When guests arrive at Hagia Sophia, they will discover one of the most iconic and historically significant monuments in the world. Originally built in 537 AD as a cathedral, it later became a mosque and now stands as a symbol of Istanbul’s rich cultural heritage.
they will explore one of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks and a masterpiece of Ottoman architecture. Visitors will step inside the mosque to admire its magnificent interior, decorated with thousands of blue İznik tiles, elegant domes, and impressive calligraphy. They will learn about the history of the mosque, its architectural significance, and its role as an active place of worship
When guests arrive at the Basilica Cistern, they will explore one of Istanbul’s most fascinating underground structures, dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian.
When guests arrive at the Hippodrome, they will step into the vibrant historic square that was once the center of old Constantinople. The area was originally used for chariot races, public ceremonies, and gatherings, making it a key social and political hub of the Byzantine Empire. Visitors will explore the square and admire significant monuments reflecting both Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, including the German Fountain, the Serpentine Column, and the Egyptian Obelisk. Guests will learn about the fascinating history of the Hippodrome, its role in the city’s past, and the stories behind its iconic monuments.
Grand Bazaar When guests arrive at the Grand Bazaar, they will enter one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets, filled with colorful shops, winding alleys, and a lively atmosphere. Visitors can explore the vibrant stalls selling textiles, jewelry, ceramics, spices, and souvenirs, experiencing the charm of traditional Turkish commerce. The tour also includes a visit to the rooftop area, where guests can relax and enjoy a complimentary cup of tea or coffee while taking in panoramic views of the historic Istanbul skyline. Guests will have the opportunity to taste free Turkish delight (lokum) and experience local flavors as part of this immersive cultural experience. There will also be time to browse, take photos, and enjoy the bustling market at a leisurely pace, making it a memorable conclusion to the Old City Tour.
At Süleymaniye Mosque, travelers will explore one of Istanbul’s most magnificent Ottoman masterpieces designed by Mimar Sinan. Guests will admire its stunning domes, elegant courtyard, and breathtaking views over the Golden Horn. Your guide will share insights into its history, architecture, and cultural significance, while visitors experience a peaceful atmosphere inside this active place of worship.
A special call-out to Baris! Baris took us on a full day excursion in Istanbul. His knowledge of the history of every place we visited is extensive of course. The delightful insights he shared brought everything to life. His flexibility was much appreciated and his kind and thoughtful personality made this a very comprehensive, fascinating and compelling experience! Thank you Baris. You are exceptional!
Baris is a great guide. Very friendly and knowledgeable, would definitely recommend him, if you are keen for a guide while in Istanbul.
We had the pleasure to be welcomed to Istanbul from Baris our English speaking guide. He showed us around, and introduce us to Turkey's culture, history, and beautiful country. Overall great day of exploring the city and learning history from Baris. He had a great way of tailoring the tour to our needs. Would recommend his services to everyone.
Great guide with great knowledge and we were also shown a secret serene spot which made the trip the best experience. Thanks for the tour of your beautiful city.
Great tour very knowledgeable. They are a personable and pleasant very approachable readable to help if needed.
Amazing personality. Wonderful guide showing detailed guided tour for each and every spot and location around the city. I felt quite well connected either way him throughout the tour.
Baris is really a good guide, he's giving so many advices and he's a very large knowledge of everything. I would strongly recommend booking with him, you will not regret it!
We had an amazing time on this tour, and we highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a very thoughtful and thorough way to see and experience so many of the major sites. Barış was incredibly knowledgeable, was able to get us through lines very quickly (or even fully bypass them!), and was great company as well. We had great food and had some unforgettable experiences, all while feeling like we were getting the local experience.
I had used road runner before so I didn’t hesitate to book via them again. Irem the coordinator was most hopeful and accommodating. Baris was our tour guide and we met at the palace. Despite the heat, he was all smiles. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the tour. He made sure we were comfortable and shared interesting information about the places we visited. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and we appreciated his effort in making the tour enjoyable.
