Experience Art & Culture tours in the best of
Istanbul with Withlocals

"I can't begin to write enough good things about Kadir! We do a lot of Jewish heritage tourism, and Kadir knows so much about the Jewish history of Istanbul and Turkey, but he knows just as much about everything and everybody in Istanbul. I think he knows all 20,000,000 residents of Istanbul, and if he doesn't, he sure acts like he does! His gregariousness provided us with many off-the-beaten-track experiences with a Muslim calligrapher, the "godfather" of Turkish coffee and lemonade and so much more. Istanbul is a difficult city to get around in because of its age and density. Trying to find some of the sites he took us to would be impossible for a tourist with only a smart phone. But with Kadir, around every corner was another wonderful site, an interesting story (have you ever heard of the Camondo family?) and of course, another place to get a great deal on souvenirs. (Don't deny it...you know that's important when you travel!) Just as important, Kadir loves to learn from his customers. My wife is a Jewish educator and did some translation of markers around the city, which Kadir appreciated in a true spirit of learning and adventure. If you pass up an opportunity to see Istanbul with Kadir, you are going to miss the real Istanbul."

"Alp not only showed us some of the best street art in the area, but also shared some history and made sure we were hydrated with fresh juice and coffee along the way!"

"Phenomenal experience! Mine was super knowledgeable and was able to tailor the tour to keep the kids attention (10/8/6). We had a blast and have already recommended her to family visiting Istanbul very soon"

"Mine ("Meeneh") extremely warm, friendly and knowledgeable and customized our tour to highlight things we were most interested in. She was gracious, kind and patient, and spoke English quite clearly albeit sometimes a little too fast for us, given that some of the information was too unfamiliar for us. We recommend her highly!"

"We had the best tour with Alp - he kept a diverse group engaged and had a huge knowledge of food and street art in Kadikoy. He was also very generous in helping us work out the ferry, and altering restaurant reservations. Alp is friendly and smart, structuring a tour with the right amount of breaks/ food for kids and content for adults. Recommended without hesitation! "

"We had a great tour with Aysa which was fun and educational! She provided great historical and political context to the sites we visited and the kids loved listening to her! Highly recommend her 👍🏽"

"Our first impression with Dilek was positive. She personified our experience by focussing on what we wanted to gain from the tour. Her knowledge of history of this historical site is detailed and impressive. In addition we gained local knowledge for example how to use public transportation, and food recommendations. And a local guide has preferred access meaning you skip those long queues."

"Friendly and knowledgeable."

"My husband and I did three individual tours with Ugur as our personal guide. On our first day in Istanbul, we did the City Kickstart Tour & then on the following day, the Explore Topkapi Palace & Surrounds, as well as the Highlights & Hidden Gems of Istanbul. They were two days very well spent. Ugur is a highly professional, experienced and talented guide. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his city and his country’s history. He’s a fine storyteller with a sharp sense of humour and a quick wit. He’s also charming, personable and empathetic. He readily tailored the three tours to suit our special needs and interests. At the end of the two days, we felt we had a solid understanding of contemporary Türkiye and it’s magnificent past. We are so thankful we had such an exceptional guide and would unreservedly recommend Ugur to all. "

"A fantastic tour and guide. I suggest your trip will not be complete without doing this tour. We saw so many murals, and some sculptures. Also learned the background of each, and the meaning behind the elements of the mural. Also learned much about the neighborhood. His restaurant and coffee recommendations turned out to be great. Highly recommended. "