• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Did you know that the Istanbul tour of your dreams exists? Yes, and it’s 100% personalized and created by your local host around your interests. Customize and see only the places that spark your interest. From classic landmarks to neighborhood walks - your wishes are our command!

Destination

Istanbul, Turkey

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Türkçe, Español, العربية, 中文, Italiano, Português, Deutsch

Included

• Private guide
• All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral

Excluded

• Entrance tickets
• Tastings
• Transport
• All of the above can be arranged with your local host through a personalized offer

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 Gallant Galata coffee shop - 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. This Experience is YOURS!

   See the landmarks and places in Istanbul that you pick on a 100% personalized tour. Make this a one-of-a-kind experience that will satisfy your curiosity with the help of a local. All you have to do is tell them your preferences and interests

4. See THE Main Attractions

   What’s on your bucket list? Hop from landmark to landmark admiring them from the outside, and get recommendations from your local host on what’s the best way to enjoy them to the fullest

5. Off the Beaten Path

   What if there’s a way to see the city’s main attraction from a different angle? All of this while avoiding the touristy crowds? It’s possible with a local by your side!

6. Neighborhood Exploring

   Spend some time deep-diving into the neighborhoods of Istanbul; there’s plenty of treasures to discover! From history, architecture, and local hangout spots, what area would you like to visit?

7. Amazing City Views

   Find the best lookout places in the city where you can spot your favorite landmarks as well as enjoy breathtaking views of the city - a picture-perfect personalized tour

8. All of Istanbul

   Go on a full-day tour to see the highlights of the city. Pick the places, duration and let a local take you on a journey where you’ll cross the must-sees from Istanbul off your list

9. 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

57mf65pcrb🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Abdullah)

22 April 2025

Verena🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Emre)

21 April 2025

Emre ist ein phantastischer Guide, der uns die Köstlichkeiten Istanbuls gezeigt und gleichzeitig interessante Informationen zu den besuchten Stadtteilen geteilt hat. Wir empfehlen die Tour mit Emre als unverzichtbaren Teil eines jeden Istanbulbesuchs. Unverzichtbare Tour in Istanbul

Petra

(About local Emir)

21 April 2025

We are a three generation family and were for the first time in Istanbul. It was an amazing experience with Emir! He was able to respond to the different needs of the family. He showed us a colorful variety of culture, history, lifestyle and character of different parts of the city. We had delicious authentic lunch and the best Baclaca of the world. Emir is very friendly, warm hearted and full of humour. His knowledge is immense and he can share it in a very interesting way. We felt very safe and decided, to come again! We look forward to meet Emir again. Wonderful day in a wonderful city

Felix🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Esra)

15 April 2025

We enjoyed the tour with Esra a lot! She has a great knowledge and an exciting way to explain it! Great trip!

Rich🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emir)

13 April 2025

Emir was a wonderful tour guide, conversation partner, and welcoming committee for Istanbul. On a short visit, we wanted to more time enjoying and learning; less time looking for directions and reading online guides. Emir took us on a great tour of the area we stayed in, even in some miserable rain, working in a strategic sheltered spot or cafe as he could. If you have an interest in the history or the food of the area, Emir is the right guide for you. You can tell his knowledge comes from a true passion for it, and he welcomes questions of all types, and left us with great advice for the rest of our stay.A perfect welcome to the city

Timur

(About local Esra)

9 April 2025

Esra made Istanbul's history come alive for our group of 7 friends. First, she asked and listened to to what we wanted to see and the style of tour we wanted. Then she delivered and went beyond expectations. We came away awe-stricken by the beauty, intrigue and history of the Ottomans but not because of a boring history lesson, but rather a guide who made the tour like watching a movie or reading a good novel. Bravo and thank you!Esra- the Best Guide in Istanbul

Lillian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Gülce)

17 March 2025

We had an amazing custom tour in Istanbul with Gülce, and I can’t recommend her enough! She was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and made the entire experience enjoyable from start to finish. Throughout the tour, she provided fascinating insights about Istanbul’s history and culture, making every stop more meaningful. She also went above and beyond by giving us fantastic recommendations for additional sightseeing and dining, which will really helped us make the most of our time in the city. We ended the day with a Bosphorus cruise, a perfect way to take in the stunning views and reflect on everything we had learned. If you’re looking for a guide who is knowledgeable, personable, and truly passionate about Istanbul, Gülce is the perfect choice! Fantastic Tour with Gülce!

David🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Emre)

27 January 2025

We had a great time visiting the old sites of Istanbul with Emre. He was so knowledgable it was crazy. Any question we had, he had the answer for. And he's a super food lover and we went to a grill spot for lunch that was so good. And the kind of spot a tourist would have some difficulty due to not knowing what to order, but Emre handled it all and we had a feast!Fantastic private tour!

Melissa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Abdullah)

19 January 2025

Wandering Istanbul with such an interesting man- knows so much history and out of the way places. A highlight of our tripExcellent guide!

Marion🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Emir)

13 January 2025

We had a 3hr walking tour with Emir of Istanbul which was really 4 hrs as Emir was so interesting and so proud of his city. Emir was friendly, very knowledgeable and a great guide. We would give 11/10 if we could. We visited mosques, learnt about the Turkish culture and tried the local food. Would highly recommend for anyone. Emir was inspirational and today I booked French lessons to learn a 2nd language because of him. Anazing tour with Emir

Florian

(About local Emre)

5 January 2025

Emre hat mit uns eine Führung durch Istanbul gemacht und zwar hat er uns an für Touristen eher untypische Orte geführt, die sehr interessant waren und einen guten Einblick in das Leben vor Ort ermöglichten. Außerdem hat er einen guten Überblick für uns über Istanbul erstellt und welche Sehenswürdigkeiten wir in den nächsten Tagen noch besuchen sollten.Statfürung mit Emre

Sara🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Lorena)

2 January 2025

Ciao a tutti, abbiamo fatto un tour privato con Lorena che ci ha guidato alla scoperta di Istanbul facendoci scoprire anche cose inaspettate. Lorena è stata gentilissima e disponibilissima. Consiglio vivamente un tour con lei se vi trovate a Instanbul!Bellissima Esperienza

Alain🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

1 January 2025

Had the pleasure of having Emre as our private guide in Istanbul, and he was absolutely fantastic. We requested a tour focusing on the less touristy parts of the city to immerse ourselves in Istanbul’s local culture and history, and Emre exceeded our expectations. His deep knowledge of the city’s history, combined with his engaging storytelling, brought the sites to life for us. Emre also went above and beyond by providing us with invaluable tips, including recommendations for hidden-gem restaurants and unique experiences for the rest of our stay. If you’re looking for a very good guide in Istanbul, Emre is the one. We couldn’t recommend him more highly!A Great Guide for an Authentic Experience

Giovanni🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Ahmet Can)

9 December 2024

Ahmet Can has been very professional and focused on what I was expecting from this experience and tailored something to exceed my expectations. I’m very satisfied by the tour !Great experience

Unknown

(About local Emre)

23 April 2025

We had a 3+ hour food tour with Emre on our last day in Istanbul. He met us at the tram station closest to our starting point, and we first visited a cheese shop. From there, we went on to taste Turkish Delights, stuffed mussels, kabob wraps, Turkish coffee, Turkish pizza (pida), rice pudding, Baklava, fruit preserves and nougat (Helva). With each he gave us the story behind the food, and during our walk from place to place, shared the history of points of interest along the way. He was very pleasant and extremely knowledgeable and his English was very good. He said he normally recommended doing the food tour on your first day so that you’d know what to order, but this worked for us as it gave us time to pack up before leaving early the next morning. We had a truly enjoyable experience with Emre. Fabulous Istanbul Food Tour!

