Top Istanbul Historical Tours - page 3

We really enjoyed our one-day tour with Çiçek. With Eid coming up, we wanted to see as much as we could in one day. She knew the timing and schedules for all the sites so that we could see each site at its best. And the guides can skip lines. Not to mention that they know the best spots to get pictures! She steered us to a wonderful place to get a snack when we were hungry and gave us recommendations for what will be open during Eid. Yes, she did take us to a carpet shop (I get the impression this is what the tourist companies do) but it was interesting and we didn’t feel any pressure to buy. In fact this store was very classy and if we’d known we’d be going to Istanbul I might have measured an area in my house because their carpets were gorgeous. I highly recommend her as a guide if you come.

We have the privilege to have Ziena as a tour guide, she is a very talented, knowledgeable and experienced young lady, she went out of her to explain every aspect of the tour. The tour was great, but the tour guide made one of the best tours we had ever have. We strongly recommend the tour and the great guide.

Fantastic half day tour of the old town area. “J” did a great job explaining the history of the area and significance of the places visited. Picked us up in hotel lobby and brought us back when finished. We even managed to get in an extra stop in addition to quick stop Traditional Turkish Tea and Coffee. Highly recommended this company (great communications throughout the booking and confirmation process) and super job on the tour with “J” (Celal)

Beautiful place and an amazing experience. This was our first time visiting a hammam and it was fantastic from the moment you stepped through the door. The place was beautiful with a very serene air. They knew us by name when we arrived and we were introduced to our people and shown where to go. You don't need to bring anything - they provide everything you need including light underwear for use during the treatment and shower shoes. Your clothes are locked in the changing room and you take the key with you, so it feels perfectly safe. We started with a sauna and then some time laying on warm stones. Then it was off for a good dousing with warm water and a body scrub. This was followed by a good wash with LOTS of soapy bubbles including a pretty firm full body massage (my wife's was more gentle). Then a cool down period followed by tea and Turkish delight where we were visited by a super friendly cat! There was an optional foot massage and/or full body massage which we did not opt for. The staff were super friendly and helpful, the place was beautiful and the whole experience was a great introduction. I will certainly do this again if I am in the area.

Our tour of Istanbul with Korhan was fantastic. The skip-the-line is worth the price of the tour alone. Korhan clearly loves his city and knows it well. All his recommendations and tips were perfect. Galeyan, his recommendation for lunch, was excellent for food, service, and view. His suggestion we shop outside the Grand Bazaar and just walk through it for the experience was spot on. Sadly, this tour only gave a taste of Istanbul, but enough that we will be going back for a longer stay.

This tour alone was worth the entire cost of my trip! It was clear our tour guide, Salih, had an amazing depth of understanding about the culture and history of this magnificent city. He gave a highly detailed narrative about the sites and the antiquities contained within. He was personable and engaging, flexible and informative and I was sad that I hadn’t taken advantage of his other tours during my stay. If you’re looking for that ‘next level’ experience, you must book with Salih, even if you’re in town only a few hours!

We appreciated this trip because it was smaller, more detailed, longer and more personal than a ferry ride. There were eleven people in our group, ranging in age from mid-20s through 70s. Our guide, Khalid, was knowledgeable about the four stops we visited, as well as about the political and cultural situation of modern-day Turkey. His narration was interspersed with personal anecdotes that gave us insights into Istanbul life and customs. The lunch was quite nice and freshly prepared, with a variety of typical Turkish elements. Though we had anticipated going slightly into the Black Sea, we were told that only special-visa passengers were allowed to do that. We did approach and see the border between the Bosphorus and the Black Sea, though. Two of our four stops were on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. A lovely way to view and learn about both sides of Istanbul.

This half day tour was so informative and more than we expected! Istanbul is a beautiful city with friendly people and we wish we had more time. This was a cruise port stop so had only a few hours to enjoy this vibrant city. I'm glad we did it early in the morning so it wasn't too hot yet. The heat and humidity of Mediterranean summer can bog you down, and we were relieved our bus was well-airconditioned! Our guide, Mr Sakir, was exceptional! Very presentable, spoke English very well and clearly. Talked about the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque in a concise, interesting way. It was a brief but interesting description; just right to keep the attention of our group w/c included young children. Mr Sakir was also very kind and accommodating. He gave us time for photo ops and buy ice cream. And the Grand Bazaar is indeed a feast for the eyes! The carpets were so lovely that I ended up buying one! And they conveniently ship it straight to the US at no addl cost. We all so wished we had another full day to enjoy both the bazaar and the spice market. The Turkish delight we tasted at the spice market was delicious we all bought some! Also, we were on a week-long cruise that started in Italy and I had in mind to purchase a leather jacket in Rome but didn't find any to my liking. Well, I found it in Istanbul; even better than what I had in mind! This half day tour is well worth it. Because our group was a large one, it was just us on the tour and were able to tailor our experience, w/ Mr Sakir's help. I haven't mentioned yet how gracious he is- I accidentally left my Turkish delight purchase and didn't realize it until I was in Greece already. Mr Sakir graciously arranged to send it to the US! He went above and beyond his duty. How's that for Turkish hospitality?!!