Experience Day Trips in Istanbul with Withlocals

"My guided experience with Alp was everything I had hoped for and more! Alp was beyond accommodating to my last-minute request for revamping our whole tour itinerary. He immediately rose to the challenge, was willing to revamp our whole itinerary without any frustration or attitude, and assured me that he will help me find what im looking for. And our journey began. Along the way, he not only helped me find what i was looking for (which actually took us 2-3hrs off the original agenda), but he also guided me to a few different and unexpected places that were rooted in local community where I was able to meet with local scholars at a gorgeous madrasa, have tea, and enjoy meaningful and educational engagements. Alp translated for me every time & ensured that I made an informed decision about my requested need, which made me feel deeply supported and truly guided by him. He was fun, a total gentleman, and gracious with his time and pace with me🕺🏽 Throughout, he gladly took pictures of me upon my request and calmly and gently offered suggestions so that together we may cocreate the next steps of our revamped itinerary. 🫶🏽 Alp is not only an ideal tour guide who knows how to pivot his plan to bravely center my needs, preferences, and pace to give me the best possible experience for what i needed and wanted, but he is a solid human being with a kind spirit and demeanor.💛 I am forever grateful to Alp for giving me the most special experience of my entire journey to Turkey. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟"

"We were supposed to to the Princes day tour but i recently recovered from a bout of fatigue, Alper was nice enough to accommodate us despite the rather drastic change of plans. We were thrilled with the idea to do more relaxed exploring with a local at a chill pace, and what fun a day it turned out to be! From secret spots with century old charm but modern day snack opportunities, panoramic views of the city from a mosque's garden on a perfect sunny day (Alper took some great pictures of my husband & i, best ones so far on this trip) to strolls off the beaten path, tea in secret rose gardens, all with interesting stories & anecdotes of a city we're visiting for the first time.... we were very lucky to have had this planned albeit "spontaneous" day with Alper, and we can't wait to be back. it was a wonderful way to experience Istanbul, and to cap off our last full day in this amazing city. You'll be in great hands with this guy. til next time ! "

"This day with Alp going to Buyukada was definitely a highlight of the ten days my son and I spent together in Istanbul. The ferry ride was relaxing and provided a different perspective of this beautiful part of the world . It was great getting away for a day from the crowds in Beyoglu and enjoying the calmer atmosphere on the island. The bike ride was relaxing and fun and Alp went above and beyond to provide us a great experience and share his knowledge of the history and the architecture. The restaurant where we had lunch was awesome and the meal one of the best we had in Turkey. We definitely recommend Alp and this great, fun tour as a unique way to experience something a little different during a stay in Istanbul!"

"Alper is a terrific guide and we can’t say enough good things about him. He is a talented artist and foodie and that is a winning combo! Alper’s special bike tour of Büyükada islands was one of the highlights of our week long stay in Istanbul. He has curated a perfect day- with an awesome bike leisurely bike ride with gorgeous scenery, sprinkled with delicious food, beverage and treat stops along the way. Our family of 4 (2 teen kids) had an awesome time spending the day with Alper and we wish him all the best! Tip- book the tour on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds. "

"Alper has guided me with a lot of humor, competence and a lot of niceness through the beautiful Büyükada Island, which is full of highlights. If you want to escape from the hectic traffic and noise of Istanbul this is a wonderful day trip. Thank you Alper!"

"This was my first time to Istanbul and like all my trips I like to see the other side of the city away from the hustle and bustle. Alper’s tour to the Prince’s island delivered this in spades. He was easy to get on with, very knowledgeable and extremely accommodating. The bike tour was smooth and frankly quite enjoyable. The views on the island is something else, we would’ve never thought Istanbul had this to offer. As my title suggests, if you want to mix it up from the usual this is perfect and Alper is the man for it. "

"Alper is an excellent guide, an interesting conversationalist and very authentic in his enjoyment of what he does. And this is infectious. The Princes’ Islands tour was well thought out, fun and unconventional in regard to other tours you may take in and around Istanbul. Make sure you take a hat and try not to go on a weekend in summer. Alper will arrange everything and you can leave it to him to make sure you have a lovely day."

"Alper escorted us on our private tour and took care of everything. He was very knowledgeable about our destination and also thought about all the details of the trip. He also checked frequently with us which options we preferred. If you're open to a different way of experiencing Istanbul, this is the perfect getaway!"

"Highly recommended if you like nature, but only staying in Istanbul! Alp was great and it was a fun and very smooth experience."

"We highly recommend spending a day (or more) with Alper in Istanbul. He took us to hidden gems on European and Asian side, introduced us to public transport, gave us interesting background information about history and culture and last but not least he invited us to the best cake we ever had! If you are in Istanbul, don’t miss Princess island and take Alper with you! :-) "