Top Istanbul Private Sightseeing Tours - page 40

Antea was a fabulous guide. Patient and knowledgeable. This tour is such good value considering it’s for your group only. You can completely tailor it to your liking. We paid entrance fees to visit the Bascilica Cistern - Antea was able to skip us to the front of the line at this location which was a bonus. We also paid entrance fees to the Topaki Palace - which was amazing and well worth it. There wasn’t really much of a line here as it was our first stop she was able to get what we needed much faster than we would have been able to. We skipped the blue mosque (we did the tour on a Friday which is when mosques are closed for the morning) so the line was huge. However we went early the next morning (opens at 8.30- we arrived at 8.10 and were first in line) We skipped the Hagia Sophia as it was also closed in the morning and under renovation. If we had wanted to line up at either of the places we skipped Antea would have been more than happy to do that with us. Highly recommend this tour and Antea especially. Ps. We did go to a carpet shop - amazing to see. There was no pressure to buy - but if you did want to buy this would be a good place to start. Thank you

The experience was informative and pleasant. Out guide (Zell) began by giving us a presentation of the deep and rich history of of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires highlighting the areas and the events that we were about to see and visit. Then we did just that. At all times she made sure that we were comfortable and answered every question which I posed to her.

Our guide, Tayfun, was excellent. We did a private tour and communicated with the tour company in advance about what we’d most like to see. Tayfun customized our experience to be exactly what we wanted and gave us tons of historical info for context. Highly recommend!

J (Celal) was a fantastic tour guide! He provided an educational and interesting tour of istanbuls most famous sites touching on its history and current events. He was flexible with pace and kindly escorted us to our dinner that followed the tour. Highly recommend this tour with J at the start of your trip so you can get a grasp at of this amazing city!

This was the most amazing day! Kemal was the highlight of our stay in Istanbul. He listened to what we wanted to do and we had the perfect day tailored only to us. He’s funny, intelligent and someone we will not forget. Highly recommend doing this tour!

Had a great 2-day tour with our guide, Çiçek. She is a fountain of knowledge to all the sites and knows her way around the city. Highly recommend booking with the driver option so they can take you through some crazy streets to help you see the sites. Çiçek also had great stores to recommend in the Bazaar if you want to shop.

I had a lovely tour with Zel who was informative and tailored the tour as it was just me. She collected me at my hotel and gave me information on tram stops and tips about the area I was staying in. She is passionate and knowledgeable about all aspects of Istanbul and Turkey and I liked her immediately. She gave me plenty of photo opportunities and became my photographer for certain photos! We toured the Blue Mosque, the Topaki Palace, the Hippodrome, the Grand Bazaar, & had lunch. I would 100% recommend Zel on this tour as your guide. Thank you Zel.

Our private walking tour in Istanbul in June, 2025, with Eylem was hands down one of the highlights of our trip! From the moment she met us right outside the cruise port, we knew we were in great hands. She was warm, organized, and immediately made us feel like we were exploring the city with a close friend rather than just a guide. Eylem thoughtfully planned the perfect route, taking us to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Underground Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and several other incredible sites — all in an order that helped us avoid the biggest crowds. That alone made such a difference in our experience. Pro tip: make sure to bring a cover-up to enter the mosques — Eylem helped guide us through the etiquette and made everything seamless. What really stood out was how she brought Istanbul’s rich history to life. As we explored, she wove together stories of the Byzantine, Roman, and Ottoman Empires in a way that was engaging, easy to follow, and fascinating. We didn’t just see the sights — we understood them. She also expertly navigated the city using a combination of walking and the metro, which let us cover more ground comfortably and efficiently. Along the way, she treated us to food and water from local street vendors (such a thoughtful touch!) and later took us to a wonderful restaurant with a huge selection of absolutely delicious food (at our own expense). It felt like we were getting the true local experience. Eylem was happy to take photos and videos and knew all the good angles for getting great pics and memories. By the end of the day, Eylem didn’t feel like just our tour guide — she felt like a sister from another mister. Her kindness, knowledge, and genuine care made our day in Istanbul unforgettable. If you’re visiting and want an experience that’s insightful, smooth, and full of heart, book with Eylem. You won’t regret it!