• 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, Türkçe, Deutsch, Español

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 19 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 Meet at the entrance of Sultan Cafe 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

Jennifer

(About local Emre)

7 March 2025

We had a lovely tour with Emre! Not only does he know A LOT about Istanbul, he also is passionate about sharing his knowledge and we learned so much while having fun and enjoying this beautiful city! I would highly recommend anyone, who wants to hear interesting facts and stories about i.e Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque to book Emre as their guide. Additionally he is very helpful if you are looking for local tips as where to eat or how to get to the airport. And Emre is great with young people too! My 15 year old son enjoyed our 3 hour very much and it helped us to connect with lively and beautiful Istanbul. Lovely experience!!

Patrycja🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Abdullah)

24 February 2025

We had great tim. The tour was adjusted to places we would like to see. Lots of fun walking and great time. Amazing city tour

Whitney

(About local Esra)

18 February 2025

We had such a wonderful day with Esra. She was knowledgeable, passionate and spent the extra time answering questions, showing us the Turkish specialties in the bazar and even making sure we got on our tram back to the hotel. I would definitely recommend her! And hope to visit her great city again! Wonderful Tour

Magnus

(About local Ahmet Can)

16 February 2025

Ahmet Can is an excellent guide. If you want to see and learn about Istanbul, he's your man.Fantastic

Marina🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Neslihan )

16 February 2025

Our 3 hour tour with Neslihan was amazing: we laughed a lot, seen a lot, learnt a lot and ended up with a list of recommendations for the rest of our trip. Neslihan loves the city and it’s infectious! She knows it’s history and culture and shares her knowledge in a light and engaging way: surprised just how much we’ve learnt whilst having fun! Could not recommend Neslihan highly enough.Terrific

Dawn🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kadir Celal)

8 February 2025

Kadir is super knowledgeable, and took the less than ideal weather into account. He made the day informative and interesting, showcasing the history and beauty of the city. Thank you, Kadir!Great tour of Istanbul!

John🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gülce)

5 February 2025

Gülce is very knowledgeable about Istanbul and the history of Turkey. She braved the cold (it’s snowing in Istanbul!), tailored the tour to our interest, impressed us with the depth of her knowledge, and gave us a lot of good practical advice for visiting Istanbul.Gülce is a Pro!

Ann🇺🇸 United States

(About local Dilek)

1 February 2025

I honestly don’t know where to start. Dilek was amazing and it was like I was learning about the city from a friend. Her communication, from the moment I set up the tour until the moment I met her was fabulous. We chatted and got to know each other. She arranged for me to have transportation and it was the best decision! Dilek’s in depth knowledge of Istanbul is second to none, and we had wonderful conversations wandering the cobblestone streets lined with cafes and restaurants. We were able to see the Hagia Sofia, Cisterns, Spice Market, old city, new city, galata port, and so much more! I fell in love with Istanbul in large part because of Dilek. I didn’t just have a tour. I explored an amazing city with a friend, and made memories that will last me forever.

hjntqdwj89🇺🇸 United States

(About local Dilek)

18 January 2025

Somos una familia de 5 personas de Argentina. Dilek tiene un muy buen español, con sólidos conocimientos de la historia local, arquitectura y costumbres. Y no solo eso, sino que además se adaptó a nuestras necesidades con muy buena onda y simpatía. Nos dio recomendaciones y actividades para aprovechar nuestra estadía en Estambul. Hasta nos leyó el futuro en una borra de café! Compartimos un hermoso momento, muy recomendable. De 10. Excelente experiencia vivimos con Dilek

Jodie🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Abdullah)

10 January 2025

We all loved our tour with Apo? Our kids (9yrs and 13yrs) enjoyed the way Apo explained information as well as showed us interesting sights. He was authentic and fun to spend the time with. With us not being 'group tour people', this experience was perfect as it guided us through some major attractions with ease but not in a typical tour type manner. It suited us perfectly. Thanks for a great few hours Apo!Loved our tour, interesting and fun.

