Taste of Turkey in Istanbul’s Europe & Asia by Ferry Crossing
Description
Embark on a culinary journey through Istanbul’s vibrant food culture, exploring both its European and Asian sides. Relax aboard a scenic cruise, taking in the stunning views of the historic city and its islands while watching the hustle and bustle of daily life unfold. Indulge in authentic Turkish dishes at some of the city’s top specialty eateries and bustling food markets, with a particular focus on the lively district of Kadıköy. This tour isn’t just about food—it's an immersive, fun, and informative experience, offering a taste of both continents in a small group of no more than 8 people. A truly personalized adventure that goes beyond just sampling the local cuisine! ⦿ Explore both European and Asian Istanbul through unique culinary stops. ⦿ Cruise the Bosphorus with stunning views of the city and islands. ⦿ Taste traditional dishes in Kadıköy’s lively food markets. ⦿ Small-group experience with personalized attention and local guides.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Istanbul captivates with its unique blend of East and West, rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant bazaars. The Bosphorus charm and warm hospitality add to its allure, while its food culture is a feast for the senses—savor kebabs, mezes, fresh seafood, baklava, and Turkish delight, all paired with strong çay (tea) or Turkish coffee. It’s a city where ancient meets modern, offering an unforgettable cultural and sensory experience.
Turks have a deep passion for food, and there's no better way to kick off the day than with a traditional Turkish breakfast. Our culinary adventure starts at local breakfast cafés, where you'll savor a variety of delicious options—from flaky, savory Börek pastries to Menemen, a flavorful dish of scrambled eggs with fresh tomatoes, peppers, and onions. It's the perfect introduction to the rich flavors of Turkish cuisine!
Galata Bridge is a historic and iconic landmark spanning the Golden Horn
Our tour is expertly organized, providing insightful information at every stop. We receive thorough answers to all our questions and have the opportunity to discover fascinating details about the sights and local cuisine in Turkey.
We will embark on a scenic ferry ride across the Bosphorus Strait, making our way to the Asian side of Istanbul. This vibrant area is home to unique shops, each specializing in their own craft, offering an array of goods that reflect the rich culture of the city. As we explore, you'll have the chance to witness the fascinating process of Turkish coffee being made, from the careful roasting of the beans to the traditional brewing technique that makes it a true art form."
The Princes' Islands are a serene archipelago with a breathtaking sight when viewed from the Sea of Marmara.
Kadıköy, Istanbul’s lively Asian-side district, known for its bohemian vibe, street art, and charming cafes offer an unforgettable journey through history, culture, and flavor, where ancient traditions meet modern energy.
4.5 hours entertaining hours with lots of information and small samples in a wide variety of restaurants and shops.
Experience the bustle and energy of Istanbul market life in the Kadikoy Market. Stretched down a long pedestrian street in the eponymous Asian-side neighborhood and encompassing shops selling fresh fish, olives, cheese, meze, and more, Kadikoy Market attracts locals and visitors who want the freshest, high-quality food.
Kadıköy has a fascinating past and one of the most distinctive neighborhoods in Istanbul today famous for specialized local eateries.
Our exciting culinary adventure concludes at the vibrant Kadıköy Ferry Terminal. Your guide will assist you in catching the ferry back to the European side or offer personalized recommendations for nearby sights and experiences to explore next.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We are happy to accommodate vegetarian diets. Please note this in your reservation. (Unfortunately not vegan or gluten-free diets)
Reviews(35)
Tolga Kinas was excellent and very knowledgeable. The food was great and he picked the places where locals eat!!! Will recommend him to all my friends coming to Istanbul
The experience was interesting. Our guide knew the area well. Although the guide was very friendly and was well versed in its history, I didn't feel a strong connection with him. For me, I think chemistry between a guide, as well as chemistry with the group is just as important.
We joined a small group with couples from UK and USA and were shown some amazing local restaurants in the Karakoy district by Erol. We could not have wished for a better guide. Erol was very knowledgeable on not only the food but Turkey as a whole and we learnt so much with many different foods and drinks. Would definitely recommend this tour and make sure you get Erol.
This is a great tour if you are ever visiting Istanbul. Our host, Eroyl was awesome. He made sure we sampled the best and always explained about the different foods.
Great breakfast food tour from Erol over to Kadikoy He is very friendly and knowledgeable on the history or Istanbul and Turkey, and also gave us interesting insights into turkish everyday eating traditions for breakfast, coffee and lunch - all our food stops were very interesting and tasty. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to get a more immersive experience of local food and history.
Erol was a great guide! He showed us around, explained all about the traditional tastes and flavours. It was great to get to know Turkey’s culture through its food and cuisine. Erol gave us good recommendations and we were lucky to have a guide like him!
Erol Utgun our tour guide took us on an amazing tour that quickly gave us a better understanding of Istanbul by getting us better acquainted with its amazing culinary offerings. The streets of Istanbul are filled with interesting little restaurants, coffee, candy, spice souvenir shops but at first it can all feel a little overwhelming. Our Guide Erol Utgun carefully curated the tour allowing us to experience a wide variety of food and drink and gave us Insite to their origins in Turkish culture and their place in today's food scene. Erol not only gave us a feel for the food he answered all of our touristic questions and was a great conversationalist. I and all of my travelling companions give this tour and this tour guide our strongest recommendation, 10+ star review!
Earl provided an excellant itenary of local foods and history with cultural points. We enjoyed the tour very much! Would love to do again.
Our family had a walking food tour today with Erol, he was a fantastic guide! Very knowledgeable about the area, the history, and the food of the area.
This was an amazing walking tour with Erol who was very informative and knowledgeable on all things food and Istanbul. We had 4 in our group and we were all from Australia and it was just the right size. The places, restaurants and food were all outstanding and the history as explained by Erol just added to the experience. The 4hrs flew and we never stopped eating, Erol took us to places that we would probably never have found or knew what they were about but now we do and we will certainly be exploring more of this wonderful city and these hidden gems. Highly recommend this tour and if you are lucky enough you will have Erol as your tour guide, thanks Erol for a wonderful morning walking through your part of Istanbul!!!
