Welcome to Istanbul! Want to know the best places to eat? Cool events in town? Which places to go to and which to avoid? Or simply get some help to navigate the city? Book this private tour with a local and get the perfect introduction to Istanbul to start your city trip on the right foot.
You’ve probably heard that Istanbul is well-known for Hagia Sophia, but do you know the stories and origin behind it? Or how much influence it has on the locals daily life? On this private city tour, you are in for a cultural treat!
Ready to taste the best food in Istanbul? Satisfy your cravings for local food and culture with highlights along the way, together with a foodie host. Enjoy 10 delicious and typical tastings that range from sweet to savory as well as drinks on a tasty food tour in Istanbul.
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!
As the sun sets, Istanbul lights up, the heat of the day fades, and the tourist crowds start to thin out. This is the time to enjoy the city at its atmospheric best on a private tour with a local! Take in glittering highlights and the local ambiance that only the evening brings out in Istanbul.
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What other travelers love about our local experts
Gordon
About local
27 July 2025
Excellent historical detail
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.
The Best of Istanbul: Half Day Tour
lance & lily
About local
22 July 2025
Esra was great!
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.
The Best of Istanbul: Half Day Tour
Hans
About local
21 July 2025
My Family from Utah Loved Ugur!
Ugur gave us a very informative and wonderful tour of the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. Ugur was full of knowledge of the historical sites, the Turkish history and provided us detailed information. Ugur was passionate about Turkey and shared his love of his country with us, including Turkish basketball. We had a great time with him! Thank you.
The Marvels of Hagia Sophia Private Tour
Jean
About local
19 July 2025
Alp is Wonderful
Alp provided us with a great introduction to authentic, delicious food. Prior to meeting Alp, he was responsive to our questions and worked to plan a delightful evening, taking into consideration our likes and dislikes. During our tour he was fun to talk with and provided a lot of insight into the local culture. Thanks for a memorable evening of food and conversation.
The 10 Tastings of Istanbul
Sam
About local
9 July 2025
Great Experience with Amazing Guide
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.
The Best of Istanbul: Half Day Tour
Anja
About local
9 July 2025
Exploring Istanbul
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!
The Best of Istanbul: Half Day Tour
Masha
About local
6 July 2025
Brilliant guide
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!
The Best of Istanbul: Half Day Tour
Juniper
About local
2 July 2025
Incredible value added to our trip!
Oguz was very friendly, knowledgeable, responsive, and accommodating! He took us to incredible places off the beaten path and knew all of the history. Having him there to navigate made it so we didn't waste any time, and we would have missed a ton of context and symbolism without him. He helped us to feel safe and confident in going out on our own the next day.
When Europe Meets Asia: Full Day Tour
Eddy
About local
2 July 2025
Amazing Istanbul
We had an amazing food tour with Safiye. We tried food that we did not know about and we learned alot about Turkiye. Safiye is a funny and interesting tour guide. It was like being on a tour with your beloved sister. Thank you Safiye from Sema, Eddy, Lucas and Silas from Denmark
The 10 Tastings of Istanbul: Kadikoy
Aaron
About local
27 June 2025
Fantastic tour would highly recommend
Ugur was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable about the history of Istanbul and took us to some amazing local restaurants