Mark🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kadir Celal)

4 January 2025

We had a great day in Istanbul with Kadir as our guide. Kadir worked with me to customize the tour for myself and 5 friends. We visited the hippodrome, the blue mosque, the Hagia Sophie and the grand bazaar. Kadir was friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable and he helped us navigate through the crowds and picked out several places to eat along the way. I highly recommend a tour in Istanbul with Kadir!Great tour in Istanbul

Sophie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Dilek)

4 January 2025

We had the pleasure of touring with Dilek who truly made our experience unforgettable. Our group consisted of myself, my partner, our child, and my father, who is a native of the area. She was remarkably personable, effortlessly connecting with each of us and tailoring the tour to suit our diverse interests. What stood out the most was how she engaged everyone, from our curious child to my father, who had a deep connection to the area. She shared local stories and history with such enthusiasm that we were all captivated. The highlight of the day was the Turkish coffee cup reading—a unique and fun experience we won’t soon forget! It was a perfect way to tie in local culture and offer something special beyond the usual sightseeing. Her warmth, knowledge, and ability to cater to every member of our family made this tour truly exceptional. Highly recommend for anyone looking to explore the area in a meaningful and personal way!Excellent Guide!

Colin🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Ahmet Can)

4 January 2025

We had a wonderful time in Istanbul with Ahmet. He showed us around the main city attractions and explained in detail the (many!) historical events that took place over the various places visited (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cisterns, Grand Bazaar, etc.). This was definitely the highlight of our trip and we'd encourage anyone visiting to benefit from Ahmet's lovely personnality, humor, good mood and wealth of knowledge by booking a tour. Perfect day in Istanbul!

jade

(About local Oguz)

3 January 2025

Oguz has such great knowledge and he made me feel like I went back in time when he shared the fascinating history of Istanbul. I will definitely seek him out when I am back there. The recommendation's of restaurants and advice was awesome!Walk back in history

Nicholas 🇲🇺 Mauritius

(About local Dilek)

3 January 2025

Dilek came as a very pleasant surprise to us and provided us with a great introduction to Istanbul. Not only does she have a very sweet personality and is she very knowledgeable about her city, but she was also very accommodating and flexible as she gave us the possibility to do the tour we wanted without any pressure. We strongly recommend her as a first class guide who will fill you in with lots of information about the city and also assist you with very helpful tips for the rest of our stay. A great guide to a great city

rolf🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Kadir Celal)

3 January 2025

We hebben een geweldige tour gehad met Kadir. Zeer bevlogen gids die ontzettend veel weet van Istanbul en de bezochte locaties in het bijzonder. Hij heeft uitgebreid de tijd genomen om alles uit te leggen en toe te lichten. Overduidelijk heeft Kadir veel kennis van de historie van Istanbul en de Ottomanen. Volgende keer kiezen wij zeker weer voor Kadir.Topkapi en Basilica Cisterne

Vincent🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Neslihan )

1 January 2025

We recently had the absolute pleasure of exploring Istanbul with Neslihan as our guide, and it was an unforgettable experience! Her deep knowledge of the city’s rich history was truly impressive, and she shared it with a European perspective that added an interesting layer of relatability. Neslihan’s ability to move seamlessly through the bustling streets and iconic sites made our journey both fast-paced and efficient, yet it never felt rushed. She has a warm and charming personality that made everyone in the group feel at ease, turning what could have been a simple tour into a friendly and engaging adventure. If you’re looking for someone who brings passion, insight, and a touch of magic to your Istanbul experience, we cannot recommend Neslihan enough! Thank you for making our trip so special. 🌟Perfect!

