Our plane from Bangkok landed at Istanbul New Airport (IST) around 4:00, as scheduled. We had an international fight with a layover of over 6 hours in Istanbul so we have decided to try Touristanbul - free Istanbul tour with Turkish Airlines.
The first thing you need to know is that you need to register for taking Touristanbul at Turkish Airlines Hotel Desk which is located at the arrival terminal of Istanbul Airport. It means that once you arrive at the airport, you need to pass through Passport Control / Immigration checkpoint to enter Turkey (depending on your nationality, you may need a visa for that).
Istanbul New Airport is huge and it’s quite a long walk from the gate to the immigration checkpoint. It took us almost 20 minutes to reach Passport Control. As it was an early morning and there was no queue, we have spent only 1-2 minutes to pass the immigration.
After passing the Immigration area, walk through the baggage claim area and exit to the arrival hall. Here you will just need to turn right and walk straight (many tour operators will offer paid tours on your way, just avoid them). You just need to walk all the way to the end and you will easily notice Turkish Airlines Hotel Desk there.
As it was very early morning, the staff of Turkish Airlines told us to come back about 7:00 as the Touristanbul counter was still closed. We went to find some breakfast and came back to the Touristanbul counter a bit after 7:00. The process of registration for the tour is simple and easy, just showing our boarding passes to the staff was enough.
Our connecting flight from Istanbul was around 16:00 so we have decided to join the sightseeing tour which lasts from 08:00 to 11:30. The staff suggested that we could take another tour (T02) which lasts from 08:30 to 15:00. However, we didn’t want to rush when coming back to the airport so we took the first option.
There is a luggage storage office nearby the hotel desk so we have stored our backpack there first. If you have a hand luggage and don’t want to carry it all around the city, you can leave it at the airport or keep it on the bus. Detailed information about luggage storage at the airport can be found here: Left Luggage at Istanbul New Airport (IST).
There is a waiting area on the opposite side from the Turkish Airlines Hotel Desk. The tour guide will come there to greet you and start the trip.
Free Tour Itinerary
- Departure from Istanbul Airport
- Following the Coastal Road
- Yedikule Fortress
- Old Samatya Armanian District
- Yeni Kapı Harbour
- Walls of Constantine
- Eminonu District
- Photo break on Galata Bridge
- Photo break at Dolmabahçe Palace
- Taksim Square
- Galata Tower
- Golden Horn
- Aqueduct of Valens
- Yeni Kapı Harbour
- Returns to Istanbul Airport
7:55 Tour Start
The guide came to the waiting area, called our names and leaded us to the bus. We departed from Istanbul Airport exactly on time at 8:00 by minibus of Touristanbul, following the Coastal Road. It took about 1 hour to reach the city and we passed many important and spectacular sites of Istanbul on the way, including Yedikule Fortress, Old Samatya Armanian District, Yeni Kapı Harbour, Walls of Constantine, Eminonu District.
9:00 Photo break on Galata Bridge
Our first stop was Galata Bridge where we have spent about 15 minutes. The Galata Bridge is the most famous pedestrian bridge over the Golden Horn that connects the old historic town and Taksim area. You can see locals casting their rods, and fishing from both sides of the bridge.
9:25 Photo break at Dolmabahçe Palace
Dolmabahçe Palace is a beautiful European style residence of the Ottoman Sultans on the Bosphorus. Its decoration is very luxurious and it witnesses the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
The entrance fee that is not included in the free tour is as follows:
- Whole Palace: 90 TL
- Official Part: 60 TL
- Harem/Sultan’s Family House: 40 TL
- Student: 20 TL
- Child 0-6 years old: Free
You can skip the long ticket lines and enter the Dolmabahçe Palace by booking tickets here: Dolmabahce Palace Skip-the-Line Entry Ticket.
As this free Istanbul tour is hardly enough for decent exploration of the side of Istanbul that most tourists don't get to see, you can choose this 4-hour sightseeing tour of the city instead: Bosphorus Bridge, Camlica Hill, and Dolmabahce Palace Tour.
10:00 Leave from Dolmabahçe Palace
The bus left Dolmabahçe Palace and took a different route for getting back to the airport. This time the bus passed Taksim Square, Galata Tower, Golden Horn, Aqueduct of Valens, Yeni Kapı Harbour and it took about 50 minutes to reach Istanbul Airport.
10:50 Istanbul Airport
The bus arrived at Istanbul Airport and dropped passengers off at the departure floor. We had to pass through the passport control and security check again to fly out.
Our experience
Overall it was a good experience and even beyond our expectation considering that joining this tour is completely free. The tour was well organized and really on time. We only took the half morning sightseeing tour which includes only short stops at each place but it is still better than just hanging around at the airport. If we will have a chance, we will try one of the free day-long tours offered by Turkish Airlines. The list of available free tours can be found here: Touristanbul - Free Istanbul Tour with Turkish Airlines.