Circle Istanbul (Extraordinary Istanbul)

My colleague /friend and I loved the adventure of circle istanbul. Anil was a wonderful guide. Knowledgeable, adaptable, interesting and kind. The perfect host. We loved seeing the different neighborhoods. They have such varied atmospheres. The breakfast was yummy and Anil was happy to show the way or stop whenever we fancied trying a local delicacy. The spa felt very authentic. A fabulous way to get a feel for the real diversity of Istanbul. Thank you.

Metin was fantastic from first contact to the end of the tour day. I reached out via WhatsApp asking for a specific tour day with some friends when we were there for a conference. He was great at communication. Our actual tour day was amazing! We saw sites not usually on tours and he was informative and kind. We had an amazing day out on the Bosphorus. He even arranged a private yacht! Highly recommend. 10/10 experience.

Do this tour! Wonderful tour outside the tourist attractions, giving a real sense of the Istanbul culture, places, and with great food along the way. The Turkish bath was an interesting experience. Great tour guide!! Just wish I did not have to buy 2 tickets as a solo traveler to book the tour as that meant it was a very expensive tour dor me. Would stil recommend.

We all know the top sites to visit in any new city, so we wanted to see the other interesting places, learn about the culture from a local, and have a hamam experience with someone showing us the way. Our all-day tour with Metin was wonderful. We spent the entire day with him eating, learning, traveling together (walking, ferries, buses, taxi), and asking him a million questions. The food was great (we were never hungry, and most times were stuffed!), the amount of ground covered was impressive, and the hamam was something we probably wouldn't have braved on our own (side note to women - you will be on your own once you enter the segregated female area - please ask him all your procedural and tipping questions before you part ways. And bring an extra pair of underwear and a plastic bag). We did this on our first full day and it was an excellent overview of neighborhoods and ways to move around the city. I don't mean to represent that this is a private tour - I understand it can be up to six, I think. But since there have been cancellations due to the situation in the middle east we were spoiled by what turned out to be a private tour - it was nice of Metin to not cancel when it was only the two of us. We really appreciated that. It is really unfortunate people are cancelling travel to Turkey - we never for a moment felt unsafe. Tour guides in Turkey are the most educated we have encountered anywhere. They go through a rigorous training to become official guides. We highly recommend.

This was an in depth tour of a wide variety of different neighborhoods of Istanbul including the Asia side. We ate, traveled, walked, rode, shopped and experienced a Hamam like locals. We asked questions about everything we saw and learned so much about the varied neighborhoods in the city. Fantastic tour with very skilled, knowledgeable and experienced guide.

My husband and I had the pleasure of spending the day with our guide Onur for the Circle Istanbul walking tour. Onur was very informative, engaging, polite, and most of all, patient. It was a long, full day and he shared a lot of Turkish culture and the history of Istanbul with a smile on his face. We toured both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. Onur took us to many popular landmarks and local places to try different type of Turkish cuisine. Although we had the experience of riding the bus and taking the ferries, keep in mind that the majority of this tour is walking. Be prepared. Wear comfortable clothing and good walking shoes. We walked over 14,000 steps and every single step was absolutely worth it. This was the highlight of our trip! If you want sights, history, cuisine and experiences; this tour is HIGHLY recommended.

It was amazing. A great way to see the true city, outside of tourist areas. We ate, explored, and shopped like locals. We've only been on larger tour groups so we weren't sure what to expect but our guide, Kerem, was incredible. Be prepared to eat the best food!

Kerem was an absolute delight to spend a FULL day with. Very knowledgeable and passionate about his home and its culture and rich history. This tour is full of everything you’d want outside of the busy typical tourist attractions and spots. Left us wanting to come back for more time to explore more of IST and all it has to offer. Would HIGHLY recommend

Karem made this a day we will always remember. What a fantastic introduction to Istanbul. So much food! Breakfast was fantastic, followed by snacks lunch and dinner. All transport and soft drinks included. Fantastic value and highly recommended.

