Off The Beaten Path Of Real Istanbul Tour
Get an in-depth look into what Istanbul is really about. We have designed this unique Istanbul walking tour to introduce our guests to real Istanbul. An alternative tour to see a different side of Istanbul, the secret of Istanbul.
Duration : 6 Hours
Group Size : 2-12 people
Starts : 9 am
Highlights
- Full day off-the-beaten-path Istanbul walking tour.
- Feel Istanbul just like a local on a walking tour of Istanbul with using ferry and bus like locals.
- Visit some top attractions in Istanbul like Grand Bazaar, Corlulu Ali Pasha Madrasah, Suleymaniye Mosque, Spice Bazaar
- Visit St. George Church ( Ecumenical Patriarchate Church ) in Fener district near the Golden Horn
- Hear the history of Greeks and Jewish people in Istanbul in the Fener and Balat district
Description
What is included
- Licensed tour guiding
- Pastry, kebab, tea, Turkish coffee, shisha ( not possible during covid restrictions )
- Entrance fees
- Sampling Baklava and Turkish Delights
- Public transportation during the tour ( bus and ferry ride )
- Lunch ( will be complimentary if we have more than 2 people )
- Gratuities to the tour guide
FAQ
Meeting point
Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant at Sultanahmet
Reviews
Leave a reviewTripadvisor User Richard
I have been to Istanbul several times so wanted to see how the locals live and areas not usually seen by tourists. Yunus was my outstanding guide who communicated very well ahead of the visit. Even though only two had bought the tour, he did not cancel. He is very informative with deep knowledge of the history and culture of each place visited. At two places along the tour, we enjoyed Turkish coffee and pastries. He was amenable to suggestions. The other person on the tour was anxious to see the Galata Tower so we ended up there with a long line. The ferry ride provided beautiful views of the city. The back streets climbing up the hills of Istanbul was probably my favorite part of the tour where we saw children playing, laundry drying, and heard more about the differences of cultures. The U.S. President was making big decisions about Turkey when I was there so we had interesting political discussions. If you have already seen everything in Istanbul, take this tour. Be sure that you are in good physical condition because I ended up walking about 9 miles including getting to the start of the tour and back to the hotel.
Tripadvisor User Philipp
Literally one of the best tours of my life. Specifically wanna highlight Abdullah, the extremely educated, kind, and interesting guide... an incredible man overall! higly recommend. Thank you for everything!
Tripadvisor User YYL
Highly recommended! Trustworthy agency for sure! Ask for Emir Sagir to be your guide if possible but I do believe the rest of the team is as good as him (came across his colleagues along the way and they all seem nice). You'll get a local friend rather than just a guide! He is friendly, open-minded, professional at the same time. Always attentive to your needs and try his best to arrange things you would like for you! And this tour specifically is for travel lovers - if you're looking for some interesting history, stories, cultures about Istanbul and Turkey, rather than cliche big names! Of getting the taste of Turkish tea, coffee, and delights! - Emir kept feeding me along the way literally! Because of this great experience, I booked another two-day private trip with Emir without any hesitation and left it to him to decide the itinerary for me (only mentioned a bit what I'd like to do). He is not the only tour guide I tried in Istanbul - trust this tells you how amazing he is!
Tripadvisor User ChristineN
We reached out to Real Istanbul Tours at the last minute and they responded promptly via email. The next morning, we met up with Apo, our tour guide, and right off the bat, he greeted us graciously. Sometimes, you can just tell when someone loves his job and is as excited as you are. He was full of energy which helped us kick start the day. It just so happened that we were the only ones on the tour and therefore, we got the private tour treatment! Apo speaks English fluently and is extremely knowledgeable about all the sites we visited and encouraged us to ask questions, which added to the pleasant experience of not feeling rushed to move from one site to another. We asked for a few tea breaks that weren't on the itinerary and Apo happily agreed without hesitation. The tour ended up going past the scheduled ending time by 2 hours but Apo never complained and kept reiterating that as long as his guests are satisfied, he is too. We were so impressed with the customer service that we booked him again for another walking tour the following day. The service on the 2nd day was just as great as the 1st day. We felt that we gained a friend with Apo. Thank you so much for your hospitality!