Istanbul Small-group City And Secret Streets Tour With Guide

Our guide was Errol and he was super friendly, open and very well informed As it says in the description you visit all the key sites, understand what they are and why they are there and then if you want to go back and enjoy in more detail you can. The tours also included a meander through a couple of markets and plenary of time for general chat about the city, customs and food with lots of tips. It’s about 3.5 hours so you might want to stop for a coffee half way. It’s a great intro to the city and Errol was an excellent host.

This was a small-group tour and it happened to just be 2 people on this walking tour and we have been to Istanbul 10 years ago. We got more specific and we appreciated how Tolga tailored it to our curiosities.

It was all walking and that wasnt expected. I wouldnt do it again. Our guide was nice and knowledgeable but too quiet so hard to hear and understand.

The entire place felt serene, as if time slowed down just for me. It’s the kind of spot where you can wander for hours and still feel like you’ve discovered something new. The experience was even more great with the help of my tour guide named, Tolga.

Zeynep (aka Dimple) was amazing!! Super friendly, personable and very knowledgeable. Wonderful perspective of the city and the rich history.. Would highly recommend.

It was a great and detailed tour. The tour guide knew the information well. I was really late to my tour and the tour guide waited. I really appreciated that.

This was a great tour providing extensive information about the sites and history of Istanbul Turkey. I learned so much in a short period of time. Our guide Erol was very enthusiastic, passionate and personable. I highly recommend him and the tour!

Tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all of our many questions. We saw all the major highlights and felt he covered all topics well. He gave us recommendations plus took us to some place that we asked about but wasn’t part of the tour but made time for something we wanted to see without taking away from everything else on the tour. Well worth it!

Excellent guide, extremely knowledgeable. Don't know how to spell his name something like Torg. Interesting

The vendor canceled the tour the night before because they didn’t have enough signed up. I hope I am not charged.??? Ok as long as my cc is not charged.

Alp was a great guide. Very knowledgeable and excellent English. He clearly had a passion for his topic.

Enjoyed our walk thru Istanbul. Did it on our first morning to get a look around. Host was friendly and knowledgeable. Recommended.

Hussein was a very good tour guide, good start when you just arrive in town Easy walk distance. Talk about history and culture

You ask us to change our 8:30 tour ( canceled ) to 13:00 hrs When we began this tour we noticed it was not the same program as the 8:30 We canceled with the guide and go to visit places by ourselves

This tour was outstanding with our guide Hüseyin sharing his deep knowledge and giving a fascinating insight into the layered history of Istanbul. The pace was easy and manageable and seeing some backstreets just fabulous. Thank you would highly recommend

Our guide Kim is a local with extensive knowledge about the history of the palaces and mosques. Easy pace, covering all the Sultanahmet must-sees. Even an intro to the Grand Bazaar and spice market. Recommended.

We liked Istanbul even more thanks to the special information given by our guide, Yunus. He is a walking encyclopedia who made history interesting and captivating. He is also an excellent photographer and took dozens of photos of us. We took a taxi to the meeting spot, but the driver ripped us off and left us 20 minutes from where we had to walk. Our guide Yunus was on time at the meeting place and took us around the various sites, plus several others that we had not scheduled. He was very thorough, kind, and helpful throughout the visit. He helped us find a Michelin-star restaurant and have a fantastic meal, which we would not have been able to enjoy without his assistance. After the meal, he rode with us on the metro back to our hotel to ensure that we returned safely and were not taken advantage of by taxi drivers. We were traveling with a group that included other tours. However, his tour was the highlight of our trip and gave us lasting memories.

Abdullah, our guide, was very attentive and sensitive to the needs and interests of our group of about 9 people. Besides being very knowledgeable about the various sights he showed us, he did it in a way that always put the guests first (e.g., making sure we were in the shade when he stopped to share more detailed information or history about a site, proving ample rest room breaks). He even went out of his way to escort me and my husband on the tram back to our hotel to be sure we returned okay. That was completely beyond his duties as our tour guide but it was extremely appreciated.

Our guide, Gamze, was a perfect host. Very knowledgeable, friendly and she was happy to tailor our tour in whatever way we wanted. We spent time inside the Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern and walked around many other sights, including Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sofia. We learned so much. Gamze did very well to keep our group of 10 organised and together in such a busy city, and gave us some excellent restaurant recommendations for us to consider after the tour. Highly recommended.

Thank you Erol for an informative walk of the beautiful city and sharing the intricate details of the culture and history. Definitely a good way to start your trip in Istanbul.

Our guide Gamze was very informative and fun. We loved our tour. We got to see all of the main attractions in a short time and learnt a lot about Istanbul.

Great guide. With only a small amount of time in Istanbul, this was a great way to see and find out about some of the key areas

Moustafa, or Jack, was highly entertaining and we managed to see quite a few of the big cultural sites. He is very educational and his ability to help us understand cultural differences was fantastic. Just a word of caution: he took us to a pottery shop that was very pushy and very expensive. The artwork was beautiful and it was educational to see the process used in the blue Mosque, it was a high-pressure sales program. It was uncomfortable.

Ozzie was good fun & very knowledgeable. Using his iPad he really brought to life how Istanbul was. We entered basilica cistern; blue mosque & first courtyard of Topkapi. We visited the other sites but did not enter. He showed us best photo spots & how to negotiate at the bazaars. Well worth doing to understand how 2 continents & empires collide. And I’m know Ozzie will take pleasure in showing you the real German fountain! A good afternoon packed with information.

I booked a small group tour, which was made magical as we were accompanied by the most patient and knowledgeable English speaking guide. Errol was extremely learned and so helpful. Having an indepth knowledge of the culture and history in Istanbul he took his time to speak to us at length at every sight we visited. Absolutely enjoyed the tour!!

