DRINKS INCLUDED · ISTANBUL BOOZY TOURS
Good boozy tours fill their weekend slots weeks ahead. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ once the first round is poured.
Board near Dolmabahce Palace for a relaxed two-hour cruise between Europe and Asia. You’ll pass palaces, mosques, fortresses, bridges, and Maiden’s Tower with a multilingual audio guide. Add the snack option for fruit, pastries, Turkish treats, soft drinks, and a warm view of Istanbul at sunset.
“Great trip. Lovely scenery and the drinks and snacks were great.”
Start near the Blue Mosque at Just Bar, meet hosts such as Maral, Sara, or Hilal, and break the ice with games and drinks. Around 11 pm, a party bus or van carries the group to Taksim for three clubs, dancing, and late-night socializing. Expect a lively, party-first night.
“We had a lot of fun. The hosts (guides) were friendly and ensured we all interacted with each other. We definitely left with new friends and connections. The games we played were creative and engaging. Thank you Maria and team. You all did a wonderful job creating a memorable experience in Istanbul for us.”
Spend three hours between Istanbul’s European and Asian shores aboard the yacht AMOR. You’ll dine on Turkish food, pass illuminated palaces and bridges, and watch folk dances, belly dancing, the Katibim show, and a DJ set. Hotel pickup, drinks, and languages vary by booking option.
“Yavuz provided us with excellent service. We really enjoyed the entertainment.”
Join an English-speaking host such as Maria, Mariya, Hilal, or Lea for six hours of games, raki shots, a party bus, two bars, and two rooftop clubs. You get fast entry, one cocktail shot at each venue, photos, and a Taksim finish around 3 am.
“Amazing tour with a chance to meet a lot of people and dive into the nightlife of Istanbul! Whether you're traveling solo or with friends, do this and you'll have the best time! Lea was incredible and kept the energy of the group at such a great level!”
Start at FredBar in Asmalı Mescit at 9 PM, meet an international group, play drinking games, ride a party bus, and visit several bars and clubs around Taksim and Nevizade. Hosts such as Lea, Simina, Beyza, Maral, and Maria keep the night moving until about 3 AM.
“This was one of the better pub crawls I have ever been on. They had a show for us with fire and the guides were extremely nice and even showed me a great Turkish food to get after! Marli and Maria where amazing and made the experience even better with there amazing attitudes!”
Cruise the Bosphorus for about three hours aboard a dinner boat, passing palaces, bridges, mosques, and Kız Kulesi. Your evening includes Turkish food, live folkloric shows, music, and hotel pickup if selected. Expect a lively party setting, shared tables, loud music, and a return around midnight.
“There were many more people than expected but the crew did a great job of getting everyone seated and fed. Food was fine with pollo, beef or fish choices. Entertainment was fun with both men and women dancing. Music was very loud but getting to the upper decks was easy enough. The boat basically does a big circle for three hours (along with many others). You can see the sights all lit up but don’t expect a “tour guide” pointing them out. We had already seen many previously so kinda knew. Be aware, booking was done in US dollars, tipping is done in Turkish lira but drinks and photos are…”
Meet hosts such as Hassen, Youssef, Hassan, Oytun, or Eli at 9:30 pm in Beyoğlu. Visit several bars with welcome shots, ice-breakers, karaoke, dancing, and a final nightclub stop. The night usually runs until about 4 am.
“Lotsa fun! Hassen was a great host and showed me a great time! Really got to enjoy Istanbul nightlife!”
Spend about two hours at Çatma Mescit Hamamı, a 600-year-old Ottoman bath designed by Mimar Sinan. Your private group gets steam, heated marble, a scrub, soap bubbles, rinses, Turkish coffee, tea, soft drinks, and snacks. Add a massage if you want a longer treatment.
“Awesome experience. A MUST have if traveling to Istanbul. You will not be disappointed. Will come back again.”
