The Bosphorus, dividing Europe from Asia, is the view that makes Istanbul Istanbul. Your driver collects you from your hotel; you tour Dolmabahçe, the last palace of the Ottomans, follow the shore to Ortaköy, Bebek and Rumeli Fortress, then cross the bridge to Asia to see Beylerbeyi, colourful Kuzguncuk and Çamlıca Hill looking down over the city.
The crystal halls of Dolmabahçe Palace, the mosque under the bridge at Ortaköy, Rumeli Fortress and the Bebek shore, then across the bridge to Asia for Beylerbeyi, Kuzguncuk and Çamlıca Hill: both shores of the Bosphorus in one day, by private car. Suggested duration 8 hours; pickup from hotels in Besiktas, Taksim, Sultanahmet and the rest of the region. Prices start at €320 per vehicle, paid to the driver on the day.
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Unlike the packed programme of the historic peninsula, this tour shows Istanbul's more spacious, green side: waterside mansions, palaces, fishermen's cafés and the bridges joining two continents. This time the stops are far apart, which is where a private car makes the difference – the same route is hard to complete in a day by public transport.
On the European side, Dolmabahçe Palace and Ortaköy are followed by Bebek and Rumeli Fortress; then you cross to Asia on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. On the Asian side, Beylerbeyi Palace or Kuzguncuk, Çamlıca Hill and the Üsküdar shore with its view of the Maiden's Tower make up the second half.
The programme takes six to eight hours; the eight-hour package leaves comfortable time for lunch and a walk in Kuzguncuk. A one-hour Bosphorus boat trip can also be added (boat fare extra). The price is per vehicle, not per person.
Stops are shown in a typical order; your driver waits at every stop.
Built between 1843 and 1856 for Sultan Abdülmecid, the palace blends European styles with Ottoman tradition. Its gilded ceilings, crystal staircase and ceremonial hall, home to one of the largest crystal chandeliers in the world, are well worth seeing. Atatürk died here on 10 November 1938, and the clocks in his room show 09:05. Closed on Mondays.
Right beneath the Bosphorus Bridge, the elegant Ortaköy Mosque at the water's edge was built in the 1850s and is one of Istanbul's most photographed sights. The square has kumpir (stuffed baked potato) and waffle stalls, and craft stands at weekends. Ideal for a short walk and a coffee.
You drive along the shore road through Bebek, one of the most elegant Bosphorus districts, to Rumeli Fortress. Built by Sultan Mehmed II in about four months in 1452, before the conquest of Constantinople, it commands one of the narrowest points of the strait. The tea gardens and fish restaurants below its walls are a lovely option for lunch.
After crossing to Asia you can visit Beylerbeyi, the summer palace Sultan Abdülaziz built in the 1860s, or walk the streets of Kuzguncuk, where colourful wooden houses, a mosque, a church and a synagogue stand side by side. To see both, the eight-hour package is enough.
From Büyük Çamlıca, one of Istanbul's highest hills, two continents, the Bosphorus, its bridges and the historic peninsula fit into one frame. On the hill stand the Çamlıca Mosque, opened in 2019, and Çamlıca Tower with its observation deck; the tower ticket is not included. The light is best towards sunset.
At the end of the day you sit on the Üsküdar shore facing the Maiden's Tower on its tiny islet in the middle of the Bosphorus. Restored and open to visitors, the tower has inspired countless legends. From here you return across the bridge to your hotel.
Times are an example; your driver adapts the day to traffic, season and your wishes.
The Bosphorus is a waterway about 30 km long linking the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, narrowing in places to around 700 metres. In ancient myth its name comes from Io, turned into a cow by Zeus, who swam across here: Bosporos means “cow's passage”. For centuries, whoever controlled this narrow strait also shaped the fate of trade and war.
In Ottoman times the shores filled with the wooden waterside mansions (yalı) of pashas and wealthy families; in the 19th century the sultans left Topkapı on the historic peninsula for shore palaces such as Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi. These palaces carry the traces of the empire's last, Europe-facing century.
