See the highlights & hidden gems of Turkey with a local on your side. The best private tours & travel experiences of 2026 in Turkey are waiting for you.
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Top 10 things to do in Turkey
Make your stay in Turkey complete with these things to do
1
Choose your favorite local
City Kickstart Tour: Istanbul
146 reviews
1.5 hours | City highlights tours | Istanbul
Welcome to Istanbul! Want to know the best places to eat? Cool events in town? Which places to go to and which to avoid? Or simply get some help to navigate the city? Book this private tour with a local and get the perfect introduction to Istanbul to start your city trip on the right foot.
Ready to taste the best food in Istanbul? Satisfy your cravings for local food and culture with highlights along the way, together with a foodie host. Enjoy 10 delicious and typical tastings that range from sweet to savory as well as drinks on a tasty food tour in Istanbul.
Want to see the best of Istanbul? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Istanbul!
As the sun sets, Istanbul lights up, the heat of the day fades, and the tourist crowds start to thin out. This is the time to enjoy the city at its atmospheric best on a private tour with a local! Take in glittering highlights and the local ambiance that only the evening brings out in Istanbul.
Kadikoy is the place to be! Explore one of the hippest neighborhoods in Istanbul and discover it bite by bite. Go to up & coming places and try one of the best Turkish dürüm kebap (wraps), street food in a hipster little pop-up restaurant, and a nice beer or cocktail in a local hip bar.
You’ve probably heard that Istanbul is well-known for Hagia Sophia, but do you know the stories and origin behind it? Or how much influence it has on the locals daily life? On this private city tour, you are in for a cultural treat!
Ready to get creative? Be part of a fun jewelry workshop taught by a friendly local “usta”. Step into his studio for a perfect hands-on experience that will teach you how to create and design your own accessories through different techniques.
Go off the beaten path on a journey full of hidden gems! Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and discover tranquil green spaces, local neighborhoods with a lively atmosphere, and a bazaar filled with interesting handicrafts, Turkish products, and textiles.
Explore Topkapi Palace & Surroundings with a Local
1,605 reviews
3 hours | Skip the line tours | Istanbul
A quick visit to the Topkapi Palace is not enough. There are other spots worth checking out outside this attraction, and your local host knows exactly where. Combine your visit to the Topkapi Palace with a touch of hidden gems and an easy access to this famous attraction, and you are set for a good time!
Ready for a jam-packed tour, full of history, culture, stories, and sights? Checkmark from your travel bucket list all your must-sees of Istanbul, because if there’s a Withlocals tour that shows you all the city's ins and outs, it’s this complete and personalized tour of Istanbul.
"We spent an incredible morning with Tolga. It felt like we were old friends from the very start. What added to that, is that he is a native who also spends part of his year in Europe and has a great world view. That made it so easy to connect. He has a ready laugh and clearly knows his city and its history. We loved that we were able to tailor our time together to see and do what we wanted and he helped us get the most out of our time in the city. We highly recommend a tour with Tolga. You'll be happy you did. "
"Ayse is incredible - so friendly and full of amazing insights / history and of course food to try. We loved our time with her - we had a three year old with us and Ayse went above and beyond to make sure he was entertained. Thank you Ayse for making our trip so special! "
"After several visits to Istanbul we wanted a soft and friendly introduction to the city for our adult son and his wife (who was visiting for the first time). Goda was exactly the right person.
Flexible, informative, easy going… some history, some social commentary and a young person’s perspective on life in the EU and Turkey. We walked and talked, had a cup of tea and enjoyed the sites as if visiting with a friend.
We are recurring users of WithLocals and Goda is an excellent example of why we enjoy the site and its local guides. She has very good English language skills and a good command of Turkish. If a relaxed and informative tour with a friendly guide interests you, we would highly recommend Goda. Her consistently high reviews by others are well deserved.
We did discuss the Turkish wine industry and, although we didn’t pursue it further, she would have been our first choice if time permitted a further tour on this topic. "
"Cengiz took us to Topkapi Palace and transforms into historian, foodie, shopping guide, photographer, and friend so easily. He is an extremely fun and friendly guy to spend time with and made us feel very comfortable on the tour and with the city!
Could not have had a better time!"
"We spent a wonderful afternoon with Cengiz exploring Topkapi Palace! From the start he was a great communicator and kept my 10 year old son involved as well. The palace was amazing but Cengiz truly helped to bring it to life for us. I would highly recommend!"
"My evening tour with Goda and Friends was a highlight of my time in Istanbul. As a first time visitor to the city, I never would have ventured to the charming neighborhoods or known the stories behind the buildings had I not been on this tour. Not only did Goda & Friends add context and history to my exploration, she was a wonderful conversationalist. Not only did I connect with Istanbul as a result of this tour but I made a connection with a beautiful stranger. "
"Dilek was very good. She was open to requests and very informative about both food and culture- We tried things on our tasting tour we never would have tried by ourselves and glad we did. "
"On a quick trip through Istanbul, we booked a food tour for six of us with Alp via Tours with Locals. He was fantastic. We had a wide range of food that was both distinct to the region and some of Alp's personal favorites. Our samples were generous--really more than we could eat--and included appetizers, main dishes, various drinks, and desserts. Alp shared historical context and cultural context for each dish. His English is excellent and he has a great sense of humor. One of our group was in a wheelchair, and he made some accommodations for that so that everything ran very smoothly. Definitely a 10/10 experience! If we go back, I would do another tour with him in a heartbeat."
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
