Istanbul Layover Tours

Tailoring each experience 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

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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

Feruza

Istanbul

An enthusiastic Istanbul local, unveils the city's historical wonders and culinary delights, guiding you through a captivating journey of culture and flavor.

Devanshu

Dublin

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

Ipek was extremely knowledgeable, personable, helpful, and accomplished. She created an itinerary based on my desires and time frame, and then accommodated when I realized I had asked for too much in the time I had. We laughed, drank coffee, i learned an amazing amount of history in just a few hours. I would definitely recommend City Unscripted!

April 2025

Kathryn R
Burak excelled himself today. Not only was he an excellent tour guide, he was incredibly helpful in assisting our elderly mother in her wheelchair. Nothing seemed too much trouble. We thoroughly enjoyed our day in Istanbul and wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Burak to others. Definitely worth booking.

April 2025

Gail E
My guide, Feruza, was timely and met me at the discussed meeting location. She inquired about my sightseeing priorities. Her English was very good. She was a delightful guide. L

April 2025

Seth M
Emir was our excellent personal Guide that made our entire day with him in Istanbul an amazing lifelong memorable experience. He took the time to teach us about his City, Culture and Country. Emir ensured that we tried all types of local street foods, Turkish teas and coffees. We traveled to all the various neighborhoods of Istanbul and Emir did everything to ensure we were learning as much as we could.

April 2025

Brian R