Everything was perfectly planned with a few fun surprises along the way! The tour guide was funny…read moreand charming - you'll definitely laugh a lot while learning about the food culture of Istanbul. The food was amazing, and you'll get to experience the Asian side of Istanbul that only locals know about.

I loved this class. I got to meet a group of people interested in food and history and current…read moreevents - and learn how to cook delicious food. It was amazing. If you're in Istanbul and love cooking, take this class!

Selin is awesome. Her passion for food and travel makes her the perfect host for international…read morevisitors. She guided us through the Spice Bazaar to give us a background on what is at the root of Turkish cuisine before taking us on a scenic ferry ride to her kitchen in Istanbul's Asian side. Cooking with Selin was like cooking with family. We joked, drank wine, and tasted - all over our international love of food. It was great. Although we were making several dishes at once Selin's instructions and approach made it very enjoyable and felt like a breeze. We made an amazing lentil soup special for the cool and wet Istanbul day while prepping our eggplants for the meat stuffing that was already simmering on one of the stoves. We grated and chopped vegetables like a pro - but not as professional as Selin and her rose bud tomato, but still pretty great. I could go on about how great it was to feel like I had a family in a foreign country and how amazing the food was smelling but really the proof was in the pudding, and by pudding I mean stuffed eggplant, lentil Soup, pastry rolls, salads, and stuffed apricots with clotted cream. It was all so good and so flavorful. Spending a day cooking with Selin and Turkish Flavors was by far my favorite time in Istanbul - both on the Europe and Asia sides. It's not often you get the chance to spend the day cooking with someone who makes you feel truly at home their country, city, and apartment. Selin and Turkish Flavours can do just that and more. Highly recommend for foodies and those looking to feel at home in the largest city in Europe. For more see my full review which includes lots of delicious pictures! http://www.thislifeintrips.com/reviews/turkish-flavours-review/

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.

An insightful and informative thread. We had an excellent three-day private and guided tours of…read moreIstanbul with our knowledgeable and friendly guide Furkan. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the city .

My girlfriend and I had a wonderful almost 7 hours culinary walk in the European and Asian side of…read moreIstanbul and we enjoyed every minute of it. We strongly recommend the private and guided Istanbul food tour more than anything. It is a great pick with tens of delicious stops, and excellent value for money considering the amount of the food we tasted with an amazing guide Furkan. He has tremendous energy and you just knew he is so passionate about Istanbul and his job. We didn't know what to expect when we book the the tour however, Furkan made the day so easy and enjoyable. We couldn't have asked for a better guide and experience. It was such a pleasure to have been able to tour Istanbul with Furkan.

Between 4 and 5 stars but rounding down…read more What I liked: -the location was great, felt super safe and was close to a lot of the major tourist sites like the Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque -the staff were incredibly friendly and made a point to learn your name. They were outrageously kind and trusting -everyone I met at the hostel was amazing and I made some great friends. It was a wonderful atmosphere socially made possible by the great dinners they hosted nightly -the beds were notably comfortable. I slept better at the hostel than I did at home. What I didn't like: -the wifi was not great. It was fine for your average visitor but I was trying to work remotely one day and it just was not strong enough to have zoom meetings etc. -they don't take cards, which is reasonable for certain things (dinners for example) but having to go to an ATM right after landing to take out a (relatively) obscene amount of cash isn't ideal -the breakfast was very, very limited. Obviously no complaints since it's free, but I would have preferred a better paid breakfast Overall my main complaint was the wifi since it rules it out entirely for future remote work stays, but I would absolutely stay again otherwise.

One of my favorite hostels. Super location in the Sultanhamet district with great shopping nearby,…read moresouvenirs, convenience store, a wonderful outdoor restaurant nearby. The hospitality was very good. Staff very friendly and helpful! The hostel also arranged our transportation on both trips to and from airport - really thankful for this service! Our room was a double, private with bathroom, and very clean. Steep stairs will take you to the rooftop bar where you can have a breathtaking view of the mosque. Really loved the cozy atmosphere of the hostel and the outdoor seating. Traditional breakfast buffet of vegetables, cheese, egg, fruit, and the coffee was simply amazing. We would stay here again in a heartbeat. Really loved this place!

Bitinya offers many tours in Istanbul and all over the Turkey. We have booked Off The Beaten Track…read moreand Istanbul Tastes and we had fantastic tour I would recomend to anyone anytime. Our tour guide, Erkan, showed us around European and Asian parts of the city, took us to bazaars, mosques, little shops, amazing restaurant, etc. We travelled by different kinds of transport: Erkan took care of the card and transportation fees. In one day we had so many experiences, impressions and information about Istanbul history and culture which would not be possible to achieve in such a short trip.