Janine🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gülce)

30 December 2024

Gulce knows and lives and breathes Istanbul, but most definitely the food scene. We had a terrific tour covering the range of yummy food stuffs that Istanbul has to offer. Gulce explored hidden gems to showcase Turkey’s hidden food treasures. Gulce is lovely, pleasant, knows her food and fluent in English! Our family highly recommend Gulce as our tour guide in Turkey. Delicious Istanbul Food Tour

Alexander

(About local Esra)

27 December 2024

Esra came across as passionate and warm hearted. One can feel she loves the city and its landmarks. She was very knowledgeable and detailed in her explanations. Last but not least she also showed great flexibility in adapting to our requests. A breath of fresh air

George🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Mine )

21 December 2024

It was obvious that Mine knew her stuff and she was passionate about her subject. Wherever we went, she told stories and shared information that brought the places to life. Beyond historical insights, Mine gave us very useful advice about navigating Istanbul itself and recommended a perfect restaurant for lunch after the three hours we spent with her. She gave us a wonderful insight into Istanbul.Ticked all the boxes

Drishti

(About local Oguz)

15 December 2024

This was our first time in Istanbul, and booking a tour with Oguz on our very first day was the best decision we made! He is very knowledgeable and passionate about the city, with amazing knowledge about local history, architecture, and much more. He also went out of his way to customise our experience- we got to take a nice break in a local tea shop which was perfect. A must do when you’re in the city.A must do to learn about the city

Noah🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

14 December 2024

Mine was an excellent guide! Very knowledgeable, very engaged, and worked flexibly to make the tour fabulous. Excellwnr guide

Lorenzo🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Esra)

8 December 2024

I had a fantastic, interesting and educational tour with Esra. On top of seeing the sights and hidden gems I was mesmerised and impressed with Esra’s incredible knowledge. Can’t wait to go back and experience part 2!Loved every minute!

Chris🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Neslihan )

4 December 2024

It was a lovely tour. Neslihan showed us a lot and had interesting information. In addition to the sights, she showed us her favourite hidden cafe. She was very empathetic, she took photos and we laughed a lot. Absolutely recommended!Great tour

Steven🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

20 November 2024

I booked a private tour for two with Mine (pronounced long I, short e) to see Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern. As these were the places we wanted to see. It was fantastic. I should note that she will customize the tour to match your request. Prior to and after booking, I had a number of questions and she responded quickly and clearly using the withlocals chat tool. Her background and expert knowledge provided us with a clear, historical description of each location and her English was excellent. She provided clear instructions how to get to our meeting location from the Cruise Port. Lastly, as a licensed guide, we were able to skip the line so we had very little wait time. When visiting Istanbul, I would highly recommend Mine as your tour guide.Excellent Tour/Guide-Highly Recommend Mine

Roger🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kadir Celal)

15 November 2024

Kadir is gregarious and put us at ease about our questions. I got the sense he understood our striving to increase knowledge of a place we did not know and he related well.Enjoyable and informative

Ashok

(About local Kadir Celal)

12 November 2024

Kadir is so knowledgeable of the rich history in Istanbul! We loved that he shared small details that are easy to miss along with past and current customs of the Turkish people. Kadir’s delightful personality is infectious, he made the tour feel like a fun adventure. Our 23 year old autistic daughter is still talking about how much she enjoyed Kadir. We highly recommend Kadir, you will have just as much fun as we did; Guarenteed!Excellent Experience!

Yoeri🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Tolga)

12 November 2024

We had a nice tour from our guide Tolga. He is someone you immediately feel comfortable with. He speaks very good English and has extensive knowledge about Istanbul. Thanks to him you will learn fun facts about life in IstanbulGood times with Tolga

Michael

(About local Nihal)

4 November 2024

Ein herzliches Danke für das Näherbringen der Schönheit und Geschichte dieser wunderschönen Stadt. Kompetent und begeisternd hast du uns 3 spannende Stunden beschert. Ganz liebe Grüße von Margit, Magdalena und MichaelGroßartig und begeisternd

Natalie

(About local Gülce)

1 November 2024

Mithilfe von Gülce hatten wir einen wunderbaren Vormittag mit unseren Kindern im historischen Zentrum von Istanbul. Sie konnte alle Fragen beantworten und war sehr gut informiert.Go for Gülce

Martyn🇿🇦 South Africa

(About local Gülce)

