Turkey · PRIVATE
Turkish days out are cheap by European standards and vary wildly in quality, which makes the shortlist the whole job. Here are 15 private tours that hold up, each with its price and its verdict.
Cruise Istanbul’s Bosphorus aboard a mega yacht with dinner, Turkish shows, palace views, private tables, and optional hotel pickup.
“simply perfect! Everything is very good! The food is wonderful and lots of food! The shows are great, the scenery is beautiful! Everything is very organized! 100% recommend”
Review of Istanbul’s private 1, 2, or 3-day guided tour, with major sights, local transport, costs, timing, and practical booking advice.
“we had one day walking private tour of Istanbul with tour guide Ozan Ercan. Ozan was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and friendly that he made our tour truly memorable and enjoyable. We highly recommend him to anyone who wishes to learn about this wonderful and magnificent city.”
Review of a private Kusadasi cruise excursion to Ephesus, the Virgin Mary’s House, and Artemis, with flexible timing and port return.
“The PEOPLE, PLACES and PALATE experience during this tour was amazing. Ulas was a terrific guide who listened to our wants and directed us to the areas that gave us what we wanted.”
Review of a private Ephesus shore excursion from Kusadasi, with flexible sightseeing, local guides, optional sites, lunch, and guaranteed ship return.
“Very lovely and informative tour of an extremely historic area with 9zzy Would definitely recommend, especially if you have limited period of time and coming in off a cruise ship they will pick you up right there and also drop you off”
Review of Istanbul’s private Turkish bath, scrub, foam massage, sauna, and optional massage near Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar.
“My first Turkish bath experience was absolutely wonderful and far exceeded my expectations. From the moment I arrived, the atmosphere felt calm, warm, and inviting, immediately putting me at ease. As someone experiencing this for the first time, I really appreciated how unhurried everything felt — there was no sense of being rushed at any point. The heat, steam, and ritual of the bath were deeply relaxing, allowing me to completely switch off and enjoy the moment. Each step flowed naturally into the next, giving me time to fully unwind and soak in the experience. The pace was perfect, making it feel like a true escape rather than just an…”
Review of a Kusadasi Ephesus tour with Mary's House, skip-the-line entry, private transport, guides, pricing, tips, and honest drawbacks.
“Our story started as every third party cruise excursion in Turkey does. We were to see the Virgin Mary’s home and ruins of Euphrates. Our guide Gonća (Rosie)was the most pleasant, well spoken and intelligent lady. She started the tour by giving us the option to adjust the order of the daily events to beat the crowds and make the most of our day. She paid attention to what we wanted or needed and adjusted the tour to accommodate. When we were hungry she suggested a restaurant and once there she ordered for us. Everything was fantastic. Then the unthinkable happened. My wife/mother looking for the bathroom missed the step…”
Review of a private Ephesus tour from Kusadasi with port pickup, expert guides, flexible stops, Terrace Houses, and on-time cruise return.
“Our visit in Turkey was unforgettable. Our guide took us to the best places. She was very knowledgeable in her history about Turkey. We learned so much. She even took us to a local favorite place for lunch which was phenomenal. Then she recommended a ceramic shop run by a family and we stopped there and watched them work their magic with clay. We bought a few pieces from them as well. I cannot wait to see them in our home in the USA. I highly recommend our guide and her driver.”
Review of Istanbul’s Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish food, live dance shows, night views, private tables, and optional hotel pickup.
“The food and drinks with the VIP pass are terrible; it’s not worth it. I recommend paying for the regular ticket only.”
Review of Istanbul Airport private transfers to Fatih, Beyoglu, and Besiktas, with meeting-point tips, pricing, timing, comfort, and drawbacks.
“Vehicle was nice and driver was super professional. My voucher was saying to meet at gate 13 and took me a long time to find out the correct gate is 14. Staff at gate 14 was not polite at all and were yelling at each other. The cars are parked in a different building and the staff responsible to take you there are not friendly. Definitely not a premium service!”
Review of Kusadasi’s private Ephesus tour, including the Temple of Artemis, House of Mary, lunch, carpet demo, costs, and practical tips.
“Seeing this area and the countryside was beautiful, our guide and driver were very helpful and we really enjoyed it!”
Review of Cappadocia’s private full-day tour, covering fairy chimneys, cave churches, an underground city, pottery, transport, costs, and practical tips.
“The best experience to have in Capadoccia besides the Balloons, its important to know the city and it history Sami was the best guide , he speaks fluent Spanish and English. Very friendly and kind. I will definitely recommend this tour”
Review of a private Kusadasi cruise tour to Ephesus, Mary's House, and Artemis, with flexible timing, local guides, and guaranteed ship return.
“Excellent tour and Josh was a brilliant guide, friendly, and very knowledgeable, would highly recommend. The driver Yildo was also very pleasant and a comfortable, clean vehicle.”
Review of Istanbul’s private Turkish bath, sauna, and massage at DoubleTree Sirkeci, including treatments, value, comfort, and booking tips.
“the experience was phenomenal! our therapists Maria & Ayu were fantastic. The location is easy to find, clean and comfortable. First we had a massage which was incredible, perfect firmness and very relaxing, then a face mask & sauna, then the Turkish bath with foam massage which was out of this world! absolutely loved the experience and wouldn't hesitate to go back again! thank you Maria & Ayu!”
Review of Istanbul’s Acemoglu Hammam, with clay mask, kese scrub, foam wash, massage options, pricing, privacy, and practical tips.
“Fantastic! Thank you Hernán and Abdullah for looking after us so well!”
Review of Istanbul’s private landmark tour, covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and Grand Bazaar.
“It was very intimate and personable. Musa tailored the tour to the things I was interested in and wanted. It was very clear that Musa knew the city, the history and everyone we saw. I loved it!”
Pick a city, a coastline or a ruin.