Baris was an exceptional private tour guide and truly made my Istanbul experience unforgettable. From the moment we started, he was incredibly accommodating, tailoring the tour to exactly what I wanted to see and experience. His knowledge of the city, its history, and hidden gems added so much depth to every stop. What stood out most was his warmth and genuine care—nothing ever felt rushed, and he went out of his way to make sure I was comfortable and enjoying every moment. Thanks to Baris, Istanbul wasn’t just a destination, it became a memory I’ll always treasure. Highly recommend him to anyone looking for a personalised and meaningful experience
Baris was amazing! He was kind and courteous in accommodating our hectic group of 8 which consisted of both kids and my elderly father in a wheelchair during a very hot day. We got to see all the sites we wanted to in an efficient manner. He was unbelievably knowledgeable and informative. Looking forward to touring more sites when we return!
Baris was an excellent guide. Very helpful and very informative. He took time to figure out my interests, and adapt the tour to fit me. Answered many questions, and did it all with a great spirit. Grateful to have gotten to know him and learn about this great city!
Bariş was very nice and knowledgeable and showed us the sights. It’s definitely easier to do with a guide to navigate the sights and the lines! In addition to the major sights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Grand Bazaar, Basilica Cistern) he took us to a nice terrace overlooking the rooftops of the bazaar and to another market where he introduced us to a merchant he is friends with who sold us some Turkish delight and tea.
Highly recommend this experience in Istanbul. This private guided tour was everything we wished for and more. Our tour guide Bariş was very kind, knowledgeable, and patient with creating the best itinerary to meet what we wanted to see. Bariş was on time, and definitely made the time we spent on the tour well worth it. We enjoyed seeing Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Central Bazaar, and many other places along the way. We couldn’t have done all this by ourselves, the tour was the best option to be able to see all these places. We highly recommend anyone who wants a private guided tour to use Bariş to be your guide!
Even though our time was limited, Baris did an amazing job of showing me the most awesome sights of old Istanbul. He totally tailored the tour to my specific interest in the early Ottoman history. He is a fountain of knowledge both in history and architecture. What's more, he is a virtuoso of bypassing long lines and gaining easy access to crowded venues. Greatly recommend this talented and thoughtful guide.
Istanbul is a very interesting place that is well worth a visit.
As a first time visitor to Istanbul, this was the perfect tour! The tour covers all the must see sites - The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Spice Markets etc. I learnt so much during this tour thanks to Bariş detailed knowledge of Istanbul and all the sites we visited. Bariş was very friendly and easy to talk to which made the tour even more enjoyable - an added bonus was that he was a great photograher. Before the tour ended Bariş kindly gave us recommendations for restaurants, shopping and other sites around the city. I would highly recommend this tour with Bariş to anyone who is visiting Istanbul. You will not be disappointed!
Wonderful Experience touring with Baris in Istanbul !! FIRST time in Turkey, and can’t wait to return to tour with most knowledgeable tour guide I’ve had thru my travels! Baris was in constant communication before we met, finding me easily at the busy bus terminal, navigating thru the most efficient possible route to get to what interested me most of history, shopping , constantly informing me of every location. I highly recommend Baris, felt I had a perfect tour guided as a single American woman in Istanbul, exceeding my expectations. He was more, perfect his perfect English, he was an easy going , confidant , handsome bodyguard, a talented photographer, (he knew where to take amazing pictures of me) fun , caring person ,and most importantly trying free sweets along the dat, delish dining on rooftop, all so hospitable with outmost respect showing me beautiful Istanbul at its finest!! Will be requesting Baris very soon again on my upcoming trip back, only now with my friends who are dying to come along to meet Baris to TOUR, EAT. & SHOP and enjoy !!!! Pack a few things call and GO TOUR with BARIS as soon as possible!
We really enjoyed our tour around Istanbul with our guide, he was friendly and informative, we were able to get good views on general life and history of Istanbul. It’s a lovely place and the food is great. Also highly recommend experiencing a traditional Turkish bath
Baris is the best guide out there! So many things that made him a great guide. His English is very good. He was a very good listener and answered all our questions and tailored the day to what we preferred. He was very flexible in covering all the sights but gave us options (food, shopping etc). He is a gentleman and very kind. His knowledge of the city and history of the area is vast. He was very interesting to listen to and asked us fun questions to test our knowledge or see what we thought the answer would be (example-how many mosques are in Instanbul? We were way off on our guesses but the answer is 3000!). He made sure as we were shopping in the Grand Bazaar (4000 shops!) we were taken to best shops. After we said goodbye to Baris we needed help with an additional item and we sent him a message on WhatsApp and he helped us immediately. It was SO appreciated! We had a WONDERFUL day with Baris and would tour with him again! 10/10 experience!
