So much to do....so little time. Istanbul is a gorgeous city, where the East meets West and results…read morein a multitude of colors, cultures and people... but conquering it within 48 hours is no mean challenge! Enter Walks in Istanbul. Our two day 'Highlights of Istanbul' tour with Walks in Istanbul and our guide Ebru was one of the best decisions we made during our short Istanbul trip. Here's the lowdown: Ebru gave us a precise directions on where to meet and the meeting point was easy to find. She also communicated with us two days before confirming the itinerary and other details. Ebru has a fantastic sense of humor, is warm and a virtual powerhouse when it comes to Istanbul. We loved our time with her - she was patient when we wanted to take a dozen pictures in the same spot, but also managed to herd us along and made sure we stuck to our schedule. We were a small of group of four and this was a really personalized tour, unlike being shepherded in a group of people on a shuttle or bus. We walked around Sultanahmet soaking in the sun and sights and took the tram/train when we had to get from point A to B. All this added to our experience of getting to know the city intimately and get a local flavor. On Day 1 of the tour we started with the Hippodrome and then visited the Ayasofya, followed by the Underground Cistern. After lunch we did the Bosphorus cruise and the Spice Bazaar. Day 2 was reserved for the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. My favorite parts of the tour with our guide were the Ayasofya, the Cistern, lunch at Hamdi restaurant and the Blue Mosque of course. Observations and comments: * We were given enough time to soak in both the Ayasofya and the Basilica Cistern and loved every minute of it. * The Blue Mosque felt a tad rushed (barely 15 minutes) and would have liked some more time to soak in the brilliance of this splendid piece of history. * Topkapi palace IMHO could have been a shorter visit - I felt dedicating 5 hours to it was a bit too much ...I understand it's an important pit stop, but I would have liked Ebru's expertise a bit more to navigate the complicated labyrinth of the Grand Bazaar. * At the end of each day Ebru left us at one bazaar - 1st day the tour ended at the Spice Bazaar & the next day at the Grand Bazaar. After giving tips and tricks to navigate both, most guides leave you to do your own thing. If you want more of their time or have specific questions - ask or make a list beforehand so you can maximize within the given time. * Lunch at Hamdi restaurant on Day 1 was excellent - the food, service and views were all beyond par. It was a great choice for vegetarians as well. * With a lot of other walking tour companies the entrance fee to major attractions and lunch is included. With Walks in Istanbul it's not. To sum up, none of this detracted us from enjoying or getting the complete essence of Istanbul's major highlights. While I was debating on which tour company to choose, I did email a few other before picking this one. Arzu, the owner and proprietor of this company was always prompt to respond and infinitely patient with all the hundred questions we had... she also sent in a detailed helpful list of 'Useful Hints to the City' and these small details went a long way. Splendid experience over all.

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This is the Mecca of Istanbul visitors! Hard to miss if you plan to check out the Blue Mosque…read moreor/and Hagia Sophia since this plaza is right in between them. It was April when we visited, so the trees where in bloom which is nice! The end of the tulips season well. The fountain is pretty, check out the mosaic fresca-s and details that decorate it! Plenty of benches around, ideal to grab a snack near by and sit here and enjoy it. Not an easy task because the area is crowded with lots of locals, tourists, even huge groups. Lots of photo ops here, everywhere you turn is a nice sight! A few restaurants around, as well as street vendors if you want to grab a simit, roasted chestnuts, corn or fresh squeezed juices for a snack break. Prices are higher than in other areas since it's such a touristy area, but oh well... when in Sultanahmet Square... you should expect it! Our hotel wasn't far, so we would the plaza to get around town since it leads you to the tram, shops and restaurants also! Try to visit in the evening, it gets way quieter and the buildings are beautiful lit up! Hard to miss, good area to check out, stroll, take a break in the action. This is the center of historic Istanbul, expect crowds, but try to enjoy the sights as well!

This large plaza is located between the Topaki Palace and the Blue Mosque…read more It quite litterally contains many of the top attractions in the Faith / Sultanament DIstrict. There are also a few parks, plus the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cisterna, The Hippodrome of Constantinople, et al. It is usually packed with people during the day but clears out at night. The fountain near the Hagia Sofia is not exactly the fountains at Bellagio but the color changes with the Mosques in the background are fun to watch. There also is a multitude of restarants, vendors, shops, ATM's and tram station nearby

This was by far my favorite activity I did while I was in Istanbul. I went for the full Ab-i Hayat…read morepackage, but they were doing a special of 10% off appts before 1:00 pm so it ended up being $315 dollars. My partner in the process was Selda and she was AMAZING!!! Honestly she made the entire experience. She was respectful but funny and really helped me feel confident and lose my nervousness since it was my first time and I had no idea what to expect. They also gave me a full bar of their soap plus a Turkish towel in a cute bag. After the "wet" portion of the experience, before the oil massage upstairs, I sat in a nice little relaxing area and was brought some sherbet tea, water, and Turkish delight while I rested. Services i got: - Traditional full body scrubbing in the warmest quarter. - Organic Lavender Extract and Sea Salt Refreshing hand and foot peeling. - full body clay mask. - Relaxing bubble wash ritual on the warm marble stone. - Hair wash ritual with redbud scented shampoo. - Aromatherapy Massage with redbud scented oil in the private massage room. - Fresh and dried fruits to finish off the experience. Overall the entire experience took about 2.5 hours and left me feeling so refreshed.

BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! This is seriously a MUST in Istanbul. You will not be disappointed…read more I did a decent amount of research on the best hammam to try in Istanbul, and there's a reason this is so beloved. LOCATION This is prime location near Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque, and this hammam building itself has a TON of history. It's stunning! OFFERINGS They do massages as well, but the main thing here is the hammam experience. If you don't know, it's a communal style body washing experience that typically means washing on hot marble stone with running water sinks, being soap-foam massaged and scrubbed by an attendant, and bathhouse style ambiance. PRICE They have tiered pricing options from 110-330 euros, and we opted for something in the middle that included the hammam experience being scrubbed and bubble soap foam massaged by the attendant, a face mask and hair wash, and treats post-experience. EXPERIENCE This was pure luxury! You start in the stunning lounge area and get changed into the robe in the changing rooms that have a traditional look. The space is large and even with a few others during the same time and an attendant, it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable at all. It started with being washed and washing myself, then a face mask, then a face mask and hair wash + scrub with a sandpaper-like glove by the attendant in a more private section. Then, I came out to the main area on the central marble slab for the soap foam massage which was amazing - I've never felt more exfoliated and clean! I ended with a face mask sheet and treats including sherbet drink, tea and Turkish delight in the main room. I got to take home the soap and scrubber glove complimentary as well. A treat from start to finish!

This museum is located behind Topkapi Palace so if you are going there, you might as well come…read morehere. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the other museums and features artifacts from nearly all periods and civilizations in history. The history of coinage, archaeological artifacts, and Greek statutes, this museum is a must see. I would suggest going early in the morning to beat any crowds.

I would also consider this a must-see in Istanbul, it's quite a collection of artifacts across the…read morelong history of what is now Turkiye and what was the Ottoman Empire. The descriptions are in Turkish and English, you really don't need a guide, so ignore them around the entrance. I can tell from the YELP reviews over time and from the new appearance of many of the rooms that there's been quite a bit of improvement over time. This started out as a sarcophagi museum but expanded, the collection still seems to be expanding. It was nice to visit here after having seen Ephesus, Bergama, and Sagalassos; and I would very much like to return to Turkey to visit some of the many other Greek and Roman sites. There are two other must-see museums in Istanbul, Topkapi Palace and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. Topkapi is much more expensive than the other two, we only realized too late to get the museum pass that will really save you money if you're going to visit these and other museums. Allow at least 3-4 hours here, and bring some cat treats to make friends with the felines in front.

I'll start with WOW and go from there. I've done a few of the free walking tours with the…read moreSandeman's folks and they did a great job in Edinburgh and Prague but they're not in Istanbul so I turned to Yelp and found these folks. Meeting by the Cistern, we walked a solid 20,000 steps (according to my Fitbit) through a half dozen of Istanbul's best known sites including the Topkapı Sarayı, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia. Along the way, we made several stops and there were a good number of spots where our super tour guide gave us time to explore on our own. When she led us around, she had constant knowledge of the sites and the city of Istanbul and of Turkey. A vast and deep knowledge. I was impressed. Our tour was well organized and well run. The lunch spot was excellent. A couple of tips. - Bring a backpack and a bottle or two of water. - An umbrella is a good idea as the tour runs even if it's raining. - Sunscreen! - Comfortable walking shoes that have a good tread. Istanbul's streets are smooth stone and you don't want to slip and fall. - For the Blue Mosque, you'll be expected to dress appropriately. There are free head coverings. - Extra batteries for your phone/camera. You will take a lot of pictures in six hours! - Pay attention to the meet up spots after the self-exploration. A certain Yelper *cough* Bruce K. *cough* got himself separated from the tour and was nearly stuck on his own until he spotted the green umbrella!

We had such a wonderful day tour in Istanbul with our very knowledgeable and informative tour guide…read moreOzlem. She had so much insight and took us to the places where everyday Turkish people shop, visit and go about their daily routines. We went to many neighborhoods including Kadikoy and Moda. We saw so much including going to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar. My sister was looking for a specific item and Ozlem knew just where to get it. We enjoyed a beautiful lunch in Kadikoy where the locals eat and had the best food where some items are only made in one city in Turkey which made it very special! There was a special shop we asked her about that makes this out of the world ice cream sundae and she took us there to have it. Beautiful picture taking everywhere and on the boat over the Bosphorus. There is a lot of walking but you get to see everything and Ozlem is a wonderful guide and only takes you to the best of the best places!