Budget Hotels Istanbul

Tours of Istanbul

Istanbul, one of the major cities of Turkey, is a very unique metropolis located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. Istanbul is a huge city with 13 million people, with a rich heritage and numerous historical landmarks. The city is so big that, in most cases, tourists only get to see a few sites in the Sultanahmet district and never get to see the rest of Istanbul. Therefore, the best way to see all the landmarks in Istanbul is via a tour of Istanbul. While one can arrange individual tours, the most efficient method to see this great modern city is to get a tour arranged by the Istanbul budget hotel one is staying at.  Your hotel can recommend a bus tour of the city if you wish
Many hotels can organize tours of Istanbul with local licensed guides and private buses. One can see most sites during the tour of Istanbul in one day but the tour is best split into two half days. This way you can have the evening to yourself and spend the time relaxing or getting a Turkish sauna, dining on some amazing Turkish cuisine or visiting a night club for dancing and meeting people.

The half day tours take about 4-6 hours and will take you around the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the Suleymaniye, the Underground cistern, the Grand Bazaar, the Chora Museum, Dolmabahce Palace, the Turkish and Islamic art building and the Archeological museum.

During the tours of Istanbul, you will also get a chance to see numerous modern buildings, experience first hand the  Istanbul traffic and most likely stop over for a traditional Turkish buffet lunch. The tours usually are inclusive and cost about $180 per person.

Other tours of Istanbul include the Bosphorus tour that includes a cruise down the river Bosphorus, a visit to the Spice Market, the Grand Bazaar and the Hagia Sophia. Other tours of Istanbul are centered around the historic district of Sultanahmet which take you around Topkapi Palace which was once a private residence of the royalty.  It is certainly worth coming back to the Topkapi Palace on your own for a tour of the palace itself.

All the Istanbul tours go to the Grand Bazaar which is a small district of Istanbul with hundreds of chic restaurants, cafes, mosques, markets full of everything you can imagine and souks where one can buy souvenirs and gifts to take back home. Your tour guide will also take you to the most photogenic areas of Istanbul- so remember to take a decent camera and know how to use it before you get to Istanbul.

Walking tours of Istanbul can also be arranged either on your own or through your hotel.  There are many good guide books to Istanbul that will help you create your own walking tour, if you have the time in the city.