Turkiye · SHORE EXCURSIONS
No trip has a spare day going free. These 10 shore excursions are priced and timed so the choice takes minutes and the day takes care of itself.
See Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Grand Bazaar in one port-friendly day with an English-speaking guide.
“I really enjoyed this day and found it interesting and informative. I would have preferred to know in advance how much walking was involved.”
Review of a private Istanbul shore tour covering Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar.
“We had the most amazing tour of Istanbul with our fantastic guide Nazli. Her knowledge of the city, historical sites and experience is superb! We were able to skip the line at several attractions affording us time to cover everything. She had patience in going at the pace that best suited us. This has to be the best excursion ever and feel very fortunate to have spent the day with Nazli.”
Explore Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, Selçuk crafts, and Artemis with a private guide from Kusadasi Port.
“Būlent Aslan is the best guide ever! He’s so knowledgeable, and he has perfected the timing of the tours before it gets crowded and crazy! He’s very funny, has been to so many countries and he can answer any questions you ask. We literally were just chauffeured around without any worries, he handled everything else. This is one of my favorite tours. If you ever decide to visit Kusadasi, ask for him. He will also travel anywhere if you need a translator.”
Spend six hours on a private Bodrum boat, swimming in quiet bays, enjoying lunch, and visiting Karaada’s hot-water cave.
“We had a wonderful experience! The bays we stopped at were incredible and the boat was very clean and nice. We also had two young kids, 5 and 6 and the crew was so patient and kind to them, even considering them for the meal. We would definitely go with them again in future.”
Review of a private Ephesus shore excursion from Kusadasi, with a guide, optional skip-line tickets, Temple of Artemis, and Turkish shopping.
“I booked this private tour of me & my husband way in advance. I paid for the tour even before the pay day & requested Ali (highly recommended in the review) to be our guide. Since this is a private tour, I chose 5/9/25 10am start time & had communicated this to Viator but the tour operator nor Viator had never communicated with me after. At 8:50a that morning when we started to have breakfast on the cruise ship, Ali called me & asked us to meet at the pier right away. I told him our tour time is 10a but he said Kusadasi is very busy that day &…”
See Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar on a private Istanbul tram tour from Galataport.
“Duygu was a pleasure as a guide and very knowledgeable. She was on time and efficient and made sure we had a great feel for the city. Walking is clearly the answer in Istanbul and taking the tram. Would definitely recommend her as a guide and the family”
Explore Ephesus from Kusadasi on a private four-hour shore trip with port transfers, a local guide, Artemis Temple, and optional entry tickets.
“Mehmet was great. He recommended that we start out early and that made a huge difference. We were among the first to Virgin Mary’s house. And arrived at ephesus before the crowds. He helped us learn not only about the sites we visited but he was very knowledgeable about Turkish history, culture, and life in modern times. Mehmet’s english was superb. At lunchtime We stopped for a delicious and affordable lunch. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the ship. A really enjoyable visit to kusadasi.”
Review of Istanbul’s 3.5-hour shore excursion, pairing the Spice Bazaar with a Bosphorus cruise, port transfers, and small-group guiding.
“Very nice morning tour. Picked up on time with a small group. Almost like a private tour. Nice cruise on the Bosphorous and a good trip to the Egyptian spice market. Would highly recommend.”
Explore Ephesus, the Virgin Mary’s House, and ancient wonders from Kusadasi with a private guide, Mercedes van, and flexible port pickup.
“Becareful. Our car had a driver and a tour guide. We went to a museum which was good. But then, they took us to a carpet store and olive store and in each one we were backed into an area and they tried to sell us things. After two tries of this, we had them return us to the ship as we felt uncomfortable.”
Review of Istanbul’s private four-hour shore tour covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar.
“This private tour was excellent. Our guide Selcuk Ersan was very knowledgeable in answering our questions about Istanbul and Turkey. A van and driver transported us between sights. The sights were beautiful The Blue Mosque was closed on our day so we went to another Mosque which was breathtaking. The tour was at our pace with plenty of time at each sight and time to stop at stalls for a drink or to sample Turkish food.The tour finished at the Grand Bazaar and Selcuk showed us how to catch the public transport and recommended cafes and restaurants. We only had 2 days in Istanbul and this tour covered the tourist…”
Pick a coast, a ruin, or a room full of steam.
