Istanbul Off the Beaten Path Tour with Guide, Lunch and Transfers
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover Istanbul off the beaten path on a guided adventure where history and vibrant culture come alive. Visit iconic landmarks like the Hippodrome, Serefiye Cistern, and Suleymaniye Mosque, along with hidden gems like the book market Sahaflar Çarşısı, the Spice Bazaar, and the old neighborhoods of Fener and Balat. Between stops, savor Turkish coffee, pastries, and even a relaxing hookah session before exploring more of the city’s rich layers.
- Discover Istanbul as a local would
- Explore the ancient Greek and Jewish neighborhoods
- Tea and a ferry cruise with breathtaking scenery
- Visit the largest mosque in Istanbul and the markets
What's Included
- Light refreshment with tea on the ferry ride
- Professional guide
- Public transportation; ferry and tram
- Lunch
- Tipping your local guide.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Drinks on the lunch
- Practice of hookah at favorite local hangout ( Optional you can skip if you like )
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- MadoKemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Rıhtım Cd. No:3 34425, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Meeting point is Mado just across the Karakoy Ferry Pier. Rıhtım Caddesi 3 Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Rıhtım Cd no 3 , 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, looking water and 30 second walk from the Galata Bridge on the Karakoy side.
End point
- Grand BazaarBeyazıt, 34126 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
It ends near Grand Bazaar in an old madrasah where we will have coffee.
Itinerary
1
Karakoy
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Balat & Fener Tour
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
St. George
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Tahtakale District
55 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Misir Carsisi
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Suleymaniye Mosque
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Istanbul Universitesi Rektorlugu
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Sahaflar Carsisi
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Minimum capacity is 2 persons. We reserve the right to cancel a tour due to insufficient reservations. We will do all we can to reschedule your tour or a refund will be provided.
- A maximum of 12 people per booking
- Our tours are done by public transportation and walking so if you have any serious mobility issues, we advise you to book a private tour
- Parents of children under 6 years are advised to book a private tour
- On Religious Fests Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are closed.
- On Sundays: Grand Bazaar is closed.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 240 reviews
Anthony_S, Feb 2026
The Jewish quarter was nice to walk through and different to other parts of Istanbul. You also see other parts of the city away from the old town which is also very worthwhile.
Gerry_C, Feb 2026
Fantastic
Not able to find all the spots I was taken to on my own without living in Istanbul for a while
LEON_K, Jan 2026
The many glowing reviews for this tour are on point: It was a delightful and very informative experience, led skillfully by the wonderful tour guide Ozge.
Sallie_C, Jan 2026
This was so very interesting and totally different than the standard tour. While I certainly saw a number of key sites and learned a great deal of history and culture this was the by no means a 'standard' tour. My tour guide was honest and open about the culture, the history, the city and anything that I asked. Additionally, I have to say, the lunch he took me on was one of my absolute favorites. It was clear why the locals ate there and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Erwin_D, Dec 2025
Great experience to visit the lesser known highlights of Istanbul. Doing the ferry for some good views of the city, walking nice streets, an amazing lunch and we had a great tour guide with Ozge
Dennis_G, Sept 2025
This was a fabulous tour of some of the less-travelled areas of Istanbul (Fener and Balat) as well as the spice market and portions of the Grand Bazaar. We were the only people on the tour so our guide, Mohammed was able to make a few modifications to accommodate my wife who uses a car. He was very knowledgeable about the history of this area of the city, the peoples who once lived there and the architecture. The tour also included the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the spice market and areas around the Grand Bazaar. I would highly recommend this tour
Anonymous, Sept 2025
This was a fabulous tour that not only covered some of the major tourist highlights but also neighborhoods and bazaars of Istanbul and a feel for the locals and their way of life. We also got to experience using the ferry and tram systems which we will make use of in the rest of our time in Istanbul. Our guide OZGE could not have been more friendly, knowledgeable or accommodating.. We cannot sing her praises high enough. We both remarked this was one of the best tours we have done. We will definitely recommend this tour to our friends in Australia.
Denise_J, Aug 2025
We had the best day with our tour guide Ozge. She showed us many different neighborhoods in the old city of Istanbul.
I highly recommend this tour with a local. We learned a great deal and had a fantastic day!
Keith_F, Jul 2025
Wonderful tour away from the main tourist areas, at a relaxed pace, with a genuine and highly informative guide. I would encourage anyone to go.
Krissa_D, Jun 2025
Great tour, saw a lot and git in a lot of steps. Guide was knowledgeable. Had plenty of time to see what I wanted to.
