MSC Istanbul Shore Excursion: A Private Day Ashore

If you are sailing with MSC Cruises, your day in Istanbul can also be a private one. This MSC Istanbul shore excursion is our private alternative to the ship tour. Your own guide and driver meet you at the port and plan the day around your all-aboard time.

In its 2026 program, MSC Cruises sails from and to both Istanbul and Kuşadası, the port for Ephesus.

Your MSC Istanbul Shore Excursion

At Galataport, the cruise port at Karaköy, your guide meets you off the MSC ship. Across the Golden Horn, our Istanbul shore excursion starts with Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, if open, outside prayer times, and goes on to the old Hippodrome. With a full day, there is time for the Grand Bazaar.

A Private Alternative to the Ship Tour

The ship’s tours are one option for your MSC day. On a private day, your group has its own car and a guide in your language, and you decide the stops and the pace. For a comparison, read our guide to choosing a shore excursion or a ship tour.

Ephesus from Kuşadası

When your MSC ship calls at Kuşadası, our Ephesus shore excursion runs from Ege Port to the ancient city, the Terrace Houses and the House of the Virgin Mary, and has you back before all-aboard. The port’s two finger piers can hold four large ships at once.

Plan Your MSC Istanbul Shore Excursion

Tell us the MSC ship, the date and the times on your booking, from arrival to all-aboard, and we build the day around them. For every port in Türkiye, see the Turkey cruise ports guide and our shore excursions.

We are an independent local company and are not affiliated with MSC Cruises.