Best Luxury Tours

For us, luxury means three things you do not share: your own car and driver, your own boat and your own schedule. These tours suit travellers who want Istanbul's big sights without a shared van, ticket queues or fixed start times, and they suit celebrations that deserve a proper setting. You can book anything from one chauffeured day up to a full VIP package that adds a guide, a yacht reserved for you and an S-Class with chauffeur.

Car and driver

The simplest step up is a driver-only Vito day. It costs $220 per group of up to six, and you keep a professional driver for eight hours, with fuel and parking paid. There is no guide on this one: the driver goes where you ask and waits while you visit. It is a good fit for return visitors, shoppers and families who have already made their list. For eight-hour route ideas, read our notes on booking a chauffeured car.

The top option is the VIP day by S-Class and yacht at $1,800 per group. It gives you six hours in an S-Class with a chauffeur, a licensed private guide, entry tickets for Topkapi and Hagia Sophia, and a Bosphorus cruise on a private yacht. Meals cost extra, and a helicopter flight can be added.

Yachts

Several boats among our Bosphorus boat charters are true luxury vessels. The 26-metre AMESIN N departs from Arnavutkoy, carries a maximum of 12 guests and is priced from $399 an hour. The yacht called Marilyn sails from Eminonu for up to 28 guests, keeps you warm on winter nights with heating, and starts at $599 an hour. Large parties can take our biggest boat, the Mega Luxury Yacht, which holds 1 to 40 guests and starts at $1,000 an hour.

Food and drinks are extra on hourly charters. You can bring your own or order from a catering menu; ask for menu prices when you book so the final bill holds no surprises.

Helicopter, and a plan built for you

The half-hour helicopter ride is a private flight above the Bosphorus at $797.50 a person. That buys 30 minutes airborne, plus a guide and hotel pick-up and return by van. Flights depend on the weather and on air traffic control, so keep a free day in reserve in case yours moves.

Our fullest option is the Luxury Istanbul Tour: Exclusive, Flexible & Tailored, priced from $1,600 per person. Across two days it bundles museum entry, a yacht for your group alone, a professional guide and either an S-Class or a VIP van. We design it with you in advance around the places you care about, so no two trips are the same.

Who they suit, and when to go

Honeymooners, couples marking an anniversary, proposals, business travellers with a free day and families who want privacy all get the most from them. If you prefer to walk between sights, they are less useful: vehicles are not allowed in the pedestrian lanes of Sultanahmet, so every old city visit includes some walking.

Spring and autumn give the best light on the water and pleasant temperatures inside the palaces. Sunset yacht times go first in summer. Skip the mosques around Friday noon, as they shut to visitors for prayers.

Combine with other tours

A luxury Istanbul day pairs nicely with a balloon flight over Cappadocia booked just for your group, which you will find among our activities and experiences. For a wider look with prices, open our luxury Istanbul overview. Most luxury days also stop at the great palace on the Bosphorus, which our Dolmabahce visitor notes describe.