Taste of Istanbul

3 Days | Experience Istanbul at its very best.

5 out of 5 based on 15 reviews submitted.
Short Breaks
From
USD $493
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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

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

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 15 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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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

Lesley · Traveled September 2023
Absolutely superb trip! Istanbul far exceeded my expectations. It's a fascinating and unique blend of East and West and Past and Present. We were lucky to effectively have a private tour as there were just two of us on our trip. Our guide Omer was excellent! He was very knowledgeable, highly professional, friendly and approachable. His passion for history was evident but he also pointed out so many interesting things about local life in Istanbul and we felt able to ask him anything - including lots of questions about the local cats! The evening meal with a family was a highlight of the trip as well as that first glimpse inside the Hagia Sophia. I can't praise Omer enough, a very pleasant young man and an asset to Intrepid. I highly recommend this trip
Review submitted 26 Sep 2023

Allan · Traveled September 2023
Awesome way to see & appreciate with enthusiastic knowledgeable young keen guide the sights of Istanbul
Review submitted 21 Sep 2023

Annabel · Traveled July 2023
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and would highly recommend it. We were shown all the great spots and learnt so much about the history of Istanbul and Turkey. Our tour guide, Sona, was awesome. My daughters really enjoyed too. We got so much out of it. It was the high light of our holiday. Thanks Sona :)
Review submitted 08 Aug 2023

Keith · Traveled July 2023
We had our expectations exceeded. Our guide was brilliant. He was informative friendly and caring, particularly with my wife when she started to tire a little. The itinerary was well organised and very entertaining. I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed my experience with Intrepid.
Review submitted 10 Jul 2023
Taste of Istanbul
From
USD $493