Taste of Istanbul

3 Days | Experience Istanbul at its very best.

5 out of 5 based on 18 reviews submitted.
Short Breaks
From
AUD $790
View dates and book

Get a true taste of Istanbul – a city resplendent, enduring and diverse, truly forging itself as the world’s most spectacular intersection of cultures, cuisine and continents. Embark on a Short Break Adventure to get an essential Istanbul experience – exploring the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar. You’ll also get under the skin of the place, eating with a local family, sharing tea and nargile and finding spots hidden from the tourist eye.

Trip overview

Map of Taste Of Istanbul including Turkey
Start
Istanbul, Turkey
Finish
Istanbul, Turkey
Theme
Short Breaks
Destinations
Turkey
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
ERZI
This trip generates 12.93 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Most tours will leave you lost trying to explore the Hagia Sophia on your own – here you’ll take a guided tour through the hidden tales of this magnificent one-of-a-kind monument.
  • Get lost in the labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar, passing by the myriad traders who sell their wares in this expansive space. How good are your haggling skills?
  • Join a home cooked experience in Istanbul, discovering some simple local food with your hosts and spending some time in a tea house – just like the locals do.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, CYDD (Çağdaş Yaşamı Destekleme Derneği). Donations help them provide scholarships and educational programs for economically disadvantaged youth in Turkey.

Is this trip right for you?
  • With a duration of 2-3 days, Intrepid’s Short Break Adventures are the ideal add-on to a longer holiday or a mini adventure of their own! Departures are frequent and usually guaranteed.
  • On Short Breaks, you maintain a good level of independence and freedom, with the added bonus of having the details sorted out for you. You’ll have lots of free time and you won’t be accompanied by a Trip Leader. This means that all included activities and tours will be run by different local Intrepid partners, and these may operate independently from each other. The included activities and transfers will operate on a join-in basis, which means that you could have your Adventure all to yourself, or others may join you along the way. If you would prefer to travel in a group with a dedicated Trip Leader, just get in touch with your booking agent and they will take you through some alternatives.
  • Activities and tours are on a join-in basis, which means other travellers may join you at these times. You may also have different guides throughout the tour, in order to give you the best experience of each activity.

Itinerary

Map of Taste Of Istanbul including Turkey

Inclusions

Meals

2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Transport

Local Transport

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nights)

Activities
  • Istanbul - Home Cooked Istanbul Urban Adventure
  • Istanbul - Hagia Sophia
  • Istanbul - Grand Bazaar
  • Istanbul - Topkapi Palace
  • Istanbul - Istanbul Conquered Urban Adventure
Add on activities
  • Istanbul - Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts - TRY390
  • Istanbul - Blue Mosque Visit - Free
  • Istanbul - Galata Tower - TRY650
  • Istanbul - Bosphorus Boat Cruise (Public Boat) - TRY150
  • Istanbul - Archaeology Museum - TRY340
  • Istanbul - Turkish Hamam (inc. massage) - EUR100
  • Istanbul - Topkapi Palace Harem Entry - TRY85
  • Istanbul - Hagia Irene - TRY80

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. This Short Break Adventure is a ‘join in’ group departure, which means you are not accompanied by an Intrepid group leader or local representative for the duration of the tour. This trip will run with a minimum of one person, so you may be joined by other travelers booked on the same date as you, or you may be on your own.
2. This trip starts with a welcome meeting at 5 pm on Day 1 in Istanbul.
3. This adventure includes a visit to the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. The Bazaar is closed on Sunday should you choose a Saturday departure for this product your visit to the Grand Bazaar on day 2 will be substituted with the Spice Market.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

5 out of 5 based on 18 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Alejandro · Traveled January 2024
Alp, my tour guide, was amazing!!! Great energy, and knowledge about city landmarks and history. He went out of his way more than once to show me even more places and experiences than what was included in the tour, beyond his duties, and spending his personal time to make sure I saw as much as possible of Istanbul. Definitely a great tour to get a taste of this iconic city.
Review submitted 30 Jan 2024

Andrew · Traveled January 2024
A fantastic taste of Istanbul and Turkey. We did as a stop off on way home from intrepid two week Morocco trip( also excellent) Omer our guide was fantastic giving taste of rich history through to everyday life into such a rich city and country. Highly recommend.
Review submitted 17 Feb 2024

Regula · Traveled December 2023
Thanks to the excellent guide I learned more in a day than I would've in a week on my own!
Review submitted 05 Jan 2024

Katherine · Traveled November 2023
Almost everything we did on this tour you could organize yourself. However if you are visiting for a short time it is ideal. The selected hotel is in a great location for exploring on your own and with good restaurants nearby. Having an excellent private guide (Omer) is also very beneficial. He shared so much historical and factual information about the sites, Istanbul, and life in Turkey in general. The tour allows for a unique opportunity to have dinner in a private home. I would recommend the tour.
Review submitted 30 Nov 2023

Jessica · Traveled October 2023
Excellent introduction to Istanbul, taking in the main attractions. I would recommend leaving time day before/after to also visit basicila Cistern and museums
Review submitted 30 Oct 2023
Taste of Istanbul
From
AUD $790