Excellent walking tour with great knowledge and very friendly, catered for the pace of the group. As you are with a guide you will not have to queue to enter the cisterns which is good as the queue was long (there is an entrance fee) when we went in august. A great way to see the sights of the city and our guide answered all our questions very well. Thank you!

We had the most incredible and informative tour with Hoessein! He spent hours teaching us the history of Istanbul, showing us special key stores in the bazaar and even gave us the best tips for our future days in Istanbul. Both our children (ages 10 and 12) were captivated. Couldn’t recommend the tour enough!

A Great morning walking tour to get your bearing. This tour does not go inside any of the listed attractions except for the Blue Mosque. If you want to go inside the Basilica Cistern it’s an extra cost. Our guide Kismet was excellent. She explained the history of Istanbul, the transport system and how and where to buy tickets to the various attractions etc. The meeting place to easy to find.

Excellent Great time Lots of fun. Amazing So much to see in Turkey. Guide was the very best in whole country.

Had a lovely time on this walking tour. We got to see all the major sites, and our guide even added the Cistern tour (added charge, but we planned to go anyway, so this was perfect!) for us.

Our guide Torga, was very knowledgeable and fun. He was considerate and enthusiastic. I would highly recommend this tour.

Very informative and interesting tour. Our tour guide Tolga was very knowledgeable and very helpful. He even walked with me to the starting point so I can find my way back to the hotel. The pick up location was very easy to find. The group was very small as advertised. I would definitely recommend this tour.

The guide was poorly briefed. We were exoecting an orientation walking tour looking at the outside of highlights of central Istanbul. Our guide wanted us to either queue for entry tickets or catch the tram. Some left 1/2 way thru the remaining 2 were less than happy

The tour was informative and I had a great time. However, I would like to call out that the tour description is misleading. It suggests 'free admission' however none of these were included we simply passed by. The one admission which was included (the blue mosque) the tour guide was late which meant we missed it due to prayer times. She said she would take us back at the end but then said sorry she has another tour so couldn't take us back. That aside it was a good tour.

Great guide. MUCH history, almost too much to take in. In all, covers much of the old city. The best!

We enjoyed our tour around Istanbul. Erol was friendly, engaging and knew so much about this outstanding city. It was a great introduction. Particularly enjoyed the visit to the Blue Mosque and learned so much.

Gamze was such a kind and warm person, so knowledgeable, proud of her country and enthusiastic. Her English was amazing and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour with her. We had some great conversations with her about Turkey and history and she was happy to answer and discuss anything. Gamze, thank you for getting us off to an incredible start on our trip to Istanbul. We are so grateful :)

Excellent introductory walking tour to the sights of Istanbul. Our guide Erol was very well informed about the history and cultures of Constantinople/Istanbul. We stopped at all the main sites where he explained their signficance, how/when to visit and what to look for inside - eliminating the need to take guided tours. The tour meeting point was just up the road from the exit from the Cistern and ended at the Spice Market. The market is a great location to get to the Bosporus Cruise boats and an easy 15 minute stroll through the shopping streets back to the start with plenty of cafes to stop at for a coffee. Take this orientation your first before deciding how to spend the rest of your visit to Istanbul.

Much more than I expected! Great overview to get your bearings plus see the inside of the blue mosque.

So enjoyed this tour. Gumzic was knowledgeable and ensured everyone was well looked after. Good foot wear and reasonable fitness is needed for this tour.

I highly recommend this tour. There are sooo many stops and things to see and learn, it is a wonder they can fit on this 3 hour tour. Our guide Errol was patient, professional and polite. He explained so much and his English was very good. All the places were amazing. Nova Roma is better than well, actual Roma (in my opinion!) In the end he deopped us at this tea and sweets store that was best of the best. Their sweets were better than hafidz mustafa! We ended up buying so much. No pressure, though. For fit and not so fit people, you wouldn't have any problems BUT for lazy old me, the walking and incline was quite, well hardcore (ha ha). But my kids actually enjoyed it. We had a great time. Thanks, errol!

We loved our tour with Erol. He had interesting facts and stories to share throughout the day. I recommend the morning tour because the sites are less crowded. Thanks again for a memorable experience, Erol!

My daughter and I really enjoyed the tour. It was informative, done in a professional and friendly manner and not too long. It was scheduled for early morning and lasted a couple of hours (roughly) so we had the rest of the day to explore the city the way we wanted to. I can recommend it to everyone who wants to get their bearings of the old city and learn some historical facts without getting overly tired from walking and sightseeing.

This tour was a great introduction to the main tourist sites including Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and the Spice Bazaar. It is highly recommended as a way to orient yourself on a first day in Istanbul, and Elif is a lively and informative guide

Fantastic tour! The perfect length with so many interesting stops along the way. The tour guide was absolutely brilliant and so knowledgable. Would recommend this tour to everyone, you will not regret it!

Erol was my guide and he was very friendly and engaging. I really enjoyed the tour, walk and sightseeing.

Very informative and well paced tour. Erik are guide was excellent at answering my questions and was well prepared with pictures on his phone to illustrate some of his commentary such as ariel shots of the area we were walking around. Would recommend this tour if you want to know about some of the key sites of Istanbul.

This was a good comprehensive half day tour of Istanbul. Erol Utgun (Tour Guide) was knowledgeable and friendly. I would have rated this tour "5-Stars"; however, we were not able to see Topkapi Palace because it is closed on Tuesdays. I was corresponding with the tour company the week prior to the tour about Topkapi Palace and they did not mention it was closed. I would have rescheduled my tour to Wednesday had I been informed.

We had a wonderful walking guide Elif’s knowledge of Istanbul is enriching. Thank you for a great introduction to the city Elif! Hope to see you again!