• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Istanbul? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Istanbul!

Destination

Istanbul, Turkey

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Deutsch, Türkçe, Español, 中文

Included

• Private Guide
• 1 Local Drink or Snack
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to attractions

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 21 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of the German Fountain in Sultanahmet - Istanbul to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. City Highlights

   See from Topkapi, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Istanbul so unique

4. Hidden Gems

   Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience

5. Magical Storytelling

   Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

6. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Caroline🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ahmet Can)

9 September 2025

Ahmet was great! We were visiting Istanbul for the European Triathlon Championships so didn’t have a lot of time to sightsee. We booked an afternoon tour of Sultanahmet with Ahmet and I’m so glad we did. He was friendly and very informative, bringing each site to life with stories and interesting facts. Would highly recommend!Fabulous tour of Sultanahmet

Sean

(About local Alp)

7 September 2025

I had an incredible experience exploring Istanbul with Alp as my guide. He was exceptional at tailoring the tour to my interests, taking me through hidden gems across different neighborhoods that I would have never found on my own. Alp’s deep, factual knowledge of the city’s history, landmarks, and culture made every stop meaningful and insightful. What truly set him apart was his passion for the local music scene and his recommendations for off-the-beaten-path shops and restaurant that were all a gem. On top of it all, Alp was the sweetest, most hospitable guide that i was lucky to have had. His warmth and genuine love for his city made this tour unforgettable and I couldn’t recommend him more for anyone visiting Istanbul, especially for the first time.Truly Authentic Experience with a Gem!

Tricia🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Esra)

6 September 2025

We had an excellent tour around Istanbul with Esra, the tour was entirely tailored to what we wanted, visiting many of the amazing sights, and the knowledge we gained was invaluable and every question answered. If we had of had more time we would have booked onto one of the culinary tours too as that sounds great also! Perfect tour

Stuart🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Ugur)

5 September 2025

We asked Ugur for a general tour of Sultanahmet to understand the history and culture of Istanbul and the Turkish people. Ugur was friendly, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. He was open and responsive to our requests and personalised the tour to meet our interests. He gave us some great restaurant and shopping recommendations. Thank you Ugur, we would highly recommend!Money well spent

Chantal🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Gülce)

2 September 2025

We had a great tour with Gülce, she told us a lot of information during the tour but also gave us a lot of tips for after the tour. We were a group of 5 including 2 kids. It was fun for all of us.Great tour with Gülce

Dr.🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Ahmet Can)

1 September 2025

Ahmet Can has been an wonderful guide and made our tour through Istanbul memorable - a huge thank you:)Thank you

Steve🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Ayse)

28 August 2025

We had the absolute pleasure of spending the day exploring Istanbul with Ayse as our guide, and it was truly an unforgettable experience! From the moment we met her, her warmth, enthusiasm, and deep love for her city shone through. Ayse brought Istanbul’s rich history to life with incredible detail, weaving fascinating stories and cultural insights that only someone with her local experience and passion could share. Her knowledge of both the well-known landmarks and the hidden gems made us feel like we were seeing the city through the eyes of a true insider. Beyond her expertise, Ayse made the day so enjoyable with her friendly personality, patience, and genuine care to ensure we had the best experience possible. We walked away not only with a deeper understanding of Istanbul’s history and culture, but also with the sense that we had made a wonderful new friend. If you are visiting Istanbul, do yourself a favor and book a tour with Ayse—you will not be disappointed!Amazing tour of Istanbul must see sites!

Laurie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Esra)

24 August 2025

Esra was so much fun to experience a few sites of the old city with. She was knowledgeable and personable and she engaged with every member of the family, speaking directly to my 14 year old nephew and 8 year old daughter, bringing the tour to each of their levels which was wonderful to experience! And if you’re interested in Turkish rugs, she knows where to take you! I highly recommend Esra - she will make sure everyone learns and has a great time! Esra is great with the whole family

Sara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Esra)

22 August 2025

Esra is a pleasure to be with. We spent 2 days together in Istanbul. She took us to a lovely local restaurant for lunch. We spent both days shopping. She is very knowledgeable. Would not have had the great experience in the Grand Bazaar without her. She knew just where to go so we worked with reputable vendors. She haggled for me and was helpful stylist. Her English is excellent and her demeanor is endearing. I felt like we were old friends. Couldn’t recommend her more highly!2 Super Fun Days

Matthew🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Esra)

17 August 2025

From the moment we met Esra we knew we were going to have a great day. Her passion and knowledge of Istanbul was incredible… and her manner was so relaxed and engaging. We just clicked! Thank you 🙏 for showing us YOUR hidden gems especially at The Grand bazaar … We highly recommend Esra as your guide and we hope to meet again ❤️❤️Capricorn sisters ❤️❤️

