Best Highlights of Istanbul

We had an absolutely fantastic experience on this private tour in Istanbul. From start to finish, everything exceeded our expectations. Our guide was not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also warm, engaging, and genuinely passionate about sharing the local culture and history. We visited some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque, and explored the vibrant Grand Bazaar. What made the tour truly special, however, were the “hidden gems” we would never have discovered on our own. Seeing how traditional handmade carpets are created was a highlight, such a unique and memorable experience. The pace of the tour was perfect, and having a private guide allowed us to ask questions, dive deeper into topics, and truly connect with the city. It felt less like a tour and more like spending the day with a very knowledgeable local friend. We highly recommend booking a private guided tour like this, especially at the beginning of your trip as it gives you a deeper understanding of the city and helps you appreciate everything even more for the rest of your stay. Thank you for such an unforgettable day, we hope many more travelers get to experience Istanbul with you!☺️

Sema is a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable about both historical and contemporary Istanbul, and super accommodating and helpful. Highly recommended. Thank you Sema!

Meeting Sema as my tour guide was truly one of the highlights of my short but unforgettable trip to Istanbul. Her deep knowledge of every place we visited brought each location to life, and she even captured some amazing photos along the way! What stood out most was her warm and welcoming spirit—she instantly made me feel at home. I’m already looking forward to coming back and seeing her again. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Istanbul!

Such a great walking tour! Can’t think of a better way to see the sights and get the history. Sema was essential to navigating the crowds and always getting the easiest access. Top recommend!

Booked this private tour because I wanted to be flexible on what time I start my tour. Sema didn't disappoint. Knows all the history about Istanbul. Very friendly, very informative and very nice. Thank you so much!!

I've travelled a lot and met many tour guides, but none of them impressed me as much as Sema. Her knowledge and energy are endless. What a fabulous 8 hours we spent

For the second time I have asked Mrs Sema to house us around the city and we enjoy a lot all the insights she has been able to provide. Great knowledge of the city and of the complex historical background but also of the huge gastronomical that the city can offer. A dynamic approach to all matters and an infaticabile energy to move around and chat of culture and ottoman tradition. Definitely she one of the best overall guide I have encountered. Congratulations

Sema and her parter were amazing tour guides. We had booked the tour for 2 days and we had a lot of fun. Kids loved the private boat tour.

This tour was fantastic. We visited on a cruise ship and Sema met us at the port to take us to Sultanahmet Square where the hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern are located. Communication before the tour was great; we knew exactly where to meet. It was busy the day we came because there were two cruise ships in port and it was a national holiday, but we waited in line half the time as others because Sema knew where to go and could anticipate which sites would be most crowded when. She knows so much about Turkish history and clearly enjoys what she does. Sema also gave us recommendations on the best place to get Turkish baklava which was a treat! I highly recommend this tour.

During our 5 day trip to Istanbul, we had Sema as our guide for 3 days (she was referred to us by a close friend who had her as a guide in 2022). Sema is an excellent guide, very knowledgeable about the history of Istanbul and the Roman/Ottoman empire and she is also very fluent in English. It is very easy to become friendly with her, she is so easy-going and willing to put herself out for any request made by us, whether it was shopping or food tasting or just general questions. Over the 3 days, she showed us all the highlights of Istanbul (both the European as well as the Asian side) and explained to us the history and current status for all of them. Her historical knowledge of every place is phenomenal!!! She also took us around for food tasting as well as shopping, especially with the specific requirements that we had in mind. And the places that she took us for baklava and turkish delight and turkish coffee and turkish tea as well as chicken rolls and fish rolls served us delicious lip-smacking food. Thank you Sema for an unforegattable experiance of the beautiful city of Istanbul. I would highly recommend Sema for anyone visiting Istanbul.