Tom

(About local Emre)

23 April 2025

Emre was absolutely fabulous. He was very knowledgeable, told us many historical facts during the tour. He took us to some local shops where we got some excellent food. One of the best foodie tours I’ve ever been on. I would highly recommend him as a guide.Excellent Foodie Tour

Mark

(About local Emre)

22 April 2025

We just finished our three hour evening food tour with Emre. It was a fantastic evening sampling much of the local cuisine, combined with informative dialogue from Emre. His relaxed style made us feel very comfortable throughout the tour and I would thoroughly recommend him to others considering learning about the incredible food Istanbul has to offer. Thankyou Emre.A great experience with Emre

Kate

(About local Emre)

22 April 2025

My husband, adult son and myself loved our time exploring so many different eateries and food options in Kadakoy. We loved the food, the history and stories and Emre was just a pleasure to spend time with. We had a great quantity and diversity of food. Emre also gave us lots of other eating recommendations for the rest of our Istanbul stay. I highly recommend this tour with Emre. Food, a bit of history and friendliness!

hayleycward

(About local Lorena)

22 April 2025

Second visit to istanbul and we hadn’t realised how much was still to explore! Met in an area we hadn’t been before and was gorgeous - went to places we never would have discovered which were lovely and ate some incredible foods. Would def recommend:)Great food tour!

Rix

(About local Emre)

21 April 2025

I had an incredible experience on a walking food tour through Istanbul with Emre, and I can’t recommend it enough! From start to finish, Emre was an excellent guide—so knowledgeable not only about the food, but also about the history of the city and the buildings we passed along the way. We got to taste some of the most authentic and delicious dishes in Istanbul, all from local restaurants that I never would’ve found on my own. Every stop felt like a hidden gem, from savory kebabs to sweet Turkish delights, and Emre took the time to explain the significance of each dish and its place in Turkish culture. It was a great mix of food, history, and local insights. If you're visiting Istanbul, this tour is a must! Emre made the experience truly memorable, and I’m already planning my next visit to explore more of this beautiful city with him. Highly recommend!Amazing Food Tour with Emre in Istanbul!

Jesse🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

20 April 2025

All in all, we had an amazing tour in Turkey with Emre! We’ve been telling everyone it was the highlight of our trip, an unforgettable mix of history and incredible food. We learned so much about the culture of Istanbul and Turkey. We’d highly recommend this tour, and we can’t wait to come back and do another one with Emre!Delayed Review!

Syd

(About local Kadir Celal)

19 April 2025

kadir was just so lovely to be with knowledgable and friendly and truly local wev had av great timewonderfuk

Denise🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Emre)

19 April 2025

Die „10 Kostproben-Tour“ mit Emre hat genau unseren Geschmack getroffen. Danke dafür! Emre hat uns an Orte geführt, die keine klassischen Touristenlokale sind, sondern alteingesessene Restaurants und Cafés, die zum Teil seit mehreren Generationen mit einer guten Küche und traditionellem Handwerk überzeugen. Wir sind dankbar, dass Emre uns in „sein“ Cihangir und „sein“ Beyoglu mitgenommen hat und dass wir so viele interessante Infos von ihm bekommen haben. Bei unserer nächsten Istanbul-Reise buchen wir Emre auf jeden Fall wieder. 👍🏻10 Kostproben = 10 Köstlichkeiten

Mathias

(About local Emre)

19 April 2025

Danke für die tolle Tour. Alles war super. Jederzeit wieder. Lecker Istanbul

Lisa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Emre)

19 April 2025

Our tour of Topkapi Palace was the highlight of our four day stay in Istanbul in April, 2025. Emre's passion, knowledge and experience of the palace was immediately evident from the moment we met him. He was friendly, funny and so patient with all of our questions. He helped us to skip in front of large groups while in the palace, found spots to keep us mostly out of the rain and wind (it was raining all day) and constantly checked in with us to see if we wanted to visit certain aspect of the palace or skip them. This was an outstanding experience and we learned so much. He even gave us restaurant and book recommendations to supplement our Turkish experience. We absolutely adore him and you should not hesitate to book any tour with Emre.You will not regret booking with Emre!