Joel

(About local Esra)

13 August 2025

Esra did a stunning job leading me on a two day tour. I have never had a better, more knowledgable, congenial guide. Esra not only know the landmarks but also a remarkable number of people in the city. I highly recommend her and will use her again for sure. JoelThe Best of All

Jamie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ayfer)

4 August 2025

Our family of 5 (includes 3 teenagers) had a fantastic 3-hour tour of Istanbul with Ayfer! Ahead of our tour, Ayfer helped us determine how we wanted to spend the time, giving us a few options, and was really flexible the day of, tailoring the tour based on what we were enjoying most. Ayfer was really friendly and engaging, and made us all very comfortable asking questions. She is so knowledgable about the city and history and includes lots of interesting stories and details. Ayfer really went above and beyond, helping us order lunch at the conclusion of the tour and giving us helpful tips for spending the rest of our time in Istanbul including tram details. We would highly recommend Ayfer for an insightful and memorable tour of Istanbul!Fantastic Tour of Istanbul

Mar🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Alp)

1 August 2025

I had a great experience. 3 hours private tour. Alp adapted to my preferences while explaining historic facts and street art. He also choose some traditional food which I loved. So ,highly recommended.

María Victoria

(About local Abdullah)

31 July 2025

We had the absolute pleasure of having Apo as a tour guide. I can’t recommend him highly enough. From the beginning, he brought energy, passion and deep knowledge that made the tour memorable and engaging. Also, he had a great sense of humor and genuine ability to connect with everyone. Apo answered all of our questions and went beyond providing a longer tour than we had planned. Truly a standout guide! We will surely contact him again when we return. Outstanding tour

Chris

(About local Emre)

29 July 2025

We really enjoyed our 5 hour tour with Emre visiting the highlights of historic Istanbul. He tailored the day exactly to our ideal itinerary and packed a lot of activity into our time. Emre was so patient with our large group of 9, tailoring the time and pace of every stop to make sure we saw plenty of history, but didn't overdue it on a hot day. He was knowledgeable, giving a great historical context, and was a genuinely fun person to spend the day with. We will remember this day fondly and would recommend Emre for your trip to Istanbul.

Gordon🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ahmet Can)

27 July 2025

Despite a delay to our start as we could not find the German fountain! Ahmet was a perfect guide, his knowledge of the history of Istanbul went beyond dates and details but provided relevant information that linked and overlapped. Despite the heat, the time went quickly.Excellent historical detail

lance & lily🇺🇸 United States

(About local Esra)

22 July 2025

Esra was in contact with us before our tour. She introduced us to a friend the day before our tour who helped us shop in the grand bizarre. She made it easy to connect and was able to move our tour up a bit to accommodate our hectic schedule. Her knowledge of Istanbul and her professionalism were both outstanding. I highly recommend her. Esra was great!

Boris🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Esra)

22 July 2025

The tour was very interesting and informing and Esra is a great guide with lots of stories and knowledge. We would highly recommend herGreat tour with a great lady

Mark and Leanne🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Neslihan )

21 July 2025

Enthusiastic, humorous, knowledgeable, on time. I would highly recommend her to anyoneExcellent

Anakaren

(About local Esra)

20 July 2025

We have an awesome time touring the Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar. Esra is super knowledgeable and informative. We unfortunately could not attend the Blue Mosque cause it is closed on Fridays until 2:30 pm so instead Esra took us to the Grand Bazaar and we were able to make purchases with her help. It was comforting to know she was taking us to shops she shops at and we weren’t being scammed. She even helped finding some souvenir gifts for us. Esra is great

Robin🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Dilek)

19 July 2025

Sam🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Alp)

9 July 2025

We did a highlights tour with Alp, who shared his insights and knowledge with us. He hit all of the major landmarks we hoped to see, while keeping things interesting for my young kids. He was great, would highly recommend. Great Experience with Amazing Guide

Anja🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Nihal)

9 July 2025

We were fortunate enough to explore the rich history and culture of Istanbul together with Nihal. She guided us to historical sites and brought the city’s past to life through countless anecdotes, making it vivid and easy to understand. Thanks to her many tips for planning the rest of our stay, this city trip to Istanbul will stay in our memories for a long time. Thank you, Nihal! Exploring Istanbul

Masha🇭🇰 Hong Kong

(About local Ayfer)

6 July 2025

Ayfer was a wonderful guide—knowledgeable, warm, and engaging. She brought Istanbul’s history and culture to life with fascinating stories and insights. Highly recommended!Brilliant guide

