Kadir Celal

The Passionate Historian

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  • I live in Istanbul
  • I speak English, Türkçe
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 3 hours

Hi there! Nice to meet you

Kadir Celal

I was born and raised in Istanbul, studied in the USA and lived in Germany for a while. I’m a professional tour guide and I teach tourism in a university. I have university degrees in Business, Political Science, and History.

  • I live in Istanbul
  • I speak English, Türkçe
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 3 hours

Book one of my offers in Istanbul

Let's explore Istanbul together! As your local guide, I'll show you the best of Istanbul on a private & personalized tour for you.

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Reviews

TESS
29 August 2025
We had the pleasure of having Kadir show us around Istanbul - we only had him for 1 day instead of 2 so we chose to see the main attractions - however, he still managed to take us to some more local places and introduce us to some people that made our time in Istanbul truly valuable. Kadir is gentle, friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about his city. As foodies, we were excited when he added an impromptu ‘food tour’ into our day (which we would never have found without him showing us around) Thanks again Kadir! A fantastic day with a true local!!
Ellie Hart and Caryl Loevy
28 August 2025
Kadir was a lovely man. He knew local vendors and we sampled several local specialties. He knew a great deal about the Jewish history of turkey. Very happy that he was our guide. highly recommend his services.5 hours that turned into 9 hours
Jacob
5 August 2025
I had an incredible day touring Istanbul with Kadir Celal. He was exceptionally generous with his time, knowledge, passion, and flexibility. He brought the city to life with rich stories, deep historical knowledge, and cultural insight, all shared with genuine enthusiasm. He personalized the experience beautifully and truly went above and beyond, both in effort and care. I left feeling more connected to Istanbul, thanks to him. I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone visiting the city.A Truly Outstanding Istanbul Tour
Benjamin
28 July 2025
I booked the Istanbul Jewish tour with Kadir, which was fantastic. He has a true expertise in and passion for the history and culture of Judiasm in the Ottoman Empire and Istanbul specifically. You will definitely see things "off the beaten path" that one might not otherwise experience. Kadir is somewhat of a local legend, so I would highly recommend booking any tour with him!Amazing experience with Kadir!
Ros
23 July 2025
Kadir was really lovely and helped us discover and navigate a little of Istanbul. Not only was he very knowledgeable and proud of his home city, but we loved how he interspersed his own memories of the city and how it has transformed since he was a child. Kadir took us to some hidden gems too. He took us to an ice cream shop near the Grand Bazzar, a spot where only locals would know how to find. A real treat indeed. As we were staying for a few days, Kadir was great suggesting various things that we could do. Thank you, Kadir for sharing your wonderful city with us. It was a real pleasure meeting you. If you’re interested in discovering where this ice cream shop is … then you’ll have to book Kadir! You won’t be disappointed! Like hanging out with an old friend…
Jeffrey
18 July 2025
Kadir is genuinly interesting, knowledgable, beyond friendly. I you must always book him for his tours we will definately when we visit Istanbul next, it is because of him we will be!EXCELLENT TOUR GUIDE
Jennifer
5 July 2025
We really appreciated our experience touring Jewish Istanbul with Kadir. I planned with Kadir over email for a few weeks in advanced in order to see the sites that would be most meaningful to me. He successfully arranged the visits and required permissions in advanced so that we had a seamless visit. He also professionally guided us as to local customs to ensure success all around. Kadir is very knowledgeable about Istanbul's Jewish history and the various communities, and was able to show us sites beyond what we had requested, as well as answer all of our many questions. This tour was the highlight of my trip to Istanbul and a meaningful part of connecting with my lost Turkish Sephardic roots (not lost anymore!) I highly recommend anybody who is interested in Jewish Istanbul to schedule your tour with Kadir. A++++++ experience. Excellent tour with a superior guide!
Geeta
25 June 2025
Our tour with Mr. Kadir was memorable. He is so well versed with Istanbul’s history, and took us to all the major attractions whilst taking us back in time with all the historical references :) the tour was fun as we stopped by for a bite, Ayran and Turkish cay at spots recommended by Mr. Kadir. Highly recommend leaving your Istanbul tour to Mr. Kadir. Istanbul through the eyes of an expert
Gail
22 June 2025
Kadir is a wonderful guide to Istanbul. Warm and knowledgeable, he made our experience exploring the neighborhoods of Istanbul a pleasure. Many thanks!!Warm thanks!!
jeaninne
20 June 2025
Kadir is amazing !!! He showed us around with so much knowledge and passion foe the city. He is the best guide !!! So nice with the kids. He had everyone engaged. I highly reccomend him !!! Kadir is amazing

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