Istanbul Modern City Walking: Taksim To Galata With Secret Passages

Our tour guide, Tonga, was very knowledgeable and experienced. We particularly liked seeing all of the passages that we normally would’ve never encountered. He knew a lot of interesting things about every neighborhood we walked through. He also tailored the tour to some of our preferences, which was greatly appreciated. We are not that interested in the various churches other than the first two we saw, so he would show them to us from the outside, but not make us go in. I highly recommend this tour as you will see places you most likely will not if you try to do it on your own. The only thing I would say is you have to be somewhat fit and able to walk on cobblestone streets including up hillls and some stairs. It is not overly exerting, but you definitely needs some stamina. I highly recommend Tonga as your tour guide. He speaks great English and is quite personable which made it even better.

Our guide was very knowledgable, helpful and friendly!He took us to the most amazing places of Istanbul and he really helped us the history behind them!So much worth it!

Erol was a great guide and took us to some very interesting places we would never have found by ourselves. He also gave us a good overview of where the locals go and what they eat.

Erol was an excellent guide, took us around from taskim to Galata. Introduced us to the history; buildings, food place. We got a good gist of the city - places to eat and shop at. It was good pace, walking and did not get tired.

Delving into the back streets was fascinating. Our guide had the most amazing insight and knowledge to share and was enthralling. I learnt so much despite having lived in Istanbul many years ago. My only suggestion to her would be to use headsets as she is quietly spoken and it is a busy area.

Fabulous tour in areas we would have never known about - we were in a small group and so it was very informative. Kim, out guide was lovely and explained all areas of interest in a very entertaining and joyful way.

Great experience, our tour guide was very kind and knowledgeable. Ideal way to familiarise oneself with the city and the hidden gems of the laneways. Highly recommend 😊

Great tour, with hidden gems. Super knowledgeable tour guide, best experience in Istanbul! We would recommend this tour to everyone visiting Istanbul for the first time!

Purely by chance, I was the only one on this tour--a private tour for the price of a group tour. Guide was knowledgeable, personable, enjoyable and helpful.

I had the absolute pleasure of experiencing the Taksim to Galata Secret Passage Tour with Tolga, and I cannot recommend him enough! From the very beginning, his warm and engaging personality made the tour feel less like a typical guided experience and more like an exciting adventure through the heart of Istanbul. Tolga’s knowledge of the city is unparalleled. He didn’t just take us through the usual tourist spots—he revealed hidden gems, secret passageways, and fascinating historical anecdotes that you wouldn’t find in any guidebook. His storytelling was so captivating that I felt like I was stepping back in time, witnessing the city’s rich history unfold right before my eyes. Beyond his expertise, what truly sets Tolga apart is his passion. You can tell he genuinely loves sharing Istanbul’s magic with others. He answered every question with enthusiasm, tailored the experience to our interests, and even shared personal recommendations for places to eat and visit after the tour. His attention to detail made the entire journey feel seamless and immersive. One of my favorite parts was how he effortlessly blended history, culture, and fun into the experience. Whether it was pointing out tiny architectural details with incredible significance, sharing local legends, or introducing us to tucked-away spots with breathtaking views, he kept us engaged every step of the way. If you’re visiting Istanbul and want to truly experience the city rather than just see it, Tolga is the guide you need. He made this tour unforgettable, and I can confidently say it was one of the highlights of my trip. Highly, highly recommended! Thank you, Tolga, for an incredible experience—I’ll definitely be back for another tour!

Tolga is an excellent guide. He was on time for both the start and the end of the tour. He’s knowledgeable about the history of Taksim, and explained to me the story behind each location’s name. Along the way, he introduced to me some local foods so I wouldn’t stay hungry and helped me communicate with the venders, all without veering off much from the planned route and without delays to the schedule. At the end of the tour, he helped me find where I needed to go next. If anyone wants a tour with some local insight and flexibility, this would be a good choice.

Great experience! Tour guide was very knowledgeable and easy going. I really enjoyed the tour and learned lots

A mesmerizing blend of cultures, with stops at the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. The guide was friendly and informative.

