and even managed to fly over the Bosphorus and land in the Asian part of the city. The tower is 67 meters high and has a diameter of 9 meters. Now there is a restaurant at the top and a panoramic observation deck with a beautiful view of the Bosphorus. From October 2020 the tower will be open to the public as a museum.
You will ride the historic “Tünel” funicular – one of the first underground transport lines in the world, built in 1875. It transports over 15,000 people daily. It connects Karakoy and Beyoglu stations. The tunnel is 573 meters long and 6.6 meters wide. It is inclined, the difference in height between the stations is 61 meters. Each car can accommodate up to 170 passengers.
Galata Bridge is really the most popular drawbridge connecting Karakoy and Eminonu. It offers stunning views of the Golden Horn and Istanbul’s most famous landmarks – Galata Tower, Suleymaniye Mosque and New Mosque. It is 484 meters long and 42 meters wide. There is a pedestrian zone and a thoroughfare on the second floor of the bridge. On the ground floor there are fish restaurants and cafes. In any weather on the bridge you can meet fishermen who fish here around the clock. Good-natured fishermen will happily take photos with you and may allow you to fish with them. Against the background of the Bosphorus and the ships passing under the bridge, you can create beautiful, unforgettable photos and videos. And also to feed big local gulls,
You may like to take a look at our another Activities and Excursions in Istanbul