Daniel

(About local Oğuz)

29 June 2025

Oguz was a wonderful tour guide. We got the start time wrong but he waited an hour for us to arrive. He was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. I would definitely use Oguz again if we are ever able to come back to Istanbul.Great city tour

Tina🇹🇷 Turkey

(About local Ayfer)

23 June 2025

Ayfer was incredible. We were given a fantastic orientation to the city and great insight to the history. She also gave advice on restaurants and other trips. Many thanks Ayfer 10

Sabrina🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Abdullah)

23 June 2025

Abdullah gave us a great tour of the old part of Istanbul. He was friendly, warm, funny and incredibly knowledgeable. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour, learned absolutely loads and couldn't have got our trip to Istanbul off to a better start, thank you Abdullah!Wonderful

Warren🇯🇵 Japan

(About local Abdullah)

23 June 2025

Great guide with lots of knowledge about Istanbul and Turkey and architecture and fun showing local hidden gems.Charming historical expert

sylwia and Adrian

(About local Ugur)

23 June 2025

We had a truly outstanding experience with our guide, Ugur, in Istanbul. From the moment we met, it was clear this would be a very personalized and enriching tour. Ugur tailored the experience to our interests and brought the city’s rich history to life with incredible depth and insight. We learned so much, not only about the architectural features across the European side of Istanbul, but also about the centuries of political tensions that have shaped the region, including its modern dynamics. One of the highlights was simply sitting down for a great coffee with him, where the conversation flowed as easily as if we were old friends. He also recommended a fantastic local restaurant for dinner—authentic, tucked away, and absolutely delicious. If you’re looking for a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and personable guide in Istanbul, I couldn’t recommend Ugur more highly.Great overview of best in Istambul

Fernando🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Neslihan )

22 June 2025

We had an amazing time with Neslihan. She knows a lot about history of the sures and turkey, but also with a lot of energy. Highly recommend this your. Amazing experience

Barbara and Rob🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Oğuz)

22 June 2025

Oguz met us on our first morning in Istanbul and we are very glad we arranged this tour. We began with an overview of the old city and walking past the major tourist ‘must see’ sites and bazaars and then he took us to some of the lesser visited and very beautiful mosques. Oguz was knowledgeable and friendly and our time with him was a highlight of our visit.Great introduction to Istanbul

Ray🇺🇸 United States

(About local Safiye)

21 June 2025

We booked a three hour Istanbul introductory tour with Safiye. She met us right on time at Galataport. We took public transport to Sulthanamet via the tram. I booked specially because three in the group prefer Spanish and Safiye has a great working knowledge of the language, plus her English is excellent. We toured the Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia, and the Topkapi gardens, plus she provided tips to continue visiting Istanbul the next day (which was the last day as we were on a cruise). Safiye is very kind, personable, and patient, and deeply knows the city’s history and its landmarks. We very much enjoyed our time with her and highly recommend her if you are visiting Istanbul.Perfect Time in Istanbul

Alastair🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Kadir Celal)

19 June 2025

Met Kadir at the German Fountain, he asked us want we wanted and then gave us a good rundown of the history of Istanbul before visiting the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Sistern.. managing to shortcut some of the queues which was great. Kadir had extensive knowledge of all 3 places and knew the best photo stops. We enjoyed our tour with Kadir.Istanbul with Kadir

Hugh🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Ayfer)

19 June 2025

Ayfer was very knowledgeable about Istanbul’s history, politics and culture as well as being a lovely person. We took a tour of the neighbourhoods and learnt how to take the trams, ate the best fish wraps and discovered fermented turnip drink. We expressed an interest in Turkish rugs and she incorporated this into the tour. I would highly recommend Ayfer as a tour guide for this fascinating city! Excellent guide

Kate

(About local Gülce)

17 June 2025

We had a lovely visit to Istanbul with Gülce! She's a very knowledgeable and friendly guide and she made sure we got to see everything we wanted to cover in our short visit. Being able to skip the line for the basilica cistern was especially handy! Thanks for a lovely day Gülce!Lovely informative guide!

ANDREW🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Esra)

15 June 2025

Esra was an excellent guide for our day in Istanbul. She is full of knowledge and was great at explaining the history of the city. She organised a great tour for us and also recommended a great hammam experience and excellent restaurants. The grand bazaar was something to be seen as well. We loved her bubbly and professional personality. Would highly recommend her for anyone visiting Istanbul. We hope yo be able to see another part of Turkey with her at some later stage. Thank you Esra. 🙏❤️Great guide!

