Istanbul · ISTANBUL WALKING TOURS
Consider this the shortlist to send a friend: 15 istanbul walking tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Walk Istanbul’s Fener and Balat with a guide, visiting the Bulgarian Iron Church and Ahrida Synagogue on a 3-hour route.
“Perfect tour. Thank you our tourguide Yunus. He had everything so interesting and clearly explained. If you want to go new and interesting places in Istanbul I definitely recommend.”
8-hour small-group walk through Sultanahmet with Blue Mosque, Topkapi, cistern sights, Grand Bazaar, photo stops, hotel pickup, for $155.
“Our guide Sevilay (I think I spelled it correctly) was punctual and friendly. Full of knowledge and efficient with getting us to the right places before the crowds. If you are short on time (like my family) and want to get a sense of some of the highlights of Istanbul, this is a great tour.”
5.5-hour Istanbul foodie walk across Europe and Asia by ferry, with Spice Bazaar breakfast, Kadıköy market tastings, and dondurma.
“The tour was great and I enjoyed it a lot. Our guide Feyzanor took us to very good selective traditional Turkish food outlets with amazing tasting food and gave us so much information about the Turkish cuisine and culture. Ten out of ten !!! Bravo !!!”
Half-day walk through Istanbul's Fener and Balat, from Greek Orthodox sites to synagogues and colorful stairs, guided in English.
“What a picturesque part of Istanbul! I'm so glad I booked this tour! I learned a bit of history and saw some beautiful architecture. If you want to experience more than just the standard tourist attractions, choose this tour!”
Walk the Fener and Balat neighborhoods to see the Bulgarian Iron Church, Saint Mary of the Mongols, and Ahrida Synagogue, with coffee.
“We had the whole tour to ourselves and the guide was informative. Highly recommend!”
Asian Side Istanbul walking tour from Eminönü to Kadıköy with a one-way ferry ride, local food market, bar streets, and sunset views.
“It was great to experience the Asian side of Istanbul. I don’t think we would have done this if not for the tour. There are so many different sides to Istanbul and it would have been a shame if we hadn’t seen this side.”
Tip-based Old Istanbul walk to German Fountain, Blue Mosque area, Hagia Sophia views, and Grand Bazaar, plus free Turkish delight.
“The guide was knowledgeable and entertaining and provided detailed historical and cultural information. It was a good orientation tour. We covered a lot of ground you need to be in decent shape to keep up.”
See Istanbul’s top sites in one day, with skip-the-line entry, an English guide, and air-conditioned transport, plus time for the Grand Bazaar.
“The organization was good. The many objects of interest of Istanbul were very beautiful. The travel line in my language protruding.”
A private 7-hour walking tour through Istanbul’s Sultanahmet highlights, with a licensed local guide and skip-the-ticket-line timing for key sites.
“Nazmiye is our guide. She is very accommodating, tailor to our interests, very flexible and considerate of our requests. She definitely exceeds our expectations.”
A private 8-hour Istanbul walk through Sultanahmet, Topkapi, and the Grand Bazaar, with priority access and a guide who tailors your route.
“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!”
Skip ticket lines for a small-group Basilica Cistern walk with entry, a Spanish guide, and time-saving German Fountain meetup.
“Foi excelente, especialmente pela dedicação da guia Nurseda, que nos explicar a história da Cisterna. Altamente recomendado o tour”
Galata district walking tour in Istanbul: start at Tunel funicular, see Galata Tower, Camondo Stairs, Fener Balat, Spice Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar.
“Thanks to Ina, it was a very insightful and informative tour. She took us on a long walk to places we otherwise would not have never seen in Istanbul. And was very helpful giving us instructions on how to get back to our hotel. Very important to wear comfortable walking shoes with good support. You will burn a lot of calories on this tour.”
Guided 1.5-hour walk of Istanbul's Blue Mosque art, symbolism, and photo angles, starting at German Fountain.
“Kadri e’ stato la nostra guida. Preparatissimo, ma non solo, la sua vasta cultura ci ha permesso anche di rispolverare i nostri antichi studi liceali e la conoscenza dell’attualità di comprendere la bellezza della Turchia moderna. Kadri è stato di una disponibilità unica. Siamo stati fortunati ad incontrare una così bella persona”
Small-group Old Town walk: skip lines at Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern, guided views, headsets, ending at Karaköy Pier.
“Our guide arrived late which was a bad start. He didn’t relay any information as we walked between places but spent time on his phone. At each attraction we stood in one place and he told us about it. All around us were tours with better guides and I learnt more by listening into other tours. Maybe it’s because of the end of season but it seemed our guide just wasn’t interested.”
Walk the Jewish Quarter and Galata, see synagogue history and photo exhibits, plus contemporary art stops in Tophane and Karaköy.
“A walking tour - be prepared for the hills! Great museum and views of some of the old abandoned synagogues as well as ones still functioning.”
Every kind of day out in the city, and the best of each.