Matthew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lorena)

19 April 2025

This was our first time in Istanbul, and we like to do food tours on our first day in new places to get well fed and understand some of the city and culture. Through WithLocals, we’ve done ~10 of these tours, and this one is as good as it gets! Turkey has amazing food, which certainly helps, but Lorena is also very knowledgeable about the food and the place. Highly recommend! Excellent Istanbul Food Tour

Alex

(About local Abdullah)

18 April 2025

Appo was really awesome. Punctual and very friendly. We were a group of six and we had our tour in Spanish and it was perfect. He speaks spanish excellent and his english excellent as well. He has a lot of fun facts and history to share. He made us feel right at home. Do not hesitate to take a tour from him. I highly recommend. Thank you Appo from all the group. Amazing fun tour guide!!

Amanda🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Deniz)

17 April 2025

Deniz is a great human being who knows so much about Istanbul. We went through all sorts of areas ending up in the Asian side enjoying a very different part of this vibrant and friendly city. We had a great tea/coffee break. Deniz answered all sorts of questions and as others said made lots of great suggestions. Walking and talking with a local

Simone🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Lorena)

16 April 2025

Perfetta nella scelta dell'itinerario e generosa nel tempo dedicatoci. Poteva forse approfondire su qualche particolare storico o di folclore. Raccomando a tutti questa scoperta di un'Istanbul segreta.Bella esperienza

Jeff🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Esra)

16 April 2025

Esra was a super guide and we loved every minute with her taking us around the must see and hidden sights of Istanbul. Her knowledge was outstanding and passionate to the max about the history, culture, food of Istanbul and Turkey. Super friendly, helpful and with a great sense of humour made for a most enjoyable day. Esra is the ultimate professional, her vast knowledge and experience shows and we cant recommend her enough. Esra went out of her way to give us a most memorable time in Istanbul. Don’t even think about anyone else, Esra is the one, you will be disappointed otherwise. We look forward to meeting Esra next time we are in Istanbul. Thanks Esra, you are the best! Jeff and Maurizio. New Zealand and Italy. Simply Awesome

Kathryn

(About local Kemal)

16 April 2025

We had the best time exploring Istanbul with our guide, Kemal. He took us to some truly unique spots that we never would’ve found on our own and shared so much interesting insight into the history and culture of the city. Kemal was incredibly friendly, easy to talk to, and made the entire experience feel relaxed and engaging. The tour flew by because we were having so much fun. Highly recommend booking with Kemal if you want an authentic, enriching, and enjoyable experience in Istanbul!Book with Kemal!

Teresa

(About local Aysenur )

16 April 2025

We had a wonderful experience with Aysenur. She is deeply knowledgeable, with diverse interests and weaves together history, art, and modern day with context and humor. She is easy to work with and speaks perfect English. We would highly recommend her! Absolutely fantastic!

Gabriele🇩🇪 Germany

(About local muhammed)

15 April 2025

Muhammad hat uns eine sehr schöne Einteigertour in Istanbul gegeben. Er wusste viel und hat uns gute Tipps gegebenEinsteigertour

David

(About local Deniz)

15 April 2025

Deniz was a fabulous guide with a great knowledge of the hip side of Istanbul. She was attentive to what I wanted to see and showed me places I would probably have missedChic tour

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!

Jason

(About local Deniz)

15 April 2025

Deniz was a wonderful guide and took me to several tasty spots. I loved that we took the subway as I was able to learn how the subway in Istanbul worked.Great way to start your stay

Unknown

(About local Safiye)

13 April 2025

Safiye is such a cheerful and positive person. She was very informative and proud of the culture of Istanbul‘s Asian side. We especially liked the two types of mussels. The only downside was the rainy weather which made the experience less than perfect.

Diane🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Emre)

13 April 2025

Wie von Emre gewünscht,auf Luxemburgisch: den Emre ass super sympathisch,hien rappt dech einfach mat mat senger gudder Laun. D Iessen wor super lecker,vun allem eppes. An hien erzielt dei passend Hannergrënn dozou,nie ze vill,an ganz interessant. Mir sinn den Dag durno rem op dei selwescht Plazen iessen gang,well et eis esou gudd geschmaaacht huet. Hien huet zu Lëtzebuerg gelieft,wat eis Kenneléiren nach méi interessant gemaach huet. Den Emre verkierpert dei türkisch Gastfrendlichkeet zu 100%.Wundervolle Erfahrung

Jef🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Alp)

13 April 2025

Alp is an amazing guide. He knows Istanbul very well and brought us of the beaten track with the street art tour in Kadekoy. The Asian side is very different then the European side so it was more then worth the visit. Alp knows also Some good food and drink spots so don’t hesitate to ask to him. Great day out with the best guide!