Chloe🇺🇸 United States

(About local Abdullah)

11 June 2025

My daughter had a 7hr layover in Istanbul. Abdullah was nice enough to meet her early in the morning, and he showed her amazing parts of Istanbul. She really learned a lot, and she said that Abdullah had terrific knowledge and energy. She was safe and happy being with him. Highly recommend Abdullah - he rocks!Awesome experience

Karina🇱🇹 Lithuania

(About local Neslihan )

8 June 2025

Neslihan was an exceptional guide during our time in Istanbul. She effortlessly showed us all the best parts of the city, providing insightful historical context and making sure we experienced everything to the fullest. Her knowledge and enthusiasm made our trip unforgettable. Highly recommend Neslihan for anyone visiting Istanbul!Unforgettable Istanbul Experience

Ken🇺🇸 United States

(About local Esra)

4 June 2025

My wife and 2 friends were very fortunate to select Esra as our Istanbul guide. Esra has a great knowledge of the top attractions, to include the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar. Esra is enthusiastic, dedicated, and made sure we were treated as guests in her care. She made sure our expectations were exceeded!#1 Tour Guide!

Elisa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Oguz)

4 June 2025

Ouzo was a great guide. He brought us to some areas less crowded. Explained the Tram to us which we used several more times while in the city. We had had a wonderful day with our new friend. Thank you Oz. A quiet day in Istanbul

Sylvia

(About local Ayfer)

3 June 2025

We booked Ayfer for a 3 hour walking tour of the main sights and insights into historic and modern Istanbul. She was great company, really easy to talk to and a lot of fun. She explained the fascinating history of the country, and the history of the beautiful buildings in the old town and then took us on a magical journey across the Bosporus to a vibrant enclave full of foodie shops and trendy cafes. A really interesting morning With a superb guide. We cannot recommend her enough. A comprehensive insight into Istanbul

Karen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Nihal)

1 June 2025

Nihal was well versed in the history and gave us so much information. It totally enhanced our experience in Istanbul. She was obviously passionate about her city and infused us with her passion. She was also so personable and related with each of us on an individual level. I just can’t come up with enough to express our appreciation for such an incredible experience. Extremely informative

Jacinta

(About local Mine )

1 June 2025

Mine is an excellent guide. Her knowledge is incredible & she is full of energy & enthusiasm for her role which makes the experience very enjoyable. Having a guide makes it so much easier to navigate around the many wonderful places to visit. Also, Mine’s recommendations for places to eat & shop were all great. Overall we had a wonderful time in Istanbul & I would definitely recommend Mine. 😻🤓😻

Katja🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Emre)

1 June 2025

We had an excellent tour with Emre. He took us to highlights like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and enriched the experience with fascinating stories and details we wouldn’t have wanted to miss. Emre is a natural storyteller — knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate. Highly recommended!Excellent tour

Karen🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Esra)

1 June 2025

Esra is a lovely person. She is very knowledgeable about Istanbul and the culture and history of Turkey. She went out of her way to come to the port to meet us and took us on the tram to the centre. I would not hesitate to recommend her. A very interesting tour and lovely guide

Alex

(About local Emre)

31 May 2025

First class. Excellent tour. Insightful but also casual. Emre is a wealth of knowledge. An amazing introduction to Istanbul on our first day. Highly recommended. The guru of istanbul

Sabine🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kadir Celal)

30 May 2025

We truly enjoyed our time with Kadir Celal. He is very friendly and knowledgeable. Kadir helped us experience Istanbul in a way we could never have done on our own. We highly recommend him and would definitely book a tour with him again. A wonderful introduction to Istanbul

André

(About local Esra)

30 May 2025

We met Esra as a wonderful person with lots of experience and knowledge about the history of Istanbul. All recommendations from our side for all guests looking for a unforgettable time exploring Istanbul. Best Experience to explore Istanbul

Kate🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

29 May 2025

We had a great custom tour with Mine! She is very accommodating and pleasant to work with. She shared a lot of history and stories with us. We appreciate her expertise! It was our first time in Istanbul and she provided very helpful recommendations for us too. I strongly recommend doing a tour with Mine! It will be fun and educational. Mine is super knowledgable and kind!

Linda🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Emre)

25 May 2025

We have mixed feelings for our private tour with Emre. Tour with him was like hanging out with a much younger old friend who you are able to have an honest conversation & joked around with without concerns of being judged. But we also know that unlike an old friend we can't call or message Emre to whine about life at odd hours of the night, hence the mixed feelings 😅. In the end, we just snapped out if and accept that Emre was an amazing tour guide with a perfect combination of warmth and professionalism. Loved his hidden gems which we came back to. Thank you Emre for your kind hospitality, you truly are a gracious host. Dave & LindaMixed feelings