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What are people saying about Istanbul

Dan_S, May 2026
A perfectly curated introduction to Istanbul food and culture
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A perfectly curated introduction to Istanbul food and culture My wife and I had a fantastic evening with Zeynep, our host, who made the entire experience feel effortless from start to finish. The tour was exceptionally well organized and thoughtfully paced. We began with a fun introduction to local street food, which was an easy and approachable way to start the evening. We then attended a Whirling Dervish ceremony, which was a meaningful and memorable cultural experience. Zeynep provided helpful context and background, giving us a much better understanding of the symbolism and tradition behind what we were experiencing. Afterward, we headed to one of her favorite local restaurants for a full Turkish dinner. The variety of dishes was outstanding - far more than we would have ever ordered on our own - and it gave us a true sense of the range and depth of Turkish cuisine. Our group was small (six guests plus Zeynep), which made the evening feel personal and relaxed. We especially enjoyed getting to know the other travelers over dinner - everyone was enthusiastic, and the atmosphere was lively and welcoming. Zeynep was incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable about all things Turkish food. She made the entire experience feel warm and welcoming. We wished we had done this on our first night in Istanbul, as it would have been a helpful introduction to the local cuisine. Communication was excellent throughout. Zeynep coordinated with the group via WhatsApp and followed up after the tour with a detailed list of the dishes we experienced, restaurant recommendations, and photos from the evening - a thoughtful and much-appreciated touch. This was an easy, enjoyable way for us to experience Istanbul - from street food to a meaningful cultural ceremony to an abundant local dinner - all in one well-curated evening. Thank you, Zeynep - teşekkür ederizm
Richard_W, Apr 2026
A Must-Do in Istanbul!
Erol was a fantastic guide and made the tour an exceptional experience. He engaged with each guest, explained what we saw and ate, and responded thoughtfully and knowlegeably to our questions. The tour itself was well-designed and offered us insights and chances to try food and drink that we would never have found on our own.
Lee_K, Apr 2026
Go to Istanbul and take guided tours
We all know the top sites to visit in any new city, so we wanted to see the other interesting places, learn about the culture from a local, and have a hamam experience with someone showing us the way. Our all-day tour with Metin was wonderful. We spent the entire day with him eating, learning, traveling together (walking, ferries, buses, taxi), and asking him a million questions. The food was great (we were never hungry, and most times were stuffed!), the amount of ground covered was impressive, and the hamam was something we probably wouldn't have braved on our own (side note to women - you will be on your own once you enter the segregated female area - please ask him all your procedural and tipping questions before you part ways. And bring an extra pair of underwear and a plastic bag). We did this on our first full day and it was an excellent overview of neighborhoods and ways to move around the city. I don't mean to represent that this is a private tour - I understand it can be up to six, I think. But since there have been cancellations due to the situation in the middle east we were spoiled by what turned out to be a private tour - it was nice of Metin to not cancel when it was only the two of us. We really appreciated that. It is really unfortunate people are cancelling travel to Turkey - we never for a moment felt unsafe. Tour guides in Turkey are the most educated we have encountered anywhere. They go through a rigorous training to become official guides. We highly recommend.
LeongHooi_T, Apr 2026
Istanbul food tour
This was our first activity in Istanbul after arrival and we shared the tour with family friends. Our guide Fatih, was early and met us at the hotel. He took us over to the Asian side of Istanbul by underground and ferry. The food samplings were delicious, tasting a variety of meze and pickles. The crispy lahmacun was superb, as was the tasty tantuni. Sweets and coffee/tea followed and some samplings at the local spice market. Being a food tour, the food quantity was just nice. Fatih was very helpful in answering our questions. Overall a good experience.
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