Top Istanbul Walking Tours

What an incredible trip!! Lutfi was amazing, he took his time, thoughtfully shared all details, and booked all our tickets for us. We simply walked up, and walked in, no waiting in ticket lines. The sites are all a must see and he allowed us to linger in spots we wanted more time in!

Our private, 5-6 hour tour guide, Betul, contacted us via WhatsApp and met the three of us at the Galataport cruise port exit, walked us to the closest tram and headed downtown to Sultanahmet Square. This was the perfect transportation option as traffic is insane! Our first stop in the Old City was the “Blue Mosque” (free). The morning crowd was light and Betul led us thru the “back door” entrance, barefoot with headcoverings in place. The mosaics inside and out were plentiful and just gorgeous! Nearby, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque ($30) was open but under reconstruction, so we opted out and went to the Topkopi Palace and Museum ($60). Betul has local-guide cred, so we breezed past all the lines to a dedicated ticket window. We each swiped our credit card (no cash/euros accepted). The palace grounds are so lush and green with plenty of shade! Our favorites were the treasury, the guest quarters, the circumcision (!) room and library. The city overlook area is a must. Betul REALLY knew her way around that place, imparting SOOO much information regarding the palace, the treasury collection, the city/country’s history, and life in Istanbul. Plan to spend 2 to 3 hours there as it is massive. Afterwards, we walked around the Hippodrome (“horse path”) plaza (free), discussing several monuments there. Betul then offered to take us to the Basilica Cistern ($37) and the Grand Bizarre, (we had ONLY clocked 15k steps! Haha) but sadly, our feet, knees and hips cried “uncle”, so we decided to board the tram, portbound. Betul was a very knowledgeable, focused, energetic (averages 25k(!) steps per tour), and accommodating guide. We truly enjoyed our day getting to know her and her country’s history. Highly recommend!

Perfect way to see the three major sites of Istanbul. Omer our guide was very knowledgeable and kept the interest of our 12 & 14 year old well. We got lucky we were the only ones on the tour. The half day tour was good timing for us and left with so much appreciation for the history and people of Turkey.