Just…WOW! We wanted an “off the beaten path” type of tour that would give us exposure to many areas and experiences and food. This was a JACKPOT! We met at Taksim Square then walked for a little while. Metin (best tour guide ever!) shared lots of interesting facts about the area, then came the first treat of the day- breakfast. This was an incredible feast of authentic Turkish cuisine, the spread was endless. Lunch, dinner, and the snacks along the way were also delightful. It wasn’t just the food but the history behind each dish and the lesson on how to eat everything. Pickle juice, stuffed mussels, lahmacun, baklava are just a few of the things we ate. So many things experienced in this one day we’d have spent several days on our own trying and still not have discovered half of the areas or history. My husband and I felt like newborns after the Turkish bath. The boat rides on the Golden Horn gave us a chance to see some of Istanbul from the water. Metin set a good pace for the day, he kept us moving. We never felt rushed or that we were in any one place for too long. He looked out for our safety when we were in crowds or busy areas. He allowed us to add in things that were of interest to us and kept us entertained even then. Definitely pay whatever the price for this tour is because you’re getting an absolute steal! I hope you’re as lucky as us and get Metin as your guide! He made this a memory for a lifetime!

This was probably the best day tour we’ve ever done. Honestly it was a lot like I’d spend a day with a friend - lots of walking, stopping for coffee, occasionally popping into shops, snacking on the ferry with a beautiful view. It was very cool to go to a local hammam to relax in the afternoon. Our guide Metin was a lovely, enthusiastic person who has so much appreciation for the culture and architecture. He was the perfect tour guide: stopping to explain enough to orient us but also quietly letting us observe the people and neighborhoods as we walked around. He also was really accommodating to our interests as well. Come hungry for several great meals and lots of little snacks! Would definitely recommend, especially as a complement to the more tourist highlight tours. Thank you, Metin!

This is quite simply one of the best day tours I have done, ever, anywhere in the world. Our guide, Metin, was an absolute wealth of knowledge on everything Istanbul and Turkey. Exceptionally well spoken and just a pleasure to be with. We visited several different regions of Istanbul on both the Asian Side as well as the European side, and the good throughout the day was delicious, it started with a tradition Turkish breakfast and just got better tdurring the day. To cap it all off a vist to a hamum (Turkish bath) in the afternoon was just the icing on the cake. If you are ever in Istanbul, I can 100% recommend this tour - particularly if it is led by Metin.

Our guide Berkay was very knowledgeable and hospitable. He explained to us in great detail, the history and culture of some of the different areas of Istanbul. In addition, we sampled various types of local cuisine and experienced a traditional Hammam. We highly recommend this tour if you want to experience Istanbul like a local.

Metin is the absolute best! Very knowledgeable, professional, personable A lovely attentive person The tour included everything mentioned in description

Was a great experience with Berkay. He was very knowledgeable and showed us the city. He explained in great detail about the history of Istanbul and the history of each location. Would surely recommend.

Had a great time with Ayse. She was very knowledgeable about the hystory and the places to go to enjoy the best the tour can offer. Delicious food, I tried what I wanted to try when planning my trip, very good experience. She was very friendly and open to fulfill our needs (mine and my husband) I would definetely recommend this tour with Ayse, won’t be dissapointed.

We saw four different neighborhoods we wouldn't have seen without help, but at a pretty rushed pace. The Bosphorus cruise is just a crossing, so nothing special. our breakfast was excellent, the lunch was good, but at a fasr food place a bit grubby. we ended up bailing before dinner, due to fatigue. Hamman was enjoyable. Overall, too much stair climbing for anyone over 50. Crossing the freeway to exit the bus was no Bueno. Guide ducked out 3 or 4 x.

Our guide Metin was wonderful & knowledgable. Couldnt ask for any better. He knew all the smallest details & happily answered all the questions during the trip & also shared tips regarding food , shopping & currency excange. Metin is an absolute gem.

Our guide was THE MOST MEMORABLE thing of our tour. We can't say enough about how delighted we were with our guide, Emel. She is bright, charming, and knowledgeable on many levels. She was able to explain the history, culture, and customs of her country and city, and could take the conversation in any direction we needed. Our experience was more than "sightseeing;" it was also as immersive an experience as you can have in one day. She took us into fascinating neighborhoods, hosted us at interesting restaurants, and seemed to know most of the business people we encountered. She made us feel welcome and at home in a great, exotic, bustling city. We will always treasure the time we spent in her care. The favorite things were trying out so many different foods along the way, especially visiting the marketplace on the Asian side of Istanbul. The stuffed mussels were yummy. We also loved the oldest baklava shop, established in 1843. Of course, the Hamam (Turkish bath) is not to be missed. That was a real experience! This tour made us love Istanbul and want to come back!