From the moment I met my Guide I felt I was going to learn more about Istanbul and the area around Taksim Square He gave so much interesting information about the area that you would never get by exploring yourself. I was so very pleased with my experience and I would recommend this tour with this guide to others. You will not be dissapointed

We had a great time with Enrol our local guide. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and most importantly knows all the great food places. This was the perfect tour to get a taste of Istanbul if you don't have a lot of time

Excellent guide! He was so knowledgeable and friendly. We really enjoyed our time on this tour and highly recommend it!

Finding the hidden passageways in the Pera District and the beautiful churches which we would not have found without our guide

The tour is excellent. Our guide was Kiymet “Kim” a charming and knowledgeable guide. Lots of local knowledge, special places and recommendations for more of anything you are interested in. Super busy area with lots you would miss on your own. Even had time for a stop and a Turkish coffee! It is worth noting that if you are unfamiliar with the area it is very steep in places and uneven and very very busy! If you have limited mobility this may be worth bearing in mind. Absolutely worth the money😀

We really enjoyed this tour! We started in Taksim Square, strolled down Istikal Street exploring a few hidden passageways, walked up past Galata Tower, and ended near the Karakoy tram stop. We went inside the famous Pera Palace Hotel and a couple of tucked-away historic churches. Our guide, Elif, was fantastic and gave us a lot of great information on Turkish history and culture. She also built in a break to sit down and try some Turkish coffee or tea, which was much appreciated. Highly recommend this tour!

On out first day in Istanbul we enjoyed an absolutely wonderful walking tour with Isil, spending a few hours getting to know the Taksim- Kadakoy area. Her English is perfect, she has a great knowledge of the city and it's history and took us to some wonderful places that we certainly wouldn't have discovered on our own. Can't recommend this tour, and this guide, highly enough.

Fantastic experience! Our guide, Kiymet was fun and very knowledgeable. It felt like we went for a walk and a coffee with a friend who knows the city. She showed us the restaurants that locals visit, provided recommendations for shopping and offered us to have coffee prepared on sand, which was a surprise for us. Thank you Kiymet! it was great to learn from you and about you.

My tour guy was fantastic. She was able to provide me with the history about the neighborhood. I found the neighborhood to be quite interesting. In fact, I went back there twice based on some of the things that she talk to me about.

Very informative walking tour and great information about what is available off of the Main Street. This is a tour that I recommend to better understand the evolution of Istanbul and how to find restaurants, cafes, and such that are differentiated and suites your taste whether you are looking for an authentic Turkish experience or something else.

We had such an interesting tour. Kiymet was an awesome guide. We learned some history and background to the area and not just about the neighbourhood. Even in such a busy street we were never rushed and had interesting chats. There were also small treats like getting Turkish coffee which we didn't expect. And we got some great tips for the rest of our time. Definitely worthwhile.

A great experience. Elif was very knowledgeable and I learnt so much. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul. Unfortunately the Galata tower was closed for maintenance but that is something which could not be avoided.

Gamze gave our family a wonderful tour and had many details to share and showed us many unique restaurants which only a local would know. She was pleasant and knowledgeable

Our guide Tolga is excellent. Knowledge, friendly and excellent English. We could have never appreciated the area without his insight and off the beaten paths he took us.

Erol gave us a wonderful tour of the backstreets of the Taksim and Galata areas of Istanbul. He was very knowledgeable and weaved us in and out of the areas where the locals eat and hang out. It was a very enjoyable way to get acclimated to the area.

This tour is an excellent complement to a Sultanahmet (Old City) walking tour. We took in "off the beaten track" areas and sites between Taksim Square and Galata Tower which I would never have found as a tourist. I learned about the history of this part of Istanbul and the varied peoples who lived there. Elif is a lively and engaging guide

The tour was excellent! Our tour guide Erol Ütgün showed us a lot of side streets and gave us a lot of tips about traditional food and drinks. He has an amazing knowledge and explained us a lot about Turkish culture und the history of the surroundings so that every minute with him is a well spent time. He doesn t waste time and is very efficient and very well organized! You get to see and learn a lot during this tour ! I definetly recommend Ütgün and his tour. He makes the best out of it! We also had a good Turkish Coffee and we were taught how to prepare it in a traditional way and we tried some delicious Baklava along our way.

