Turkey · WALKING TOURS
In high season the good walking tours are gone a fortnight out and the best of them go sooner. Below: 15 to book before you fly, what each includes and where they differ.
Explore Fener and Balat in three hours with a guide, visiting Greek, Bulgarian, Armenian, and Jewish landmarks for just $20.
“great and pleasant tour in a vibrant neighbourhood. our guide, Yunus, was clear and nice to hear, also with teenagers. if you visit Istanbul, do not miss this activity! much better than going alone. get Yunus guide and know Fener and Balat!”
See Istanbul’s top sights on an eight-hour small-group walking tour with hotel pickup, skip-the-line access, and an English-speaking guide.
“It was a great learning experience with a wonderful and very knowledgeable tour guide, Sevilay. She was also able to get us into any place without standing in lines. I highly recommend Sevilay for this day tour, which is an all-walking only tour.”
Taste Istanbul across two continents with kebabs, baklava, coffee, markets, and a Bosphorus ferry ride on this 5.5-hour food tour.
“Blew me away! Amazing tour. Don’t hesitate this was the highlight of my trip and set me up with so much food knowledge for the rest of my week. Wish I could go twice but I’m still full. Loved it!”
Explore Fener and Balat in Istanbul on a 3-hour walking tour of churches, synagogues, colorful streets, and local history.
“What an amazing tour. Yunus was a fantastic guide who was very knowledgeable and helpful. The sites you visit are fascinating and Yunus has great recommendations for lunch!”
Explore Istanbul’s Fener and Balat on a $18 guided walk featuring churches, colorful streets, Ottoman houses, and Turkish coffee.
“Lovely walking tour through very interesting area of the city with a great guide. Be aware that this neighborhood is hilly with steep cobblestone streets which makes it challenging if you have ankle problems. Highly recommend.”
Cross the Bosphorus to Kadıköy by ferry, explore food markets and local streets, and get practical Istanbul tips for $29.
“fantastic experience... I would include the fee for the ferry back as an optional add on.”
Review of Istanbul’s tip-based Old Town walking tour, covering mosques, Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, Turkish treats, value, and practical tips.
“It was a great experience the tour guide was excellent and gave us a very good insight of the Greek history. Also included information on restaurants, Hamam, and places to visit. Loved the tour. It was tip bases and you tip according to the value you feel he gave”
See Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Grand Bazaar on an eight-hour small-group tour with skip-the-line entry.
“We had a small group of interesting people and skipped all the lines. From our determined tour guide we got tons of information and useful advice for restaurants and shopping. We loved it!”
Explore Istanbul’s Old City with a private guide, visiting Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, and Grand Bazaar.
“Our guide Ilket was really helpful and informative 🙏 He gave us all the relevant information of historical part of Istanbul! Also he suggested the best way to get around easy and short time! Wishing him all the Best and Luck!”
Review of Istanbul’s private 8-hour Sultanahmet tour, with Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, costs, guides, and tips.
“This day tour was extremely informative and enjoyable. Our guide absolutely made it, Ali was really wonderful. I highly recommend him. English was great and very accommodating. He really knew his history and made the day very smooth and fun!”
Review of a private Ephesus tour from Kusadasi with skip-the-line access, less walking, a personal guide, Mary’s House, and lunch.
“Our tour and guide, Begum were great. We were so happy to get to see the House of Mary and the ancient city. It was a packed day, but we loved getting to see so many sites! Would definitely recommend.”
Review of a private, low-walking Ephesus tour from Kusadasi or Izmir, with flexible stops, expert guides, ancient ruins, lunch, and local crafts.
“it was perfect! Huseyin was our guide and he was the best!! took us to all the places that we wanted, explained everything and was very patient. we had a wonderful day and I recommend!!”
Review of Alanya’s Sapadere Canyon and Dim Cave tour, with waterfall swimming, riverside lunch, practical tips, costs, and honest advice.
“What an adventure we had on this tour! It’s so hard finding activities that suit kids of different ages, but this was a huge hit! After a fun ride and cooling water fight with other passengers in the convoy, we ventured into the mountains to the waterfalls and saw some beautiful sights en route. The caves were spectacular too and well worth a venture inside. Lunch was fresh, hot, cooked through and delicious and the location was definitely photo-worthy. Big thank you to our energetic guide and photographer Agil and his team of drivers! My top tips for anyone booking - wear your swimsuit under your clothes, don’t wear your…”
Explore Istanbul’s Old City in a small English-speaking group, with Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and expert history.
“We had a great day, led by our guide Unal. We saw most of the major historical sites in Sultanahmet. Unal was so informative and patient.”
Review of Istanbul’s private walking tour, covering five major sights, guide service, price, timing, tickets, pickup, and who should book.
“We booked a 1-day Istanbul private walking tour and it far exceeded our expectations. Our guide, Sofya, reached out to us a couple days before the tour to finalize details and to provide additional information. On the day of, she met us at our hotel right on time and it was off on our tour. I cannot emphasize how useful it was to have a guide compared to schlepping around on our own. Sofya knew the shortcuts, knew who to talk to to get us better seats at lunch and pointed out the hidden gems that most tourists walk by. She was personable, insightful, funny and very accommodating to our…”
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