I spent an entire day with Baris whom went above and beyond on providing me with an incredible day. We were able to skip the long lines as everyone knows him at the entrances and let us in. He went into great detail on all the sites and made it a great day. I can’t say enough good things about his tour and I highly recommend BARIS for your tour of Istanbul.
Baris was an excellent guide for our first visit to Istanbul. He connected with us the day before the tour to confirm the arrangements. Baris is very knowledgeable and was happy to share his experience of this beautiful city. We highly recommend Baris as an Istanbul guide!
Excelente tour, Baris the best guide I recommend 100%, thank you Baris
We had the pleasure of spending two days in Istanbul with our guide Baris, and we couldn’t recommend him more highly. We explored some of Istanbul’s most remarkable sites together, including the Basilica Cistern, Haigia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, all brought to life through Baris’ knowledge and engaging storytelling. We also enjoyed a beautiful afternoon trip on the Bosporus, which was a real highlight. Baris was a wonderful, caring and professional guide who made the experience feel personal and memorable. His passion for Istanbul and genuine care for his guests made all the difference. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and would wholeheartedly recommend Baris to anyone wanting an authentic and enriching experience of Istanbul. Cheers from four Aussies
I had an amazing experience touring Istanbul with Baris! He was incredibly kind, knowledgeable, and made a real effort to connect with everyone in our small group. You can tell he genuinely enjoys what he does—he took the time to answer questions, share local insights, and make sure we all felt included. What really stood out were his thoughtful recommendations for shopping, restaurants, and hidden gems around the city. It made the rest of my trip so much better having that insider perspective. I highly recommend booking a tour with Baris if you’re visiting Istanbul—you won’t regret it!
Had great experience on my tour, amazing local touch, knowledgable guide. 100 % recommend to book with Bariș and enjoy Istanbul experience.
Baris was an excellent tour guide! Very knowledgeable about all of the sites. Everything ran smoothly. Baris was accommodating and it was nice skipping the long lines especially on a Saturday afternoon which tend to be busy anywhere you go. My family and I enjoyed the tour- highly recommend!
We had such a fantastic foot tour with Baris. A friend recommended we book with Baris and so happy we did. With such short notice we were so grateful he went out of his way to make time for us. Price was very reasonable. Baris was so knowledgeable we learnt much about history of the stunning tourist sites we visited, which were The Basillica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Absolutely beautiful sites. Highly recommend you book with Baris.
I really enjoyed my trip to Turkey on 2025, all the food served was very good, never let me on empty stomach while travelling. The places that we went were all satisfying Overall the trip was satisfying and great Just maybe a bit rush to move from one place to another, maybe let us to spend a bit more time at one place so we can enjoy take photos as much as we can Mr Baris the tour guide was the best ever, he led our team with patient, he even took care of us like the real family I really hope I can still travel to Turkey again under the same travel agency and the tour guide, Mr Baris Thank you
Boris was an excellent guide. He customized our tour to our liking and was very professional, polite and nice. There were demonstrations in the square with police activity but he kept us safe and we were still able to do everything we desired. Boris’ English was excellent. I would highly recommend him.
Visited Istanbul for 3 days and loved every minute. The city is vibrant, full of stunning architecture and rich history. Must-sees include Hagia Sofhia, Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern. Great food, nice rooftop cafes, and wonderful views of the Bosphorus. Many thanks to our guide. Highest recommendation!
The tour was so good, Baris was so kind and helpful.
Great tour. Covers all the must-sees and a quick tea stop at the bazaar to learn about the making of Turkish carpets and tea culture. Highly recommend!
We took a tour of Istanbul, visiting the wonderful Blue Mosque and the impressive Hagia Sophia. Our guide, sir. Bariç, is very friendly, polite and excellent professional. I highly recommend!
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