Istanbul Private Walking Tour: Highlights & Gems With A Local

Excellent guide! Great knowledge and communication. Tailored the tour to my tastes. Extremely pleasant gentleman. I highly recommend Emir!

Ozzie was a fantastic guide! She took us to all of the places we wanted to see, took us for the best baklava we have ever had, and to a fantastic place to buy Turkish coffee. She was able to help us navigate the busy Istanbul streets as well as the vendors in the Grand Bazaar. Great communication, easy to work with, highly recommended!

FABULOUS! I only had a few hours in Istanbul, so I booked a private tour to get a taste of the city. Tim was amazing! My transport forgot about me, so I arrived stressed and late. Tim found me as soon as I excited the car and greeted me so warmly that all of my stress was forgotten. We had a great walk around the city seeing as much as I could in my limited time. I tried several traditional foods and visited several of the key sights. Tim answered every question and his English was perfect. He even showed me a better way to take a selfie! When I return, I'll book him again!

FABULOUS! I only had a few hours in Istanbul, so I booked a private tour to get a taste of the city. Tim was amazing! My transport forgot about me, so I arrived stressed and late. Tim found me as soon as I excited the car and greeted me so warmly that all of my stress was forgotten. We had a great walk around the city seeing as much as I could in my limited time. I tried several traditional foods and visited several of the key sights. Tim answered every question and his English was perfect. He even showed me a better way to take a selfie! When I return, I'll book him again!

Just enough info-culture, history, politics, economy, geography- as it applied to our walking tour seeing the blue mosque, hippodrome, and Topkapi Palace. Emir is kind, respectful, and has a great sense of humor too.

You get to visit some pretty interesting parts of the Grand Bazaar that most people wouldn't take a look at. Part of the tour was also taking photographs of those hidden areas and being introduced to some of the people working in the bazaar.

Burak is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Turkey. He spoke English incredibly well. His guidance through the major sites was informative and enjoyable. He also took us to a few lesser known places that were extremely interesting. Even though our time with him was up, he went out of his way to take us to a local restaurant and help us order. Thank you so much for such a great day Burak!

Fabulous Tour! Emir was very friendly and knowledgeable. I learned so much about Istanbul. He also took me to places off the beaten track that I would never have discovered on my own. Would highly recommend this tour.

Fantastic introduction to historical and cultural diversity at the heart of Istanbul. Got valuable orientation on must see highlights of this vibrant city.

Emir was very pleasant and knowledgeable about the history of Turkey and Istanbul. He was helpful to us as we were trying to plan activities for later that evening

Itep was a great guide, helping us see as much as possible during our short stopover in Istanbul. She got us into the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and cistern very quickly and walked us through the Grand Bazaar as well.

I was on a solo layover and only had a few hours to see Istanbul. I had no idea what to expect and on the way from the airport I had an uncomfortable experience with a taxi cab driver who was not being honest. Not knowing the language, I didn’t know what to do so I called Ipek. She asked to be put on the phone with him and afterward he turned kind, and changed the fee, etc., I had not even met Ipek yet, and she helped me to feel supported and safe going above and beyond! On the tour she was lovely, knowledgeable. We made the most of our time in her magical city. I highly recommend her as a tour guide!

Fantastic tour with a fantastic guide. We do a lot of these to get the lay of the land in a new city, and this was one of the best we've been on. Our guide was helpful, interesting, and kind. This was my second time in Istanbul, and I'd recommend doing this first, then riding the ferry to the Asian side and back. Throw in the Grand Bazaar and the tower and you've seen the highlights.

Burak made contact a few days before the tour and the day before. He was very informative and engaging. We discussed the history of Istanbul, but also modern Istanbul and Turkish politics. I would definitely recommend a guide if it is your first visit to Istanbul.

It was invaluable to have a guide. She was knowledgeable and very considerate of our needs. I would recommend Emi and tjis company again.

Loved that at could puck time of day and length of touring time and also cater to just the sites we wanted to see in that timeframe. Emir was friendly, personal and accommodating for our tote of the Toptaki palace, visit to Blue Mosc and to a local ceramics shop - was a bit of a hard sell to visit this spot so make note if you go. Quality and service of ceramics were high but pricey.

An exchange tour with Ms. Ipek. She went far beyond our expectations, was ver attentive and extremely knowledgeable. We felt like having a new friend in Istanbul. We highly recommend this tour. Thank you, Ms. Ipek.

Wonderful tour! Learned so much of Istanbul from Burak. He took great care of us in this crowded city and as a resident had lots of interesting details.

İpek was a wonderful guide - she not only knew all kinds of interesting facts, she offered some historical context that made the information come alive. She also steered us right, away from lower value experiences toward more interesting ones. Plus she is super personable and enjoyable to spend time with. Thanks, İpek!