29 October 2024

Gulce was a wonder making the Grand Bazaar and Spice markets both a fun shopping experience and a walk through Istanbul history. Great knowledge of Istanbul together with her no-how on where to shop and how to shop made for 4 hours of fun !Shop 'til you Drop

Charles🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

28 October 2024

Mine did a great job with us. She was a wealth of information and insight. She enabled us to see the major sites we wanted to see and gave us so much background and historical information. She pointed us in the best position to get the clearest pictures. At the end, she provided us with a restaurant recommendation that we went to whose food and ambiance were truely outstanding. We would highly recommend Mine for anyone looking to hire a local guide.Mine was our rock star!

Erik

(About local Esra)

27 October 2024

Echt een leuke ochtend gehad met Esra waarbij ze ons de grootste dingen heeft laten zien en hier veel over kon vertellen. Erg gezellig en je kunt er zelf wat moois van maken!Super ochtend gehad!

Renarta🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Kadir Celal)

26 October 2024

Our family including our two sons aged 10 and 13 really enjoyed the tour. Kadir was knowledgable and made the information relatable. He was also v kind with toilet stops, crowds and giving me a scarf in line with mosque requirements. Would recommend. Brilliant experience

John🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

25 October 2024

Mine was excellent. She was extremely knowledgeable about history and art, and was even great for shopping tips in the Grand Bazaar. She was energetic, kind, and fun. We highly recommend her. Istanbul tour with Mine

Guy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Esra)

24 October 2024

Esra is an outstanding guide and has deep expertise Excellent guide! Super knowledgeable

Marianne🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

22 October 2024

Mine was incredibly knowledgeable. She really organized the tour to suit our schedule. Would definitely choose her for another tour in Istanbul.Great Tour!

Jamie🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Mine )

22 October 2024

What can I say.. Perfect tour from start to finish ! I booked a personal Highlights of Istanbul tour with Mine the night before, and to my delight was accepted. What a great choice of Tour guide, as Mine was absolutely wonderful. Her in depth knowledge of the local Art, Architecture and history was amazing. We packed a huge amount in and got to see many sites and mosques in just a few hours, as Mine is a registered Tour Guide, we got to bypass long ques and get almost instant access to various sites. I was also delighted to be shown some of Mine's personal favourites, including access to prayer time in one of the mosques. Mine speaks very good English, and made me feel comfortable and excited about our tour from the very start. If you are visiting Istanbul, don't hesitate to hire Mine for a few hours if you are lucky enough to have her available. 10 stars . Highly recommended 👌 -Jamie Dunne Littlefield.ie B&B, Ireland. 🇮🇪 Istanbul Highlights Tour

Bunmi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

22 October 2024

When you have a 9 hour layover in Istanbul what do you do? You go on a tour with a local! Since my layover didn’t fit into the airport’s scheduled tours I booked my own private tour with Emre and it was worth it! No tour truly begins without Turkish coffee. As I arrived after my very long taxi ride, I found a lovely coffee shop that Emre joined me at. We both enjoyed some of the finest Ottoman coffee, and with a cortado, I was jolted awake and ready to explore. Having someone who knew Istanbul very well, Emre was able to quickly adapt the tour to fit my interests and schedule. We got to see the iconic sites like Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and the Blue Mosque but I also got to try Turkish food I hadn’t had before like durum and simit. Just by pointing out cuisine that was interesting to me, Emre immediately knew were to go. And boy did he know the right places! I can still taste how good the food was! Next time, I’ll be taking a food tour with Emre!It's amazing what you can do in 3hrs!

Alexandra🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ahmet Can)

20 October 2024

Thank you so much Ahmet for bringing Istanbul to life! We covered so much, with you seamlessly threading together so much fascinating history. Truly magical. Thank you! Brilliant tour exploring with Ahmet!