Ludwig

(About local Emre)

13 April 2025

Emre‘s kulinarische Tour durch Istanbul ist absolut empfehlenswert. Menschlich, sehr offen, herzlich und mit sehr viel Wissen über seine Heimatstadt führt Emre einen durch die kleinen und großen Gassen der Stadt. Tolle einheimische Geheimtipps. Von Bäckereien über Pide und Fischgerichten ist bis Nachspeise und Café alles dabei. Beste Tour durch Istanbul. Wenn wir wiederkommen, werden wir mit Sicherheit Emre‘s weitere Touren buchen! Bester Tourguide 10/10

Leslie🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Faruk )

12 April 2025

We had a great time with Faruk, who was kind, sincere, knowledgeable and entertaining. Did his best to accommodate a gluten free diet and brought us to places we would have other wise never visited. Great guy, great food, great experience. Happy to recommend

Claude🇱🇺 Luxembourg

(About local Emre)

11 April 2025

Sehr nett und zuvorkommend. Angenehmer und herzlicher Kontakt. Sehr zu empfehlen! Gute Kenntnis,interessante und originelle Locations mit leckerem Essen. Man fühlt sich gut aufgehoben und hat das Gefühl man würde sich schon ewig kennen, wie ein Freund.Begeistert!

Will🇺🇸 United States

(About local Aysenur )

10 April 2025

We spent a very enjoyable and educational day with Aysenur and she was very willing to help us plan our next 48 hours. Aysenur is very knowledgeable and happy to be flexible. Bosporus & Old Town

Christine 🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Emre)

10 April 2025

Wir verbrachten einen abwechslungsreichen kulinarischen Nachmittag mit Emre. Durch ihn haben wir schöne traditionsreiche Istanbuler Geschäfte kennen gelernt. Emre ist aufgestellt und weiss viel zu erzählen. Gerne wieder!Spannende kulinarische Reise durch Beyoglu

Dennis🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Emre)

9 April 2025

Thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Emre. The food was tastey but not excessive. Most pleasurable was learning some of the history behind the shops and people. Was neat that Emre lived in Canada and had visited our home province. Highly recommend this tour with Emre. Afternoon delights

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

Marina

(About local Emre)

8 April 2025

Die Food-Tour mit Emre war super. Er spricht sehr gutes deutsch und hat uns viel über das Essen, die Stadt und das Viertel, in dem wir unterwegs waren, erzählt. Außerdem konnte er alle unsere Fragen perfekt beantworten. Die Food-Stops waren sehr lecker und abwechslungsreich. Wir haben Lokale besucht und Dinge probiert, die wir sonst wahrscheinlich nicht gekannt hätten. Er war sehr aufmerksam und hat auf die Allergien meiner Schwester Rücksicht genommen und erklärt, was sie essen darf und was nicht, und ihr tolle Alternativen gegeben. Wir können Emre als Guide auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen! Abwechslungsreiche Tour mit super Guide

Alexander🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Lorena)

8 April 2025

Lorena gave us an amazing tour, after hearing our wishes she adjusted the tour. Showing us the best spots on both sides of the Bosporus. She gave us tips where to go, what the best places are with less to no tourists and they been really great. If you want the best tour in Istanbul then Lorena is the best guide to get.Amazing

jane

(About local Aysenur )

7 April 2025

What a lovely day out in Istanbul with Ayşenur! She is energetic and very knowledgeable. She gave us both historic and contemporary context to the main sites in the old city. Ayşenur shaped our day out to meet our needs. Great introduction to a spectacular city.Wonderful day out with Ayşenur

dominicmoy

(About local Emir)

6 April 2025

Emir is a very knowledgeable tour guide, very friendly and took lots of fab photos of all of us. The kids really enjoyed it too. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him. Amazing tour with the family