I had a 13 hour layover in Istanbul and decided to tour the city. After sifting through many tour options, I decided on this one since you have the option to customize it and choose the sights you want to see, rather than wasting time looking at sights that may not interest you. After doing a ton of research, I had a list of sights and places I wanted to visit, sent it to the guide, and we were confirmed! My guide was Tugba who was an absolute gem. She reached out to me via WhatsApp shortly after booking. She provided recommendations and suggestions to compliment the sights I wanted to visit. She knows the city very well and has great knowledge of places to go and to avoid. I left the airport and met her in the city. Her guidance was much appreciated as she also intervened when local hustlers tried to approach. We were able to see some beautiful sights and places. One of our stops was the Grand Bazaar where she also assisted in negotiating great prices. I returned to the airport satisfied and tired with plenty of time to make my flight. If you are looking for a custom tour where you can explore Istanbul without taking up an entire day, this is the tour for you!

The trip was excellent Emir provided just what we asked for. He was very knowledgeable and entertaining. I would definitely recommend the trip and Emir as a guide.

A private tour is the best. We had a very good experience. Feruza gave good information. We did no need to be waiting too long for other people and we can ask any questions anytime.

It was nice being able to see the best parts of Istanbul. The tour felt super customizable and we loved that it was just our group.

We only had a limited amount of time in Istanbul but wanted to make the most of it. That's where Gamze came in. She listened to what we did (and didn't) want to do and planned our time accordingly. We saw many of the big tourist sites but also several less touristy areas. She also gave us an interesting insight to everyday life in Turkey. We walked for miles but every step was interesting. Special mention for her recommendation of a fish wrap for lunch! A really tasty Turkish fast food.

Burak, the guide for our walking tour around Istanbul, took us around the highlights in the Old City. Burak is an excellent guide, tremendously knowledgeable about the city and the sights within. He has a nice way of explaining them, and the pace is comfortable, but he makes sure you get to see what you want. I highly recommend him.

We had an amazing time exploring Istanbul with Öztürk. Right from the start, he was warm, friendly, and clearly passionate about his city. He began the tour by showing us a brief history of Türkiye on his iPad, which helped us understand what we’d be seeing throughout the day. He didn’t just guide us—he truly took care of us. Whether it was helping us plan the day’s route or negotiating great prices at the Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, or even Hafiz Mustafa, Öztürk was on top of it. He seemed to know everyone! We started calling him “the mayor of Istanbul” because of how connected and respected he was. The highlight for me was our time at Topkapı Palace. The way he explained the palace’s history, especially the Islamic and Ottoman parts, made it feel like he had lived there himself. He brought the stories to life in a way that was both educational and enjoyable. If you want a guide who is knowledgeable, kind, and makes you feel like you’re exploring the city with a friend, I would 100% recommend Öztürk. This tour was a highlight of our trip.

Emir manages to combine fun with educational experience. His love of people made us so comfortable while learning cuisine, history and culture

This was the only way to experience the sights of Istanbul. Our guide was Ipek and she was wonderful. She was very knowledgeable and enthralled us with the history of the city. Had a great time and would recommend it to everyone 🙂

We arrived in Istanbul two days early for a group tour of Turkey so I scheduled a private walking tour with Tolga to see if he could show us something other than the typical list of sites that were on our group's itinerary. I felt certain that there were neighborhoods that he could show us which we wouldn't otherwise see and Tolga did not disappoint. Along the way, he filled us in on history, culture, religion, and current events. He took us to an historic place for baklava and a cute spot for a quick lunch. We rode the tram, the bus and two ferries, and walked 8 miles! After seven hours, we finally called it quits, but he would have continued longer if we had wanted. We definitely got our money's worth and counted that day as one of the best of our entire three weeks in Turkey.

We booked a tour with Tugba with my 6 year old daughter and Tugba was just amazing, so patient and kind with my daughter, adapted the pace, and we overall had a wonderful experience!

We had the pleasure of joining a walking tour through the heart of Istanbul, and it was truly a memorable experience! Our guide Iper was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, weaving fascinating historical facts with local stories that brought each landmark to life. We visited iconic sites like the Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia. The pace was relaxed, allowing time for photos. Whether it’s your first time in Istanbul or you’ve been before, this walking tour is a fantastic way to experience the city’s unique blend of history, culture, and charm. Highly recommended!

I had a great day with Ipek! She communicated with me via WhatsApp and, since I had arrived early, she began the tour two hours early. She gave me a real feel for Istanbul and its culture on an off-the-beaten-path tour. She was very knowledgeable and we did everything I hoped for and more. She was so friendly and warm that it was like touring Istanbul with a relative. I recommend her very highly.