Our guide was THE MOST MEMORABLE thing of our tour. We can't say enough about how delighted we were with our guide, Emel. She is bright, charming, and knowledgeable on many levels. She was able to explain the history, culture, and customs of her country and city, and could take the conversation in any direction we needed. Our experience was more than "sightseeing;" it was also as immersive an experience as you can have in one day. She took us into fascinating neighborhoods, hosted us at interesting restaurants, and seemed to know most of the business people we encountered. She made us feel welcome and at home in a great, exotic, bustling city. We will always treasure the time we spent in her care. The favorite things were trying out so many different foods along the way, especially visiting the marketplace on the Asian side of Istanbul. The stuffed mussels were yummy. We also loved the oldest baklava shop, established in 1843. Of course, the Hamam (Turkish bath) is not to be missed. That was a real experience! This tour made us love Istanbul and want to come back!

We saw such a wide range of the city and areas we wouldn’t normally see on our own. Kerem was a fantastic guide - very knowledgeable and engaging and flexible. We ate a lot (too much!) and finished feeling like we knew so much more about this beautiful place!

Ayse is an exceptional tour guide. Her interpersonal skills combined with her knowledge and humour made for the most interesting 12 hours! The tour was fabulous - we really got to experience many and varied neighborhoods and sites of Istanbul. I highly recommend Ayse if you want to really experience Istanbul!

Our entire experience exceeded our expectations. Kerem was a terrific guide and accomodated all our wishes throughout the day. We visited neighborhoods on both continents that would have taken us a week to figure out on our own, if ever. We ate at only the best and most historic locations - no you won’t go hungry on this tour.

What a unique look at Istanbul. Metin Yilpaz took the small group of 3 tourists to the most interesting, out of the way places, on both the Europe and Asia sides. We ended in a traditional historical Turkish bath. Along the way, we ate the most delicious food and treats. Mr. Metin Yilpaz is knowledgeable, personable and kind. I am so happy I took this tour. It was a joy.

Our tour guide Kerem was extremely insightful and made this tour highly interactive and very friendly. It felt like going out with friends for a walk rather than just a lot of information being thrown at you with a quick pic. I would do it again in a heartbeat!!

Metin gave us the most memorable excursion while in Istanbul. The breakfast, sites he took us to that no other tour had, and the Hamman at the end were amazing. Metin may as well be the mayor of Istanbul because he knows everyone and is extremely likable. This was my favorite tour of the trip and I highly recommend it. Truly worth the money!

Ayse was very knowledgeable and gave tons of info on areas we visited. All day was fun! I would recommend a tour she is conducting.

This is one of the best Tours I have ever done and I have been to over 40 countries. Our guide Kerem really gave us a experience that open the window into what it’s like to be a local and to see things from a local point of view. He gave us just enough information about the history of the culture without overwhelming me and my guest. We Especially loved the Turkish breakfast and going to a real hamam and having a true Turkish hamam bath experience. But honestly, I enjoyed all of the experience. It was just really a wonderful day from start to finish. I would definitely recommend the store and ask for Kerem. He was an amazing Tour Guide. I’m not sure the experience would’ve been the same without him. Five stars for sure.

Where to start? - We met Metin at Taksim Square and he asked me how I was, I was honest and said I wasn’t great as I’d lost my passport the day before. I’d spoken to 3/4 places I’d been to and none of them had it. He immediately asked where the last place was and after telling him very confidently said “I know these guys, I’ll call them for you and I think we’ll get it back” It’s a strange way to start a review I’ll concede, but it’s an example that from our very first interaction Metin couldn’t do enough for us to help. The tour itself can be best described by my partner when she said “it’s like spending the day in Istanbul with an old friend” - the enthusiasm with which Metin went about showing us the city was a beautiful thing. The highlights of the tour are rightly the breakfasts and the Hammam bookending your day what isn’t accurately measured is pit stops for authentic snacks and the flexibility with which Metin adapts the time between to match your interests. I’m an avid review reader, I read dozens of reviews for this tour before deciding to book. I won’t ruin the details of it by over describing each step, but what I will say is our guide was known by almost everybody, put your faith in him and say yes to as much as you can fit an unforgettable experience. To finish - before the Hammam Metin spoke to the shop I potentially had left my passport at, it turns out they’d found it and returned it to a police station. He took us to the station (which without notice had moved to a complete new location) and helped us with the over worked and busy Turkish police officers to quickly get my passport back. This tour is probably worth more than the price you pay, you get food and drinks, your walked about like a local, see history and culture and best of all you feel like it’s done with a friend. Cannot score it any higher

We had a great day being taken through the city - shown hidden treasures, learning some of the history, and tasting great food! It's a long day with a fair amount of walking, but it's paced well with the various stops/eating/sitting throughout the day. A perfect way to preview several sites, experiences, and neighborhoods throughout the city.

