Istanbul Discovery: Unearth the Wonders of Europe + Asia with Whirling Dervish Ceremony
4.4
117 Ratings
Fatih
Embark on a spiritual journey in Istanbul with our Whirling Dervish Ceremony tour. Explore the Spice Bazaar, visit stunning mosques, and discover the wonders of Dolmabahce Palace.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Halic - We drive on the southern shores of Golden Horn that makes this tour unique. Churches, mosques, Byzantine city walls, mousoleums to see enroute.
What's Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Lunch
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Bosphorus Cruise
  • Roundtrip boat transfer between European & Asian Side
  • Dolmabahce Palace entrance fee
  • English speaking licensed & professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Personal expenses
  • Beverages in lunch
Additional Information

We strongly advise you our Whirling Dervish Ceremony: Go on a Spiritual Journey Half Day Tour in order to enrich your Istanbul holiday!

  • Start the day with Spice Bazaar, listen to the miracle of the herbs and taste delicious Turkish delights here.
  • Crossing from Besiktas to Uskudar by boat and have lunch here in a local restaurant.
  • In the afternoon, visit the famous mosques of Uskudar district. Start with Semsi Pasha Mosque from 16th century, designed by Ottoman imperial architect Mimar Sinan.
  • Continue with Yeni Valide Mosque from 18th century.
  • The last mosque we see here is another masterpiece of Mimar Sinan, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque.
  • Before crossing back to European side by boat, we visit local Fish Market.
  • And finally, last stop of the day is Dolmabahce Palace. We will also visit Harem of Dolmabahce Palace.
  • Dolmabahçe Palace is closed on Monday, it will be replaced with Galata Tower and its neighbourhood
Location
Egyptian Bazaar
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(117 Ratings)
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Mapmydestination
Apr 12, 2024
A Day of Bosphorus Beauty and Cultural Delights - Set on this full-day adventure in Istanbul was truly breathtaking! The boat ride along the Bosphorus Strait offered stunning views of majestic bridges, palaces, and mosques. The guided tour of Dolmabahçe Palace was fascinating, and exploring the Spice Bazaar was a sensory delight with its vibrant colors and enticing scents. The highlight was undoubtedly the delicious 3-course meal enjoyed by the beautiful shoreline. This tour is a must-do for anyone visiting Istanbul, offering a perfect blend of sightseeing and cultural experiences.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sllee8
Dec 8, 2022
Highly recommended - We had the best guide, Diana, who was informative and caring. Ibrahim, our driver, was very kind too. We enjoyed the trip from the beginning till the end. The cruise was a joy. Glad to be on both continents in 1 day!
Review provided by Viator
Mel2567
Nov 24, 2022
A fun day! - Dogus (who is with Istanbul Walks) was great, we really enjoyed our day with her! We have been in Istanbul for almost a week but learned a lot of new and interesting facts, and we wish we had done this tour sooner on our trip because she pointed out a lot of fun things we didn’t know about. My only advice to other travelers, especially Western visitors, is to do your research before entering the Spice Market as it is very easy to be persuaded into purchasing/spending more than intended. We took some of our favorite pictures from the trip on the Bosphorus cruise!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danac112588
Oct 12, 2022
Wonderful experience filled with knowledge - This tour was the best way to start my trip to Istanbul! Having never been to Turkey before, I figured booking an organized tour would be the smartest way to familiarize myself with the area. Our time with Ludvic (spelling might be wrong) was the most enjoyable and informational experience. His knowledge is impeccable, and he easily answered all of our questions. Also, the restaurant he took us to for lunch was delicious! I highly recommend this tour, and wish I had coordinated another tour with him to see more sights not included. Everything went smoothly, and the hotel pickup and drop off is a huge perk, you’ll understand why when you start trying to coordinate taxis by yourself in the city. Not very easy, and prices are not always fair.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shaw0ndaw
Aug 14, 2022
Dogus was the best tour guide!!!! - Our tour guide Dogus was AMAZING! She was so knowledgeable about the area and customized the tour to our needs. She was also very personable- she felt like one of the “girls”.! I highly recommend her and would use her for other tours. So much fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peterdr720yo
Sep 18, 2022
Overpriced and nothing special - Great tour guide, but this tour is not value for money. The palace has some good bits but is mostly boring and it is annoying not to be able to see it at your own speed. The 90 minute cruise is pleasant, but there are many other operators offering a cruise for cheaper.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tahani_k
Sep 12, 2022
I got food poisoning from the restaurant but the tour it self and the tour guide was awsome - I got food poisoning from the restaurant that went to, I’ve been throwing up, diarrhea, chills and headaches all night long nothing ever happened to me like this I felt like I was gonna die,I need to find a hospital to go to
Review provided by Viator
Frankin_m
Aug 22, 2022
The crew are doing their... - The crew are doing their best, as well as the tour guide too. The food was simple and flavorful. Thanks
Review provided by Viator
Jeeraphat_j
Jun 5, 2023
Horrible tour - No one come to pick us up from the hotel. We have been waiting for more than one hour. Hotel staff try to help us contact the number but no response. Totally bad and I want my money BACK
Review provided by Viator
Anne_d
Oct 28, 2022
Wouldn’t recommend - This tour was a disaster from the beginning. We were rescheduled twice and finally we went. If you are looking for something informative with an interactive guide, look somewhere else. At the spice market, we were told nothing of the history but were instead led inside to a vendor and expected to spend money. The tour guide did the least during the Bosphorus cruise. They did not tell us any history about any of the buildings or monuments along the Bosphorus. We were left googling and guessing what the landmarks were. When we arrived at the Asian side for lunch, we were told nothing about the area of the history, instead just led to a restaurant. What was described as a three course lunch was in reality just one course of dry and oily meat. No dessert. The guide was just a baby sitter at the palace and just walked ahead of us and left us to interact with the palace provided headsets without offering any additional insight into the experience. We were told it was because they couldn’t speak inside the palace but we went past many larger sized groups with guides. Super disappointing. Do not book.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 8 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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