Cynthia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Esra)

19 October 2024

We had a 3 hour tour planned, hitting the main sites but added a few things we were interested in. Esra communicated well from the time of booking until the time we met to make sure we would be happy. She even gave us guidance for touring the day before our tour because our ship came into port early. Esra was knowledgable and engaging and so lovely, we really had so much fun with her. We were disappointed that the Blue Mosque was closed until 2:30 because it was a Friday, but St Sofia was open and it satisfied us. She definitely added some hidden treasures, which we loved, and even enjoyed her favorite street food, sesame bagel and cheese. Overall, she was very considerate and caring and tons of fun. We recommend her highly! Thank you Esra.12/10- Wonderful morning spent with Esra!

Fergus🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Oğuz)

19 October 2024

Oguz’s knowledge, wisdom and guidance was excellent. He adjusted the tour to our general interests, was courteous, perceptive and very knowledgeable. We got to see many hidden gems with him, and particularly appreciated helping us plan later events in our trip in Istanbul. Excellent guide experience

Lily

(About local Mine )

19 October 2024

It was one of the most wonderful experience with Mine, she was so knowledgeable and friendly. She took us through the different ages of the city, showing us places and things outside of your usual touristy “must-dos”. She was so well versed in art and history, we learned a lot about the city’s history and Islamic art in general. She even gave us recommendations on books to read up when we showed interest. I would recommend Mine and her tour to anyone coming to Istanbul for more than just tourism. A must for any art lovers

Sybille

(About local Gülce)

16 October 2024

My sister and I booked a city tour with Gülce. The tour with Gülce was super exciting, as she has an enormous amount of historical knowledge. We learned a lot about the history of Istanbul, which we really enjoyed. We would recommend Gülce at any time.Exciting city tour

Marko🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Ahmet Can)

14 October 2024

From the first moment to the end we enjoyed this tour. Ahmet was very attentive, professional and knowledgeable about history. A humorous gentleman with a very pleasant manner. The length of the tour was significantly longer than booked because it was important to Ahmet to show us as much of Istanbul as possible. We can only recommend Ahmet and would book him again at any time.Amazing experience!! Thank you Ahmet!

Cheryle🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Kadir Celal)

14 October 2024

Kadir was an amazing guide. He was flexible when we weee running a bit late. He took us to all the sites we wanted to see and was so knowledgeable about them, Istanbul and Türkiye. He also showed us some hidden gems to get sweets and great local food. At the end of the day he went above and beyond to get a taxi for us so we could get to our hotel on time. Throughout the whole tour he had fun and interesting stories. I highly recommend him as a guide and would ask for him again.A wonderful day

Kate🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Esra)

13 October 2024

The absolute best way to be introduced to this fantastic city. Esra was great communicating with us about what we would like to do, see, where to meet, flexible timing - couldn’t be happier. It is so worth paying for a private registered qualified guide. Unfortunately on the morning, Esra was unwell, however the professional she is - arranged a colleague to cover for her with the same arrangements and had briefed her colleague well. Esra was very good at communicating to us about the last minute change - it was a shame not to meet her in person but I’d have no hesitation booking her again. The tour with did was so fun, interesting and the best way to skip the queues, manage our time, get local tips on where to eat, what else to do on our second day. We loved our time in Istanbul. Absolutely recommend !!Terrific was to navigate this amazing city

Matthew

(About local Emre)

12 October 2024

Our guide Emre personalised our tour to exactly what we wanted. We wanted to see a little off of the tourist routes as well as some of the more popular popular sights. Emre was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. We had booked a 3 hour tour, but this was not rushed and actually lasted over 3 and a half hours. Emre also made recommendations for other places to visit and eat. A great tour led by a great guide. Fabulous private tour

Kerry🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Ahmet Can)

12 October 2024

Ahmet provided the perfect introduction to Istanbul for my husband and I as first time visitors. We very much appreciated his summary of the history of the city, his entertaining stories, which gave colour to the key sites, and his hospitality. A most relaxing and valuable experience which assisted with providing direction for our holiday of several days. We highly recommend engaging his services.A most enjoyable introduction to Istanbul

Robyn 🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Tolga)

11 October 2024

Great guide. Interesting history. Fantastic wine and restaurant recommendations. Europaolo