Istanbul Layover Tours

Tailoring each tour to your wishes by locals who love their city

Top 10 layover tours & experiences around the world

From exploring cool neighborhoods to eating with the locals to seeing iconic sites, these are some of our favorite experiences

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

See all

When in Osaka
make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

See the city like
you would with a friend who lives there

The best private layover tours & experiences with locals

If you’re on a layover in the Turkish capital, the last thing you want to do is mull around the airport. After all, there’s a fascinating city waiting to be explored just a few miles away. Worried you won’t get back in time for your next flight? Book Istanbul layover tours with City Unscripted for a stress-free, seamless sightseeing experience in whatever time you have. On layover tours of Istanbul, a local host will pick you up from the airport and whiz you into the heart of the city, where countless attractions await. When we say you won’t waste a minute, we mean it: your Istanbul layover tours will be expertly tailored to suit your passions and personality.

Meet some of our local hosts around Istanbul

Like the people who travel with us, they have different backgrounds and interests – but they’re all so passionate about the place they call home, they choose to spend their free time sharing it with the like-minded travelers matched to them.

We’ve handpicked them and we’ll match you to your perfect one!

Discover Istanbul on your layover

When you only have limited time to explore the city, every minute has to be perfectly planned. On Istanbul airport layover tours, you won’t have to struggle with maps and a GPS while trying to plan some sightseeing. A local host will pick you up directly from the airport and make sure you get back safely (and on time!). Grab the opportunity to experience the city in whatever time you have. From the iconic Grand Bazaar and traditional Turkish taverns to mosaic-adorned mosques and frescoed churches, there’s so much to see on Istanbul layover tours – why not take full advantage of it?

A tour tailored to you

You couldn’t love layover tours of Istanbul more if you had planned them yourself! That’s because our Istanbul layover tours are 100 percent tailored to you. Tell us what interests you most about this stunning city, and trust us to plan an experience that crams in all the things you’ll love. Whether you want to wind your way through breathtaking architecture, explore history and heritage spanning centuries, or spend a few hours eating Şiş Kebap and jewel-toned Turkish delight, we’ll give you what you want out of the Turkish capital. Best of all? You don’t have to lift a finger.

See the city like a local

Seeing the city with a local gives you an authentic travel experience it wouldn’t be possible to recreate alone. When you have someone by your side who speaks the language and knows all the ins and outs, nothing in the city is off-limits. Book Istanbul layover tours with us for the invaluable opportunity to see the city through a local lens. Rest assured, you’re not just getting the visitors-only version of the city on our layover tours of Istanbul. You’ll uncover the holes-in-the-wall and hidden gems adored by locals – the places that show you the spirit of the Turkish capital.

Istanbul travel tips and inspiration from our Travel Magazine

Find the best things to do, places to eat, must eat foods and lots of travel tips in Istanbul and around the world recommended by our local hosts

Latest reviews from our guests

Our tour guide was excellent. she shared much of the history behind the sights we visited. She was excellent!

November 2023

Joseph M
What an amazing tour! I had a 12 hour layover in Istanbul during my travels and decided to book the tour to break up my travel day. Feruza was the most incredible tour guide! I was left with a deep desire to come back and see more. Feruza walked us through old town, to Hagia Sophia and took me for local food. It was an amazing time!

November 2023

Joana A
When we arrived in Istanbul we had so much trouble just getting out of the airport that I was almost ready to cancel our tour all together. Once we met our guide I was frustrated and tired. However, our guide Feruza completely turned our whole evening around. She gave us the best tour of Istanbul that I could have imagined. She turned it in to a city and food tour, as she recommended all the best places for us to try local food and we loved it. She is so knowledgeable about the city and nice and flexible with whatever you want to do. She took plenty of pictures of us and just went above and beyond my expectations. Thank you Feruza for making our short time in Istanbul memorable. I would come back only to tour with you again on the Asain side this time! Thank you so much!!

October 2023

Nyla S
Feruza was an excellent guide! I had a handful of very specific things I wanted to experience while in Istanbul. We covered everything on my list in perfect timing, with no sense of rushing or taking too long. She was warm and professional, and she could discuss any topic that came up. It is clear she loves this city, and I was so grateful to experience it with her! I have never hired a private guide before, but this was the best decision to see Istanbul from the eyes of a local.

September 2023

Brooke S