This is the best walking tour I have ever been on. Erol was a fantastic guide and showed and taught me such a lot. Without a guide such as Erol, I would have missed so much. Great value for money and if you really want to know Istanbul, this is the tour for you.

The guide Gamze was so nice and very positive. She told me a lot of "features" for the local, as well as history of the area and different cultural aspects. The tour was done perfect to catch the atmosphere of small streets, as well as main rout from Taksim square to Galata.

Thank you to my lovely, knowledgeable tour guide, Mr Erol Utgun. What was initially booked as a group tour turned out to be a private tour which was amazing! We walked me down Istikial Ave, winding our way through secret passages to Galata Tower. Erol’s knowledge of history and culture, combined with his love of food proved to be a sensational way to see and taste Istanbul. Erol has given me, a single female traveler. the confidence to walk solo throughout Istanbul. Thank you Erol.

Elif was prompt, knowledgeable, and an enthusiastic guide. Zigzagged through the city and secret passages at a good pace. The view from the top of the Galata Tower was incredible. Elif was very helpful in helping us navigate the Istanbul card machine. Ended the tour at the spice market where I was able to finish my shopping for gifts to take home. Great tour!

Efol was the perfect guide. So knowledgeable and friendly and sweet. Best guide in all of our travels!!

The guide we had was very knowledgable and accommodating. The tour itself took in the main sights for Modern Istanbul and some of the ‘off the beaten track’ sights like the oldest working lift in one of the exclusive hotels!

Elif is knowledgeable and personable; we had a great afternoon with her and would highly recommend her - a great ambassador for the fascinating city of Istanbul.

Erol, our incredible and knowledgeable guide, walked and talked through the passages of İstiklal, Avenue, a lively street where millions walk every day. We learnt so much about Turkish history and culture, that we would never have known without Erol's expertise. Highly recommended. Especially with Erol.

Erol our guide was great and we actually had 2 tours with him. Excellent guide very understanding, helpful, friendly, informative and went out of his way to show us everything he could about Istanbul. 👍👍Brilliant.

Guide Made an effort to take us to areas that are not typical for tourists. Was very informative and pace was good.

What an interesting evening walk down Istiklal. Our guide, Erol, showed us life beyond the Main Street, and gave interesting historical highlights, while zigzagged toward Galata Tower. We had a great time! I definitely recommend going on this if you have a spare evening, be sure to pay the 175 lira fee to go to the top of the tower! It does not disappoint!

We enjoyed this tour very much. It was mostly a tour of the backstreets and covered passages of Pera and Galata. We saw lots of places to eat, shop and worship that we would not have found ourselves. We also heard of the history of the area as well as modern life. The pace was good and Erol was a very good guide.

Seeing the back streets and passages that I would not have known existed and the history that they held.

Very helpful information, we enjoyed the tour and recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about the area.

Erol was a fantastic tour guide - knowledgeable, well-paced and engaging, brimming with facts on everything from food, language, architecture, lifestyle, and eating and drinking customs, not to mention a span of history leaping between ancient times to the modern day! A great way to get to know the modern city - would highly recommend!

our guide was excellent, showing us places where we would have never gone. super informed and well prepared. we enjoyed it very much!

This tour was a fantastic experience. Our guide, Etol, was great and his passion for this area of Istanbul really showed. Etol shared the history and culture of the obvious landmarks and those that were hidden. Definitely recommended!

Outstanding tour!!! Erol was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic as he showed the non-tourist areas along side streets in the Taksim area as well as providing historical context. Highly recommend!!!

This was our second tour with Etol. What a treat! Of course we saw the Galata Tower, walked on İstiklal and saw Taksim Square but with Etol it was so much more: visited side streets to learn about local culture, discovered restaurants and cafés, walked into well hidden passages, tasted menengiç Turkish coffee (pistachio coffee), etc. etc... Etol is generous in his comments and full of historical knowledge. 100% recommended.