Opened in 1973, the Bosphorus Bridge (today the 15 July Martyrs Bridge) linked Europe and Asia by road for the first time. It was followed by the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in 1988 and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in 2016. As you cross between continents in a few minutes, remember that you are crossing a border thousands of years old.
Prices are per vehicle and include fuel, motorway and bridge tolls, parking and the driver. Guide, meals and hotel are added as options.
| Duration | FirstClass Van (1–6) | Vip Sprinter (1–16) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 hours | €320 | €420 |
| 8 hours | €440 | €560 |
| 12 hours | €580 | €780 |
| 24 hours · 1 night | €720 | €820 |
| 36 hours · 1 night | €1060 | €1450 |
| 48 hours · 2 nights | €1560 | €1980 |
| Add-on | Price | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed guide required | €200 | Per day, whatever the group size |
| Lunch | €15 | Per person, for each lunch in the package |
| Dinner | €15 | Per person, for each dinner in the package |
| Hotel accommodation | €60 | Per person per night (sharing a double room) |
Example – 2 persons, 8 hours, FirstClass Van: Private vehicle & driver + Licensed guide + Lunch = €440 + €200 + €30 = €670
Can be added as options: Lunch, Dinner, Hotel accommodation.
Distances are approximate road kilometres to the main sight (one way). We also pick up from hotels and addresses not listed – just enter yours in the form.
| Area | Distance | Suggested package | Airport transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Besiktas | ≈ 1 km | 6 hours | Besiktas transfer |
| Taksim | ≈ 3 km | 6 hours | Taksim transfer |
| Sultanahmet | ≈ 6 km | 6 hours | Sultanahmet transfer |
| Sisli | ≈ 5 km | 6 hours | Sisli transfer |
| Sariyer | ≈ 15 km | 6 hours | Sariyer transfer |
| Uskudar | ≈ 6 km | 6 hours | Uskudar transfer |
| Kadikoy | ≈ 10 km | 6 hours | Kadikoy transfer |
Ideal for a second day in Istanbul, for those who have seen the historic peninsula and are curious about the city's modern, green side, for couples and for photographers. Walks are short; inside Dolmabahçe you walk for about an hour.
Our tours in Istanbul are accompanied by a licensed tourist guide; the guide fee is added to the price automatically. In Turkey, only licensed tourist guides may give explanations at museums and archaeological sites (Tourist Guiding Profession Law No. 6326).
No other passengers and no waiting for anyone – the car is yours all day.
The order and length of stops are flexible, with no compulsory shopping stops.
The price is fixed at booking and paid to the driver on the day.
Vixride is a TÜRSAB-licensed travel agency (licence 14798); vehicles and drivers are insured.
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No – this tour is by road and crosses between the continents by bridge. We can add a short one-hour cruise or a private boat; the boat fare is paid separately and your driver waits at the pier.
On Mondays we give more time to Beylerbeyi Palace instead of Dolmabahçe and extend the European side to Rumeli Fortress and Sarıyer. It is still a full day.
Yes. If we start from Kadıköy, Üsküdar or Ataşehir, we reverse the order, seeing the Asian side first and crossing to Europe by bridge.
With the six-hour package you comfortably see Dolmabahçe, Ortaköy, Rumeli Fortress and Çamlıca. For Beylerbeyi Palace, a walk in Kuzguncuk and a long lunch, we recommend the eight-hour package.
Only licensed guides may give explanations inside the palaces; your driver does not guide inside. The guide rule and fee for this region are shown in the booking form – if a guide is required, the fee is added automatically.
The tour price is per vehicle: the package costs the same whether one or six people travel in the van. Only lunch, dinner and hotel accommodation are charged per person. The guide fee is per day and does not depend on the group size.
Nothing is charged online at booking; you pay the driver on the day of the tour in cash (EUR, USD, GBP, TRY) or by card. Free cancellation and date changes; please let us know at least 24 hours in advance.
Istanbul
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