My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Asia, and started out with three days in…read moreIstanbul. We were on our own, so we sought a guide to show us all the sights around the city. We keep congratulating ourselves on our good fortune in finding Arif Yasa. Our experience with Arif started a few months before we arrived in Istanbul. We began an email correspondence with him, and discussed our visit dates, arrival details, and options for activities in Istanbul. He did a great job of asking us what types of activities and sites we preferred to visit, and then offered a suggested itinerary for the three days we'd be there. We asked questions about a few of his recommendations, mentioned things that friends had told us, and iterated a few times. By the time we touched down in Istanbul, we had a pretty firm itinerary, packed with activities every day (the way we like to do things). Arif arranged an airport transfer for us from IST to our hotel (we had booked the hotel ourselves using frequent stay points, but he was kind enough to give us his thoughts on the hotel's location and suitability). The next morning, Arif arrived promptly (as he did every day) to start touring. On day one, we had our only rainy day. Arif took this into consideration, and by the time he picked us up, had already altered the touring plan to accommodate the weather. By focusing on indoor activities, the rain was not a factor. Arif clearly knows the city inside and out. He has built great relationships with many shopkeepers, restaurant owners, hotel personnel, and is always able to strike up a conversation with people at every site that help to move things along in a positive way. He is able to configure a daily touring plan that is both efficient in terms of dealing with traffic and walking patterns, as well as an interesting mix of different types of sights so there's not too much "sameness" in a given day. He cleverly paces the visits so a particular site is "featured" and given the appropriate amount of time, information, and level of appreciation, while ensuring you don't get "mosque fatigue" or "bazaar boredom". Arif is a fount of information -- both historical and contemporary. At each site, he first gives a broad overview of the historical context and significance, and then a timeline for the evolution of the site. Perhaps a site was a religious site that evolved into a political site that evolved into a museum. He is able to explain the various regime changes that brought the object to the present-day situation. He is also adept at pointing out architectural or artistic styles at each site. No matter whether you are a history or civilization buff, an art or architecture aficionado, or a religious scholar, Arif is able to provide you with a factual-yet-colorful account of each point of interest. Arif also has a great list of restaurants he prefers all over town. We ate at a few places that he frequents personally (not just with his tour clients, but with his family), and found those to be excellent in every instance. They were all different types and prices of restaurants, but uniformly good. On two evenings, we had dinner on our own. Arif offered suggestions for dining venues, and even called to make reservations for us. The only disappointing evening we experienced was one on which we veered from Arif's guidance. We'd heard about the whirling dervishes, and figured, "as long as we're in Istanbul ...", so we asked Arif about it. He recommended against going, but we plunged ahead anyway. We should have listened to Arif (I will be writing a review of the Dervish performance separately). Arif did a great job of mixing up transportation types, so we'd get a real feel for how the locals live. On our rainy day, we used taxis a bit more, but other days we took public transportation or walked most places. Arif made everything run smoothly by scanning his public transportation pass for us at each turnstile, and keeping track of the fares for when we tallied up expenses later. He made a point to discuss with us the political rallies we passed (this was just before the national elections), and walked us along popular avenues and shopping areas at times designed to give us the real pulse of the city. One highlight was when he took us to the rooftops to get a panoramic view of the city. I am an amateur photographer, and Arif was always thinking of great viewpoints and locations that would allow me to capture the perfect shot. In case it hasn't yet sunk in, if you are thinking of spending time in Istanbul, I urge you to contact Arif Yasa. Arif is a true gem. We are experienced world travelers, but it's clear that Arif's expertise and personality would work equally well with first-time tourists, business travelers, or families. We are lucky to have found him. Thank you, Arif, for a great time in Istanbul.

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!

In the past year I've had some pretty fun adventures all over the USA, in China, Korea, Australia,…read moreNew Zealand, Canada, Germany, the UK, Spain, the UAE, and now Istanbul. While I've had a lot of fun in all those places, I can say unequivocally that my Istanbul Classics small group tour with Metin has been the best $90 USD I have ever spent on any activity in any of those places. If you are considering a tour of Istanbul and questioning whether you should do it with Daily Istanbul Tours, with some other tour organizer, or on your own, I can assure you that the best decision will be to book with DIT and be sure to request Metin as your guide. I won't bore you with details of the sites we saw, since you can get all of that information from their website. What I'll do instead is share a little about why this tour ended up being the highlight of our holiday: * It's easy enough to find and get into the sites, but there is so much information out there about them that it's really hard to distill it all into useful material. Metin is an expert on each site and knows exactly what the most interesting and relevant details are; he'll definitely help you make the most of your time at each place you go. Going on our own would be been stupid; we would have wasted hours wandering around, not really knowing what the more significant parts were or what we were looking at, etc. With so little time and so much to see, it was important to use our time efficiently, which we definitely did. * There can be something intimidating about being in a foreign country, especially if you are easily recognizable as a foreigner, don't speak the language, and aren't traveling with a group. Spending a day with Metin lets you truly relax and focus on the amazing sites without having to constantly watch your back or worry about getting screwed (which is a concern in any major city). With Metin, there's no pressure to buy any random crap, no worries about cultural faux-pas, and nobody bothering you at all when they see you are with him. If someone does approach you, he will dispatch them quickly. * Whatever random questions you have, I guarantee Metin will be able to answer them. Want to know what material a wall was built from? Metin knows its chemical composition. Want to know what year a building was constructed? He can tell you when each part of it was created, how long it took, how it was made, who made it, how many times it has been destroyed, where the materials came from, etc. Curious about some Turkish or Islamic history? Metin knows the years, the people, the hows, and the whys. And don't worry about being able to understand him and communicate easily; his English is fantastic, with a slight British accent on some words, which is an extra bonus for us Americans who don't get to hear real English very often * Metin is very personable and took a sincere interest in making sure we had the best possible time in Istanbul. When I mentioned that I really wanted to smoke some narguile, he made sure we were able to get some after our lunch. While we were hanging out at the café, several of his friends happened to be passing by or were around, so he introduced us to all of them and we ended up having some very interesting conversations. We had such a great time on the tour but didn't have any plans later for our last night in Istanbul, so Metin invited us to meet up with them later since they would be hanging out along Istiklal near our hotel. We ended up spending another few hours together that evening and into the early morning hours talking about all sorts of interesting topics, exploring some really fascinating areas that we would otherwise have missed, and meeting more people. This was advertised as a 4 to 6-person small group tour, but due to the season and perhaps people's irrational fears about coming to Turkey, it ended up just being me, my dad, and Metin. This definitely helped contribute to the awesomeness of the experience, but I have no doubt that a group of any size would get great value out of a tour with him as well. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Daily Istanbul Tours and Metin for making our trip to Turkey so memorable.