Steve_R, Jun 2025
We had a wonderful day learning about Istanbul and experiencing small slices of this wonderful place with Jumani. Thank you!
Kevin_H, Apr 2025
This was an amazing tour of Istanbul! I only had one day to go sightseeing and wanted to find something that hit a variety of locations. This delivered, the tour guide was great and we saw a wide range of amazing sites!
Aidan_H, Dec 2024
This tour was everything I hoped for AND THEN SOME!!!!
Muhammad was the absolute PERFECT guide!!
The amount of knowledge & information he was able to share was nothing short of amazing!
No better way to learn the city I guarantee it!! My advice make this one of the 1st activities you partake in upon arrival it will make your stay so much more enjoyable!
Thank you Muhammad!!!
clairellee129, Nov 2024
A thoroughly enjoyable day spent exploring the streets and alleys of Istanbul, to find laces we would not have thought to have visited. Our guide, Ozge, was so friendly and interesting and went out of her way to ensure we had a great experience.
We learned a lot about the history as well as life today.
So glad we picked this tour.
Lizwarner45, Oct 2024
I was lucky enough to have a private tour with Mohammed. He is wonderful and it was a fantastic day! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
msmarya_p, Oct 2024
Our guide was knowledgeable and had all the professional skills required of a tour guide. The entire day was a unique experience and probably one of the best Viator Tours I have done. Fun and full of information. The 3 of us loved every minute!
Stephen_M, Oct 2024
Really enjoyed the ferry and tram rides and the stops for snacks and drinks. Mohammad was very knowledgeable and brought the history alive. Slightly too heavy on the shopping opportunities.
Kareen_G, Aug 2024
Everything on this tour was fantastic! My guide was very professional, polite and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend this tour.
Jill_D, Jul 2024
We are so happy we took this tour with Furkan! It was our second time to Istanbul and we wanted to see more of Istanbul than just the major tourist attractions. Furkan is so knowledgeable and informative and took us to places that we had not seen or even heard about. We highly recommend Furkan and this tour!
Mikki_E, Jul 2024
This was beyond what i was hoping for.
The know of my guide and her insights into daily life it gave the tour along with the history made it so interesting.
The lunch stop was soooo yummy
I loved seeing the different sides of Istanbul .
Ivana_K, Jul 2024
Great tour, our guide Ozge was so knowledgeable, kind and friendly she taught us so much about the history of Istanbul and the Ottoman Empire. My daughter and I really enjoyed this tour through parts of Istanbul we may not have visited ourselves!
Jonathan_F, Jun 2024
Great tour going to off the beaten track places. Using public transport, trying some nice snacks along the way with a great guide.
Linn, Jun 2024
Very interesting tour which showed many sides of Istanbul. Would definitely recommend.
My guide Özkan was friendly, knowledgeable and gave me some great recommendations for further exploration of the city.
Laura_C, May 2024
My guide was fantastic and showed me some great hidden gems in Istanbul. She also picked great spots to sample Turkish cuisine, which was delicious.
Claire_M, May 2024
'Hidden' mosque near Spice Market.
Turkish coffee in hookah cafe.
Informative, very pleasant guide.
Great to see sights that most tourists would not discover.
Sandra_O, May 2024
Going to the shisha place, the old university bookshop and the Rustum Pasha mosque.
I was with 2 English people and their company made this trip so enjoyable for me.
Olivia_T, Apr 2024
It was wonderful seeing the different areas of Istanbul such as the Jewish quarter and the Christian quarter. Our guide Yassin was excellent, taking the time to explain and even go more into detail
Natalie_R, Apr 2024
Our guide Salih was very informative, chatty, helpful and we really enjoyed our time on this tour! He took us “behind the scenes” of the tourist areas of Istanbul - to areas that we would not have normally been able to find on our own. We went with kids aged 15, 13 and 10 and although it involved a lot of walking we all managed to keep up fine! Would definitely recommend this tour to others.
Natalie_S, Apr 2024
I had been looking forward to this tour for months! Ozge was so kind and knowledgeable. Our walk covered 18,000 steps and lived up to its promise to explore less talked about parts of Istanbul. Highly recommend!
Dan_R, Dec 2023
Tour guide was excellent. He kept the tour interesting and fun. The tour was the perfect complement to the standard tours of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and Grand Bazaar.
From $118.49
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Istanbul Off the Beaten Path Tour with Guide, Lunch and Transfers
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