• 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

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 20 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

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

759bfwjtnx🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Oguz)

23 May 2025

We were total newbies to Istanbul and are very happy that we found Oguz. At first he not just stuck to a fixed plan but asked us for our interests and thus we adapted the tour to what suited the day, our interests and available time best. Awesome! Oguz is very knowledgeable. We focused on the history of the city, some hidden gems and in between turned the tour in a cultural exchange about history, people, politics and other topics between our countries. Awesome again! By the end Oguz gave us tips on how to spend our time left in Istanbul wisely. We finished the tour very fulfilled and happy to have taken it. Worth every dime! Awesome again! Thank you!Highly recommendable

Cathrine🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Oguz)

21 May 2025

Oguz was excellent at telling story and history in very engaging way. Nice pace and took us to some fabulous places without crowds. Great story teller

John🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

21 May 2025

It was raining when we met Mine and she made the most of it, adjusting our site while doing her best to keep us out of the rain. She left us at a great restaurant for lunch. Made the best of a rainy day in Istanbul

caroline🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Abdullah)

20 May 2025

Abdullah is a great guide. Very knowledgeable about the history of the city and Turkey but also in recommending shops and restaurants. Very helpful as well and a great photographer. I can highly recommend him.Wonderful walking tour!

Richard and Garrett🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ahmet Can)

20 May 2025

Ahmet was a phenomenal guide; cheerful, personable, knowledgeable and kind. Highly recommend Ahmet, you will not be disappointed. Incredible

Sej🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Kadir Celal)

18 May 2025

Really enjoyed the morning tour with Kadir! Gave us many insights into life in Istanbul and of course the history. He was very helpful and thoughtful. Thanks Kadir! A great morning of history!

Ben🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ayfer)

18 May 2025

Ayfer took us on a morning tour of Istanbul - we were 4 friends visiting the city for the first time. Ayfer’s knowledge and interest of the city old and new was exceptional, taking us from its beginnings to the present day. All delivered with great communication and enthusiasm. Engaging and knowledgeable guide

Kathleen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

18 May 2025

Offered flexibility with tour Great knowledge of history and local culture Has a sense of humor Knows the ins and outs of all attractions!Mine is the best

Zac🇺🇸 United States

(About local Abdullah)

18 May 2025

Abdullah was absolutely fantastic. He didn’t stop with just the highlights of the city: he’s a huge history buff and was able to give us loads of great information and history associated with the sights, as well as the different periods & civilizations that preceded them. He also gave some wonderful restaurant suggestions tailored to our interests in local fare. Very highly recommended!Such a wonderful way to discover Istanbul

Aoife🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Ahmet Can)

13 May 2025

Ahmet was an excellent guide for our tour of the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. His is incredibly knowledgeable and very entertaining. We were so lucky to be able to get him on a late booking and it really made our tour. He is also great at being by able to navigate away from crowded areas and avoid queues. Highly recommend Ahmet.Excellent guide

Colby🇺🇸 United States

(About local Kadir Celal)

12 May 2025

Kadir was an outstanding tour guide for my family and I. He shared great local stories and history, was flexible with our groups needs and kept us moving efficiently so we saw so much in a short time! Thank you, Kadir! You are the best. Amazing tour with Kadir!

Pearsonalex5🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Neslihan )

12 May 2025

We had a fabulous 3 hour tour of Istanbul with Neslihan taking in the major sights with a great mix of historical detail and modern anecdotes. Highly recommend. Brilliant!

Jane

(About local Ahmet Can)

12 May 2025

We met Ahmed on our first morning and his tour was an ideal introduction to our short stay. He was warm friendly, knowledgeable, and great at assessing what was possible within 3 hours in high season! A great start to our trip

Annetje

(About local Emre)

9 May 2025

Emre was een leuke en prettige gids. Hij wist ons veel te vertellen over de historie en doseerde de informatie goed. Ook voor onze tieners was het daardoor leuk en afwisselend. Heel flexibel in programma en op onze wensen afgestemd. Tevens een aantal goede suggesties voor lunch en diner gekregen. Eem tour met Emre is een aanrader!Enthousiaste en leuke gids

phedgley

(About local Oguz)

7 May 2025

Gave up a great insight into the history of the places we visited. Istanbul experience

John

(About local Mine )