Ipek was the guy for our family of four she was extremely good at giving us information around Istanbul and was able to cater our experience to we wanted we actually had another tour to see all of the major destinations such as Hagia Sophia Blue Mosque etc etc. We wanted an experience that was more Niche she took us to a lot and sulemania mosque and even helped us haggle for things at the local market. We not only learned about the history around the city but also what life is like in Turkey let me show you what I would definitely recommend this tour if you are coming to istanbul!

We really wanted to go to the spice market and get an overview of the Asian and European sides of Turkey. Burak gave us exactly what we asked for. He answered our questions and pointed out the architecture and gave us some history. We stopped for lunch and enjoyed some Turkish foods too.

Ipek was incredible! She put me at ease in this huge city immediately. Very knowledgeable. Relaxed fun tour, it felt like I was hanging out with a friend. Highly recommend booking her!

Feruza was a wonderful host. She infused the day with historical references, and made sure we hit some main spots, along with spots frequented by locals.

We had such a great day with Tugba! She was informative without talking too much, and she was able to answer our questions informatively. We enjoyed talking about Türkiye, but also about her life experience. She was flexible when we wanted to change plans towards the end of the day, and she gave us information about a concert that we would not have known about. It was a perfect way to start our visit to Istanbul! Highly recommended!

Burak was great! He expertly whisked us to the gems we requested and also included additional special stops that surprised and delighted us. He read our pace and kept things moving with just the right amount of detail. We learned new things, tasted new foods, and really felt like we explored an area that we would not otherwise have discovered on our own. Great communication and follow through. Highly recommended!

Emir was our excellent personal Guide that made our entire day with him in Istanbul an amazing lifelong memorable experience. He took the time to teach us about his City, Culture and Country. Emir ensured that we tried all types of local street foods, Turkish teas and coffees. We traveled to all the various neighborhoods of Istanbul and Emir did everything to ensure we were learning as much as we could.

A really interesting and varied tour. Saw and noticed things we would never have seen on our own or on a conventional tour. Burak was relaxed, honest, adaptable and so knowledgeable.

Excellent tour! Lots of information. Our guide İpek was so knowledgeable and fun! She treated us like family and knew all the best ways to get around old town.

Emir was great, showed us around old town and into the highlight places to see. It was our first day and he explained a lot of Turkey and the local history

We booked this tour to help acclimate us to Istanbul. Our initial agenda to focus on history, architecture etc. We had a fine day with Tugba who navigated the city by tram, bus, foot and ferry. She is a warm and knowledgeable guide. Born and raised in Istanbul and a true local. She helped us become confident getting around the city. Chai and cimit on the ferry. Lunch on a plaza with conversation and about life in the city. Her hints about how to navigate the major sites were valuable to us. I recommend her as a guide.

Really great tour - Emir tailored the tour to our tastes as we wanted to see more authentic places and not just the main tourist sites. We wanted to get a feel for what life was like in Instanul for the citizens and Emir delivered and more. She was friendly and was very knowledgeable. After our tour we felt we knew a much more about the city and had a better feel for life in Turkey.

Feruza was a great guide. We told her we wanted to go off the beaten path as we could see the major tourist sites on our own. She took us to some really interesting neighborhoods in Istanbul that gave us a real flavor for the city. Highly recommend.

We had Feruza who was amazing! I would highly recommend this tour as we learnt a lot and a walking tour in Istanbul is perfect way to explore the city. One thing we were concerned about when picking a tour was some of them hard sell you but Feruza tailored our tour based on what we wanted and didn’t take us anyway to sell anything, in fact it was almost like walking around with a friend. She also took us to a hidden lunch gem spot which was the most delicious we had!

We had a short stop in Istanbul but we’re also tired after a week in Greece. Burak was great. He had tons to share but his focus was on ensuring we enjoyed the session We did and would highly recommend him for anyone looking for a short or longer Turkish experience

As a woman traveling solo, having a guide to take me to the places I wanted to see was wonderful. Emir narrated beautifully and even worked out a route that ended back at my hotel. Pro tip: when exploring the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market, go early in the day. They get more crowded as the day progresses.

My son and I had a wonderful time learning about Istanbul with Feruza. We booked our walking tour for the first day of our stay in Istanbul and visited the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, several places along Istiklal Street, and the Galata Tower area. We also took a ferry together to the Asian side of the city. Feruza was a wealth of information, answered all of our questions, and gave us ideas on what to do with the remaining days that we were going to be in Istanbul. Feruza showed us a city that is vibrant, beautiful, and very well run, and I highly recommend her if you are looking for a personalized tour of Istanbul with a local!