Istanbul Sightseeing Walking Tour

We had a guide called Erol, the knowledge of Istanbul was unbelievable, very informative. The tour lasted around 4 hrs but only felt like 2. I would definitely recommend you ask for this guide, you will not be disappointed and value for money.

Great walking tour to do when trying to navigate around Istanbul Old Town for the first time. Erol was great in giving a good balance of showing you around the main landmarks with a little history on the way, and also tips for the rest of your stay. He was happy to answer questions and offer some of the local tips which makes the rest of your stay more enjoyable. Definitely worth doing on your first day!

Since I was the only one, I had a private tour. Erroll was my guide and we stopped at all the sites where he gave a wonderful history of Haggia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns, Blue Mosque, German Fountain, Hippodrome, Arasta Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. It is a lot of walking so be prepared. It took about 4 hours and was worth it.

I did a walking tour with Erol and it was enjoyable. He is very knowledgeable and I felt comfortable throughout the whole experience. He is well prepared and has plastic bags ready for you to put your shoes in when you are stepping into the mosques, a tiny touch of service which I truly appreciate! The tour was conducted at a good pace — never rushed, but always engaging — and I learned so many interesting things about the history and culture of this city. Truly appreciate how everything was clearly explained and it made my trip fun. I highly recommend this tour if you want to learn more about the history. Thank you for the good experience!

A single tour with lots of information through a friendly and pleasant guide. Because I was the only one we could change the program a little. I invited the guide to a traditional restaurant which he suggested. Was super delicious everything. Thank you!

We had a fantastic first morning in Istanbul with Erol Ütgün. He was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful for our first time in the city. He oriented us by showing us the Roman obelisk and explaining the history of the Basilica Cistern. We didn’t wait long to enter the Blue Mosque, where we were able to admire the beautiful stained glass and tiles while Erol explained the history and meaning behind them. He also described the Hippodrome and the Egyptian obelisk so clearly that we could really picture the ancient city. To reach the Spice Market, he led us through the uncrowded palace gardens, where workers were planting tulip bulbs for spring. Erol told us about the long history of tulips in Istanbul and that they are even part of the city’s logo — such a fun fact! All in all, Erol was an excellent guide and made our introduction to Istanbul memorable and meaningful. Highly recommended.

Gamze our guide was absolutely marvellous. Very knowledgeable and shared her insights with grace and good humour.

Very informative and a great way to get a quick overview and a good orientation to the city. Be aware it may not be 4 hours. Ours was over in 2 hours but maybe that was because there were only 2 of us.

Two stars because I had to reschedule and they were accommodating. My tour guide was Kim and it was the least informative tour I’ve taken, and I travel several times a year. From the moment I met her, she kept repeating the same sentences. I didn't leave the tour feeling like I’d learned much about Istanbul’s culture. She had an errand to run at a Hammam and I basically waited until she was finished, very strange. She tried to get me to sign up for Hammam and to pay for another tour (Basilica) which I’ve never experienced before. Usually my tours stick to the script and they don’t try to “sell” other products. I wouldn’t recommend this tour at all. Sorry.

The tour was well organized and Erol was a wonderful guide. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the area/sites we visited and also had recommendations for local restaurants and bakeries. A very enjoyable experience.