This four-hour English walking tour covers Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, and Grand Bazaar. Guides such as Muhammed, Salih, Jamil, and KC explain history and religion, help with market shopping, and adjust the pace when the group is small.
“Mere was a very good guide. Comprehensive coverage of Topkapi site. Best to go early as it gets busy later.”
Start at Fred Bar Istanbul in Taksim for icebreaker games, then ride a party bus with raki shots to three rooftop clubs. Guides including Beyza, Soraya, Tuçe, and others keep the group together in English or Turkish. Entry and welcome shots are included, but extra drinks cost more.
“The tour was very good, Beyza the guide has a very cool energy and she is also beautiful! All the people we met were super friendly and the places we visited were full of party and lots of fun, I highly recommend it. Great value for money”
Board an evening boat from Istanbul for a Turkish dinner, meze, seasonal fruit, and live folk dancing. The cruise passes Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi palaces, several bridges, Rumeli Fortress, and Maiden’s Tower. Pickup and local drinks are available, but seating and transport timing can vary.
“Smokers were on the back deck. When doors were open, a lot of smoke smell entered the eating area. Try to get a seat near the bow to avoid this. Also, only two toilets for each sex. Got a bit messy by the end. Otherwise enjoyable evening.”
Board at Kabataş at 8:30 pm for a three to four-hour dinner cruise past Ottoman palaces, bridges, and Maiden’s Tower. You’ll enjoy Turkish food, drinks, music, belly dancing, and other live shows, with optional hotel pickup and drop-off.
“The entire dinner cruise was nice, staff was friendly and nice dancer were good the food was tasty I would recommend it”
Spend three hours aboard the Elite Dinner Cruise with a Turkish dinner, tea, coffee, baklava, and stage shows featuring whirling dervishes, belly dancers, folk dancers, and more. Choose hotel pickup from Istanbul’s European side, and add unlimited alcohol if wanted.
“For £29 - good value for money since the Turkish Lira is under recession. There is a tendency to cram in 200 people in the middle level of the boat leaving a 4ftx4ft space in the middle for the dancers. The three course meal isn't the greatest (starters are usually the best in Turkey) but again for the price good. You can go upto the top tier and take pictures but no stoppages which is fine. Overall acceptable value for money especially since Get Your Guide / Viator etc rake in 25% from the top. TIP: Try to go 60 minutes prior to departure time if you want a table…”
Board the Ask Leyali for a 3 to 5-hour evening cruise between Europe and Asia. You’ll get Turkish mezes, a hot starter, grilled fish, mixed grill, or vegetarian food, plus baklava, fruit, dancing, and Bosphorus views. English assistance is available, but arrive early at the pier.
“The actual tour was around 2 hours and even though we paid for the bus transfer and all inclusive local drinks package, it didn't start until 9.00pm when the bus dropped us at the boat at 7.30pm. Only soft drinks were available until 9.00pm. I think we had 5 alcoholic drinks in total as our assigned waiter Hassan was very busy but did his best under the circumstances. The entertainment was good but you couldn't see much if you were seated at the back and due to the decoration lights at the windows, you couldn't see much outside either as the lights were a big distraction. The food was ok,…”
Meet your English-speaking host at Beer Station in Taksim for a six-hour night out. You will visit four bars and clubs, spend about an hour at each, enjoy a welcome shot, and join group challenges. Guide Eli has earned praise for keeping the mood lively and helping people meet.
“Eli ist eine Guide mit eingebautem Gute-Laune-Modus. Der Pub Crawl fühlte sich an wie eine Klassenfahrt für Erwachsene – nur mit besseren Drinks. Dank Eli habe ich viele coole neue Leute aus verschiedenen Ländern kennengelernt und wir hatten zusammen richtig viel Spaß. Sie hat uns souverän von Bar zu Bar geführt, als hätte sie einen GPS-Sensor für gute Stimmung. Absolut empfehlenswert – würde sofort wieder mitgehen!”
A deck, a crawl, a long lunch or a door with a list.
