Resurrection Ertugrul and Establishment Osman Movie Film Set Tour

The main draw here is simple: you get to walk through a real working film set built for Resurrection Ertuğrul and Establishment Osman. This is not a standard Istanbul sightseeing stop. It is a half-day trip to Bozdağ Film Plato near Riva, where painted facades, village spaces, castles, and the Turkish oba recreate the world of Seljuks and early Ottomans.

I like the private format, since your group gets its own vehicle and guide rather than being folded into a large crowd. I also like the route through Söğüt, Kayı Obası, the arena, and several castle sets, which gives fans more than a quick photo stop. The catch is the price: at $250 per person, this makes sense mainly for dedicated fans who will recognize and enjoy the sets. If you have not watched the shows, much of the place may feel like a collection of attractive but unfamiliar buildings.

Key points at a glance

• A full film-set visit near Riva: Spend about five hours including hotel pickup, the drive, and time at Bozdağ Film Plato.
• Built around two Turkish series: The tour covers sets connected with Resurrection Ertuğrul and Establishment Osman.
• Several themed areas: See Söğüt, the Turkish oba, Kayı Obası, the arena, Harzemsah, Inegöl Castle, Kulucahisar, and Yenişehir.
• Private transport included: An air-conditioned vehicle, parking fees, guide, and entrance fee are included in the advertised package.
• A fan-first experience: The stronger your connection to the shows, the more meaning the buildings, costumes, and named locations will have.
• Plan for the practical limits: Lunch is not included, the start time is 12:00 p.m., and a moderate level of physical fitness is required.

Why this film set is different from an Istanbul city tour

Istanbul gives you mosques, palaces, markets, and ferry rides. This tour gives you something much more specific: a purpose-built screen world where Turkish television turns medieval settings into drama.

Bozdağ Film Plato is described as one of Europe’s biggest film sets and the biggest film plato in Istanbul. The scale matters because you are not visiting one decorated room or a small outdoor prop area. You move among several constructed settings linked to the two series, including settlements, military spaces, and fortified sites.

For a fan, that changes the visit completely. A gate or wooden dwelling is not just scenery. It connects to Söğüt, the oba, Osman Ghazi, or Ertuğrul Ghazi. You can place the show’s people and events in a physical setting, then see how a television production builds a version of Seljuk and Ottoman life.

If you have never seen either series, I would set your expectations differently. You can still appreciate the design and the chance to see an active film location, but the names will not carry much weight. The tour is not designed as a broad introduction to Istanbul or a general museum visit.

Leaving Istanbul for Riva and the Black Sea coast

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel at noon. From there, an air-conditioned vehicle takes you toward Riva on Istanbul’s Black Sea side. The route passes by the Bosphorus, adding a little city scenery before the focus shifts to the film set.

The drive is part of the experience, but the exact travel time is not provided. Riva is outside the central sightseeing zone, so you should allow the afternoon to be shaped around this one excursion. I would avoid pairing it with a timed museum entry, dinner reservation, or another fixed appointment.

Private transport is especially useful here. You do not need to work out a route to a less central production site, and parking fees are covered. Your group also travels together, which makes the outing easier for families or friends who want to keep their own pace.

The tour requires moderate physical fitness. The information does not specify the walking surface, the number of stairs, or the distance covered, so ask before booking if anyone in your party has mobility concerns. A film set can involve uneven outdoor areas even when the visit itself is not strenuous.

Entering Söğüt, the oba, and Kayı Obası

The visit centers on a collection of named sets rather than one single attraction. Söğüt is one of the key places connected with the early Ottoman story, while the oba gives you a look at a more temporary, community-based setting associated with Turkish life.

Kayı Obası adds another important part of the series’ world. These spaces are useful because they show more than grand fortifications. You get settlements, domestic surroundings, and the visual language of daily life alongside the larger political and military story.

This is also where the guide’s role matters most. The tour promises explanations of Ertuğrul Ghazi, Osman Ghazi, and Turkish culture. A good visit should connect the physical sets to the characters and communities they represent, rather than simply point out buildings by name.

The available information does not provide the guide’s name, and it does not promise a particular actor appearance. Book this for the set and its cultural context, not for a chance meeting with the cast. That distinction will keep your expectations sensible.

Castles, arena, and the military side of the sets

The route includes Inegöl Castle, Kulucahisar, and a Byzantine Castle, along with an arena. These locations shift the mood from village life to conflict, authority, and spectacle.

Castle facades are often the most immediately impressive parts of a film set. They give you the large-scale backdrop that television needs for battles, arrivals, and political confrontations. The arena offers another strong visual setting, tied to public action rather than private life.

You will also see Harzemsah and Yenişehir. The supplied details list these as separate areas on the plato, but they do not explain how each is used in the series or how much time is spent at each one. That means you should expect a broad tour of the grounds, not a guaranteed long stop at every named location.

The value here is the variety. In roughly five hours, including transport, you get a sequence of contrasting sets: settlement, tented community, castle, arena, and other named locations. The drawback is that the tour may feel more like a guided production site than a polished historical attraction. Some areas may be built for filming first and visitor interpretation second.