We were referred by some friends of ours to make contact with a guide by the name of Metin, who had guided them a week before we got to Istanbul. We made contact & Metin advised us of a few very central hotels to choose from to stay at, which was extremely helpful and then he put together a 1 day trip to show us some of the more interesting parts of Istanbul. His knowledge of the area and it's history were invaluable & he also took us to shoos where the locals shop for their spices & turkish delight, avoiding the tourist traps. The prices were early 50% cheaper!!! He was so accommodating in all that we asked and always with a smile & a great sense of humor. Thank you Metin for making our visit to Istanbul son amazing

Absolutely amazing tour with Metin. This guy is a superstar. I can’t say enough good things about his tour, his service, and his level of knowledge. Seriously don’t look anywhere else.

Ayse was a wonderful guide! Fun time! So glad we did it! Enjoyed getting beyond the typical tourist attractions. So much fascinating history.

Our day with Ayse was phenomenal from start to finish! A visit to Istanbul would not be complete without this comprehensive tour. Each food stop was delicious and gave us a look into the delicious food available in Instanbul. The traditional turkish breakfast was incredible as well as the shawarma (although everything was delicious!). We truly felt like we got to experience the perfect snapshot of Istanbul in one day. Loved the ferry rides on the Bosporus as well as the visit to the Turkish Bath, also enjoyed that we were able to experience multiple modes of transportion (taxi, tram, bus, ferry). We highly recommend this tour as a must do, and well worth every penny! Our tour guide Ayse was an absolute delight! This tour delivered everything in the tour description and exceeded our expectations and then some!

Travel, eat and relax like a local! This tour is part food tour and part historical tour. Our guide Metin really immersed us in the local culture. From breakfast, to lunch til dinner we ate like Turks. We used public transportation and felt how it was to live a day in the life of a local in Istanbul. We rode the metro, ferry and the tram. Metin brought us to the neigbirhoods of Cirjangir, Kadikoy, Fener and Balat. We appreciated the local shops, cafes, restaurants and markets where Istanbulers go. To top it all, we experienced how it was to be pampered in a Hamam. I highly recommend this tour and our guide Metin.

Our tour guide, Ayse Ozge was beyond excellent! Ayse is very knowledgeable about history, art, culture, religion & she did an outstanding job at showing us the extraordinary side of Istanbul beyond the overwhelmingly crowded tourist sights. We visited all the sights (both on the European & Asian side of Istanbul) that are listed on the website & my husband & I truly enjoyed the tour. Besides explaining in depths about each sights, Ayse also took us on a food fare which included a delicious traditional Turkish breakfast, lunch & dinner, as well as snacks in between . Ayse is extremely friendly & has an open communication style with us, as well as with anyone she meets. She is genuine & well perceive by many local business owners. For instance, one of the cafe that we visited for snacks did not have a public WC, but she was able to convince the owner to let us use their own personal WC. Another example, she was able to convince the owner to allow us to take a photo of their beautiful restaurant with a romantic backyard without eating there. Ayse is very attentive & kind. She often check with us every moment to ensure we were comfortable & if her pace was not too fast for us. Ayae has an aesthetic eye for photography and often points out the beautiful unique areas to take pictures.. She offered to take our photos & all the photos that she took of us were artistic & vibrant; they captured the essence & beauty of the specific areas that we visited. Ayse is energetic & very enthusiastic. From hearing her talk, we can tell right away that she's is very passionate about her job & her city, We enjoyed her ability to "connect the dots" in history to more fully understand the important lessons that history has taught us & the struggles of the "movers & shakers" that came before us, as well as having a unique perspective about her community & the world. Overall, Ayse is an awesome tour guide! She is extremely knowledgeable, fun, flexible & considerate. She did an outstanding job & we highly recommend her to anyone. We wish there is a tour guide like Ayse in every county that we visit.

We loved the variety of experiences on this tour. We saw real neighbourhoods and areas that gave us an excellent overview of Istanbul other than the museums and other must do’s I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to discover this wonderful city. Having an experienced and local guide such as Ayse enabled us to feel safe while enjoying our day.

