Istanbul City Tours - The Best City Tours in Istanbul - Withlocals
Private & personalized tours - just for you!
Experience City Tours in Istanbul with Withlocals
Explore the must-sees like the spectacular Hagia Sophia, the stunning Blue Mosque, and the colorful Grand Bazaar on a private city highlights tour. Personalize your plan with your favorite local and enjoy Istanbul the right way, the local way!
Explore the must-sees like the spectacular Hagia Sophia, the stunning Blue Mosque, and the colorful Grand Bazaar on a private city highlights tour. Personalize your plan with your favorite local and enjoy Istanbul the right way, the local way!
Make your stay in Istanbul complete with these things to do
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Choose your favorite local
City Kickstart Tour: Istanbul
125 reviews
1.5 hours | City highlight 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.
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.
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 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.
"An incredible, authentic day in Istanbul! Lorena showed me both the local side and the city’s rich history — from ferry rides to markets, amazing food, and heartfelt stories.
I made a very last-minute booking with Lorena, and she still created the most wonderful day for me. She picked me up from my hotel and we caught a taxi to the ferry, where she explained the fascinating history between the Asian and European sides of Turkey as we cruised across the Bosphorus.
We explored stunning mosques, wandered through the lively Bazaar, and visited local markets where I truly felt like a local. Lorena also took me to a hidden lunch spot that served incredible traditional food — followed by Turkish coffee and baklava that I even got to take home!
What made the day unforgettable was Lorena herself — warm, interesting, and so passionate about her city. She continuously shared stories and insights that brought Istanbul’s culture to life. I absolutely loved every minute and will definitely reach out to Lorena again when I return!"
ReanaAbout local LorenaIstanbul, November 11, 2025
5.0
Great experience
"Diana takes you to an array of lovely curated places found a one of a kinda rug with her highly recommend "
TiffanyAbout local DianaIstanbul, November 9, 2025
5.0
Esra is a great guide
"Esra knows really a lot - starting in the past and ends in the now.
Time (3 hours) was running very fast.
Thank you very much for this great experience!"
"Faruk was a fantastic guide and host, very knowledgeable, willing to share and go the extra miles (literally) to accommodate us. We scheduled our tour for the night of our arrival thinking it would be a great introduction and that’s exactly what we got. Faruk met us near our hotel in the Old City on a rainy eve of Republic Day and we soaked all it in.
I only wish we weren’t as tired from our journey, would have loved to stop for tea, ice cream or a quick bite with Faruk. Next trip!"
Private & personalized city tours in Istanbul with a local
Discover Istanbul like never before with a private city tours led by a local guide. These tours are tailored just for you, with no fixed routes or crowds. Whether you’re into history, hidden alleys, iconic landmarks, or everyday local life, your guide will customize the experience to match your interests.
Walk through Istanbul with someone who truly knows the city, hear the stories behind the sights, and uncover corners most tourists miss. Want to focus on art, neighborhoods, or cultural quirks? It’s your tour, your pace. Perfect for first-time visitors or seasoned explorers, our personalized city tours help you connect with Istanbul in a meaningful way.
Say goodbye to generic tours and hello to a one-of-a-kind local experience in Istanbul.
"Tolga, thank you for your guidance and flexibility with our schedule & planning. Easy to coordinate with, clearly loves and knows Istanbul from so many perspectives. Our favorite were the Greek stories inside the Basilica Cistern, added such a rich depth to the visual feast! Highly recommend having Tolga show you around. "
"Ugar is very knowledgeable in the history and city of Istanbul. He took us on a loop walk with the use of public transportation also around the city visiting many different neighborhoods including tips on navigation, history and culture for us. He also set us up with another tour guide for our next day, having her meet us at where we were having breakfast in the morning. He was so accommodating for our family of 6 and made our overnight stay easy for us to navigate around this amazing and bustling city. Many thanks to Ugur!"
"Farouk was a wonderful guide who explained the history of the city to us, as well as pointing out great food spots. He gave us the name of a local restaurant that will always be a core memory for us—only locals, no tourists, great food. "
"Emre spent the entire afternoon with me and my family, taking us to his favorite eating spots, mostly on the Asian side of Istanbul. He was informative, warm, engaging and it seemed he was part of our family. The food was varied and delicious. He also took time to escort us to the Spice Market and introduced us to a terrific vendor of spices and teas. He is great. We highly recommend you send time touring with Emre. "
"Abdullah was charming, witty, full of anecdotal stories and well informed. A fantastic way to spend 3 hours in the Old city"
KarenAbout local AbdullahIstanbul, October 27, 2025
5.0
Great guy and guide
"Cengiz introduced us to Istanbul by showing us the cisternes. He knows a lot about the history and culture of the city. He showed us some hidden gems and gave us some advice about places to shop, dine and to take a traditional hamam which was a great experience."
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
Choose your favorite local
64 reviewsEnglish・Türkçe
241 reviewsEnglish
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