5 May 2025

I was delighted that Mine accepted my request to act as our personal tour guide for just me and Ros. She quite rightly split my list of places to visit into two x 4 hour sessions on consecutive days. This was to enable us to visit the Hagia Sophia Mosque and Topkapi Palace on 2nd May and The Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and the Archaeological Museum on 3rd May. Mine sensibly suggested an early start on 2nd May to avoid queuing behind large passenger numbers from a Cruise Ship. Very thoughtful. Unfortunately on our day 2 we were unable to go inside the Blue Mosque in order to avoid the very large crowd queuing. But we were able to spend more time in useful conversation with Mine outside, and more time in conversation with her at the Archaeological Museum. As a tour guide Mine was everything we wanted from a tour guide. She gave us excellent well-delivered information in a way that was easy to understand. It was clear she has an incredible amount of knowledge on the places we visited and was able to answer our questions. Above all she had a very friendly and professional approach and suggested and took many photographs of us that she forwarded to us at the end of what was our enjoyable time together. These will be great reminders of our enjoyable experience.Mine is an excellent tour guide

Kate🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Hakan)

5 May 2025

Had the absolute pleasure of having Hakan as a tour guide in istanbul recently. From the minute he arrived, he was superb. Took us to all the sites, but was patient, very good at explaining the history with locations and ensured we were working to our time, not his own. Such a nice man, perfect host and ambassador for istanbul and Turkey in general. Highly recommended, would use him again Best one we have done in any city to date. Best City Guide ever

Rietje

(About local Emre)

5 May 2025

Hi Emre, we really had a great walk with lots of ins and outs. It gave us a real feel of the city, its history, but also the present. Thank youBe happy

Debbie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Abdullah)

2 May 2025

Abdullah showed us The Hague Sofia and the Cistern. Walked us through the Grand Bazaar and made two excellent recommendations for dinner that night and a Turkish bath the last evening of our stay. He was fun and also very knowledgeable. It was a great start to our trip!Fun orientation to Istanbul

Anastasia

(About local Abdullah)

29 April 2025

Unknown

(About local Ugur)

28 April 2025

Uger gave us a good and through trip down Istanbul both historical and visually.A historical trip down Istanbul

Mark🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Esra)

28 April 2025

She was very warm and friendly most helpful and made our day interesting. I could have done without the visit to the carpet dealer for that length of time.excellent knowledge and very friendly

Katherine🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Mine )

28 April 2025

I'd highly recommend Mine, she was a brilliant guide for our group of four, we learned so much about Istanbul's incredible rich history. She was hugely knowledgeable, full of great stories and anecdotes, well organised at the busy sites, friendly and really good fun. We had a great afternoon, thank you Mine! Excellent. Highly recommend!

Janis & Mark🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Esra)

27 April 2025

Esra is an experienced and very knowledgeable guide with an effervescent personality that shines! We loved her personal connections and the way she shared her stories. Esra was very flexible about adjusting her tour to suit our interests. Our only concern was that Esra was a little too interested in taking us to certain merchants when we visited the Bazaar, despite the fact that we explained a few times that we had no particular shopping interests.A very informative tour!

Paula🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mine )

24 April 2025

1

My husband’s internist told him 5 days before our trip to Istanbul to cancel our trip until he had a particular test in a hospital setting on his heart to prevent an attack. My husband’s brother died one year ago with a heart attack at age 67 so we cancelled everything possible asap. Laura in the office said no financial refund because it was not 14 days out.??? Interesting since we only learned of this 14 day requirement in her email. There was nothing we could do anyway since our doctor only set up this appointment. If Withlocals wants a 14 cancellation day notice, then they should send a text around 16-18 days prior to the appointment as a reminder to cancel if necessary. This is a most upsetting experience.Terrible communication from your office.

Unknown

(About local Ayfer)

22 April 2025

Ayfer was a fantastic guide for our family of 5 (children ages 5-12). Her knowledge of the city, both historical and present, was invaluable to us to kick off our stay in Istanbul. The we learned so much in our 3 hour tour together…and on top she provided us with some excellent local restaurant and transportation recommendations that we used later in the trip. And important for us - she made things fun for our younger children, and was very patient and freindly to them. We would definitely recommend Ayfer as a guide to anyone.Great experience with Ayfer!

Kevin

(About local Ugur)

17 April 2025

We really enjoyed our time with Ugur. He is friendly, welcoming and personable. He took us through the Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sofia. He was full of knowledge and stories that made it a complete experience. Afterwards, he walked us to his favorite local restaurants. Ugur is helpful and kind. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a local tour guide. Thank you!!! Ugur is the Best!

Brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Oğuz)

15 April 2025

We toured the gems of Istanbul with Oguz. He met us at our hotel and guided us to the Blue Mosque and Arasofya. Immediately, I was impressed with his depth of knowledge and his arrangement of guiding us through the sites. Unfortunately, we only made it halfway through the tour when I had a medical issue and had to be transported to a local hospital. Oguz proved to be even more amazing as he went with us and ensured my wife had the support needed to navigate a public hospital in a non-English speaking country. He truly went way above and beyond and we were so fortunate to have had him as our guide. Oguz is Amazing!

Brooke🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Ayfer)

11 April 2025

We had a great afternoon with Ayfer. She was very knowledgeable and introduced us to some lovely places we would have never found on our own. She gave us some great tips for places to eat and see. She was very patient with our younger children. We would highly recommend this tour with Ayfer. It was a great way to see the main attractions of Istanbul.Great tour

Sabine

(About local Mine )

9 April 2025

In nur 3 Stunden haben wir enorm viel gesehen und über die Geschichte Istanbuls und auch das tägliche Leben erfahren. Mine hat ein enormes geschichtliches Wissen und vermittelt es interessant. Ausserdem organisiert sie die Eintritte, so dass keine Wartezeiten entstehen und beschenkte uns noch mit einem lokalen Gebäck. Zudem gab sie uns noch weitere Tipps, nie hätten wir gedacht so viel von Istanbul an einem Tag zu sehen. Herzlichen Dank Mine! Super

Gene

(About local Ugur)

3 April 2025

My family and I enjoyed a great day with Ugur. He is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about Istanbul and its rich history. He took us to the popular sites and provided interesting stories about each location. His familiarity with the attractions also allowed us to jump various queues and spend less time waiting and standing in lines. Overall, it was a pleasure having Ugur as a guide and I think we all made a new friend!A wonderful day in Istanbul

Jordan

(About local Emre)

2 April 2025

Emre gave us a great tour in Istanbul and was generous with his time showing us some hidden treasures and helping get us into places efficiently. He was super knowledgeable about everything we saw and really brought it all to life. Can’t wait to go back and do another tour with him. Super knowledgeable

Claudia🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Mine )

24 March 2025

Istanbul is an extraordinary city, a place where magic, history, and complexity intertwine in a unique balance. Every corner tells a story from the past, every artistic detail reveals the soul of an ancient culture. Thanks to Mine and her deep love for her city, I experienced something far beyond a simple visit…it was a true journey through time and traditions. Through her captivating stories and vast knowledge, I was able to immerse myself in the fascinating history of Istanbul, grasping nuances that I would have otherwise missed. But the experience didn’t stop at the iconic landmarks, Mine also guided us in discovering hidden and authentic spots, offering valuable tips on how to explore the city independently in the following days.A journey through history

Unknown

(About local Abdullah)

23 March 2025

Abdullah immediately made us feel welcome to Istanbul. He’s a friendly, down to earth guy, a great communicator in English, well-traveled and extremely well read, with great taste in music and literature, too! 10/10 experience!Great guy!

Helen

(About local Ahmet Can)

23 March 2025

Ahmet was a fantastic guide for our first visit to Istanbul. It felt like we had a friend showing us around the city. Ahmet was punctual and really helped us make the most of our time together, going above and beyond our expectations. Thank you Ahmet!

Lauren

(About local Ugur)

23 March 2025

Ugur accommodated our preferences, around food and our interests. It was great to be fast tracked to the front of the queue for the cistern and also to be taken to some of his favourite cafes, mostly visited by locals. He was generous with his time, and with sharing his historical perspectives. Unfortunately it was rainy and cold but a really good way of focusing on the sights. Flexible and well informed

Nabil

(About local Neslihan )

22 March 2025

Neslihan is an excellent guide with vast knowledge of the Ottoman and Byzantine history. A true local scholar and very easy to communicate with. Highly recommend. Very knowledgeable and pleasant guide

nate.kringstad

(About local Oguz)

21 March 2025

Oguz was fantastic! This was day two of our trip to Istanbul and he showed the main sites and a few hidden gems along the way. It was what was advertised and much more! Oguz made us feel at ease right away and spoke to us as if we have been friends for a long time. His knowledge on history and culture throughout the many ages of Istanbul was helpful and informative. We found our ourselves pulled into the history and stories he told about each sight. He gave us recommendations and checked in with us after the tour as well. Oguz truly made our day special and has been a highlight to our trip! Little did we know, this tour itself was a hidden gem in Istanbul! Thank you Oguz! Couldn’t have asked for better!