Seeing Turkish life through television scenery

The tour presents the sets as examples of Turkish life and culture. That can be useful, but you should treat the setting as a television interpretation rather than a complete historical record.

Film and television design compress complicated periods into clear visual symbols. A tent, a wooden structure, a fortress, or a market-like area helps the story move quickly. Your guide can help explain what the production is trying to show, but the tour should not replace a museum visit or a formal study of Seljuk and Ottoman history.

I like this part of the experience because it gives the shows a physical and cultural frame. You are not only looking at props. You are considering how clothing, dwellings, public spaces, and military architecture help create a sense of time and place.

The strongest benefit comes when you have already watched the programs. You will recognize the names and understand why a simple-looking courtyard or gate matters. If you are unfamiliar with the shows, listen for the guide’s explanations and focus on how the set turns historical themes into visual storytelling.

What the $250 price includes

The listed price is $250 per person. That is a serious cost for a five-hour outing, especially when compared with many standard Istanbul tours.

The price becomes easier to justify if you are booking a private experience for a small group and want door-to-door transport. It includes an air-conditioned vehicle, parking fees, a guide, and entrance. You are paying not only for access to the set, but also for the private vehicle and the time needed to reach Riva and return to your hotel.

Group discounts are offered, though the available details do not state the discount amount or the group size needed to receive it. If you are traveling with several people, ask for the exact total before paying. A shared private booking can make the per-person cost more reasonable.

There is one point to confirm before booking. The practical details say the entrance fee is included, while the itinerary line says admission is not included. Because those statements conflict, ask Magic Way Travel to confirm what the $250 covers, particularly if there are optional activities involving costumes or other paid experiences. The published review refers to extra payment for experiences such as costumes, though the available text is cut off before giving the full details.

Lunch is not included. Since the tour begins at noon and lasts about five hours, eat beforehand or plan to buy food separately if an opportunity is available. No lunch stop is promised.

A private afternoon, not a packed group outing

This is a private tour, so only your group participates. That is a meaningful advantage for a specialized attraction. You can ask questions about a character, set, or historical point without trying to hear a guide over a large crowd.

Private touring also helps with the pace. If your group wants more time at Söğüt or the castles, you may have more flexibility than on a fixed group departure. Still, do not assume every timing detail can be changed. The total duration is approximately five hours, and the route must account for the drive to Riva and the return to Istanbul.

Pickup is offered, and the listed start time is 12:00 p.m. Confirm your hotel location and pickup details when booking. Since the drive passes by the Bosphorus and heads toward the Black Sea coast, central Istanbul traffic can affect the feel of the afternoon even if the tour duration is estimated at five hours.

The mobile ticket is convenient. Keep your booking confirmation easy to reach on your phone, and make sure your device has enough battery for the day. The tour confirms your booking at the time of purchase.

The best match for serious fans

I would recommend this tour most strongly to people who have watched Resurrection Ertuğrul and Establishment Osman and want to see their settings in person. It also suits visitors who enjoy production design, Turkish television, and guided cultural outings more than conventional monuments.

Families and small groups may like the private arrangement. The vehicle, parking, pickup, and guide remove much of the effort involved in reaching the set. The moderate fitness requirement means you should be comfortable walking around an outdoor production area.

I would be more cautious if you are visiting Istanbul for only a day or two. The tour takes about half a day and travels away from the central sights. You will miss time at places such as the historic peninsula, the Grand Bazaar, or the Bosphorus ferries. The film set needs to be a real priority, not a last-minute add-on.

The same advice applies to casual television viewers. The set may still be interesting, but the $250 price is harder to defend if the show’s characters and places mean little to you.

Weather, cancellation, and what to confirm

The experience requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you will be offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund.

Before booking, I would confirm four points:

• Whether entrance is fully included, since the supplied details conflict.
• What costume or other optional experiences cost.
• Your exact hotel pickup time and location.
• How the group discount is calculated.

These questions matter because the base price is high and the tour takes you outside central Istanbul. A clear answer in advance prevents surprises on the day.

Should you book the Bozdağ film set tour?

Book it if you are a genuine fan of Resurrection Ertuğrul or Establishment Osman, want a private half-day outing, and like the idea of walking through the worlds of Söğüt, the oba, castles, and Kayı Obası. The set’s scale and the chance to connect television scenes with physical places make this a rare Istanbul experience.

Skip it if your main goal is Ottoman architecture, major museums, or a low-cost introduction to the city. At $250 per person, this is a specialist tour. For the right audience, the actual film set is the point. For everyone else, the same buildings may look like attractive stage scenery without enough context.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour visits Bozdağ Film Plato near Riva, on the Black Sea side of Istanbul. The route passes by the Bosphorus on the way there.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 12:00 p.m. Pickup is offered from your hotel.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately five hours, including the visit to the film set and transportation back to your hotel.

What is included in the price?

The listed inclusions are an air-conditioned vehicle, parking fees, a guide, and an entrance fee. Because another detail says admission is not included, confirm the entrance arrangement before booking.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Poor weather may also lead to a different date or a full refund.