Great tour with a lot of stories that make you understand Istanbul, its past and present ! I fully recommend Metin.

Metin is a very professional and pleasant guide. I highly recommend him. We enjoyed our tour with him very much. He knows very well how to handle a group.

Metin is an excellent well informed guide that makes the experience worth it. Witty and funny, he takes you to all the right places and tells you all the right stuff. Definitely recommended!

What an amazing introduction to such a vibrant city. Ayse introduced us to her city with passion and love. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone spending time in Istanbul. Turkish bath was icing on the cake. Tastes of turkey plus introduction to many aspects of the city.

Had an amazing tour with Ayse….wonderful food, we loved exploring local neighbourhoods and interesting commentary. Our highlight was the Turkish bath experience… such a fun thing to do. Would highly recommend this extensive tour. Ayse was incredibly knowledgeable and fun to lead us on this journey.

My son (24) and I arrived in Istanbul for the first time. His graduation gift. We found a great little apartment near the Galata Tower. Pefect location to launch day trips from. We had 5 full days to spend. We took guided tours on 1st and 3rd days, both with an amazing woman named Ayse (pronounced Ice-shaw). On the first full day we took the Circle Istanbul tour. Billed as a tour to take after seeing the highlights, we chose to take it BEFORE, leaving the best for latter. Very glad we did. This tour, ~10hrs, took us to all 3 areas of Istanbul plus up the Bosporus on a ferry. Included a traditional Turkish bath!! We became familiar with the lay of the land, how to use the transit system and got an understanding of the amazing food!! 2nd day we were on our own. But after the orientation we got from day 1, we were very comfortable checking out some places, activities recomended by Ayse and wandering around on our own. The following day she took us to the famous sights in the old city, just fabulous. The remaining days we confidently trekked all over on our own using the trams, trolleys, buses and ferryies, exploring the lesser but still impressive sites Istanbul has to offer. Museums for Archeology and Science/Technology were excellent. We have nothing but great memories of the city. Most of that we attribute to Ayse and Circle Tours. So easy to recommend them highly.

This was an amazing tour with an amazing tour guide. It was unique, different and we got to see real hidden beauties of Istanbul. It is an amazing city! You have to do Circle Istanbul once you are in Istanbul

Ayse was the best guide! She was fun, informative and the whole day was a delight. We saw wonderful, off beat areas and ate some amazing food. Definitely a must-do tour when in Istanbul.

Ayse was a wonderful guide and was able to show us so many experienses in one day. Wandering through different neighbourhoods of Istanbul and trying different foods was fun and informative.

This was an amazing day! They purposely keep the groups small to make it a personalized experience and we were lucky to get our incredible guide, Metin, all to ourselves for our tour. We felt like we were being shown around the city by a friend. Metin is incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Istanbul + added his own views and personal stories of the sights that we were seeing! And we stopped multiple times throughout for food and snacks at places that he vetted and locals loved. I would highly recommend taking this tour early in your trip- the places we covered were unique and different than the typical tourist sites and Metin became a personal friend showing us the city.

Metin is everything most people would want in a tour guide. He is well educated (especially in Turkish history), witty, kind, conscientious, loyal and a great story teller. I was in a group of 17 people, and he managed to entertain, guide, and protect all of us in locations throughout Turkey that were fascinating but sometimes complicated. At the end of the two week tour, many of us felt that he was the most fun person we had ever been on vacation with and a lifelong friend. He sincerely likes people and is skilled at engaging them and making them laugh. Regarding day trips in Istanbul, Metin lives there and is well acquainted with all that is necessary for maximum experience. He is very capable at guiding through the main attractions, but I believe he is extraordinary in directing his clients to the tastiest food places with the very best atmospheres and to extraordinary off the beaten track places (some examples: a traditional Meyhane Restaurant with great food, belly dancers and band, or a travel-back-in -time historic walking neighborhood).

I cannot say enough good things about Metin and his Circle Istanbul all day neighborhood/Bosphorus/Turkish Bath/food extravaganza tour experience! It was magical and got me quickly acclimated to Istanbul. We traveled by ferries, bus, and did a lot of walking-- a good thing as there were a lot of food stops! We spent a lot of time on the European side, but got to the Asian side as well. Metin's spoken English is excellent. He has a wonderful sense of humor, loves Istanbul and Turkish culture, and makes sure that you have the opportunity to see Istanbul at its authentic best. A great value. Do not miss the Turkish Bath experience.