Explore the Wonders of Istanbul - 2 days private tour with your local guide

Rose was professional, knowledgeable, and at the same time warm and friendly. My wife and I were celebrating our 35 th Wedding Anniversary and she took the time to present us with a special cake custom made from her favorite local bakery. At the end of the tour our whole group felt they had made a new friend. Anyone looking to see Istanbul from top to bottom should not hesitate to book a two day Istanbul Tour with Rose.

Gül led us for two wonderful days in Istanbul as we explored historic palaces, mosques, the Spice Market, Grand Bazaar, and other sites while we laughed, experienced traditional food, and learned so much about the culture. The tours were totally flexible and customized, and Gül shared her love and extensive knowledge of historic and modern Türkiye. Join Gül for an unforgettable experience no matter how much time you have in Istanbul. You will be enriched beyond expectations.

As my wife put it, Gul (aka Rose) was a find. She is very knowledgeable, helpful, and kind. She accommodated our speed (slow) and wishes. She introduced us to some very beautiful and serene mosques without the crowds, plus some of the best beans ever. We greatly enjoyed both our days with Gul, and she provided detailed information to help us on our day by ourselves. We highly recommend Gul (Rose).

We spent two wonderful days exploring Istanbul with Rose! She is the absolute best! We were two couples, and Istanbul was the start of our travels before embarking on a cruise. From our very first communication, Rose went above and beyond, getting to know our interests to customize our time together. She was easy to communicate with, kind, and personable. By the time we arrived in Istanbul, it was like meeting up with a close friend. Everything was meticulously taken care of for us – our airport transfer, our entry tickets, a private cruise of the Bosphorus, meeting us early for a Turkish breakfast, and making sure we tried all the best foods along the way. We loved Rose’s enthusiasm and her passion for Turkish history and culture. We couldn’t have hoped for a better tour guide than Rose, and we made a friend that we look forward to staying in touch with and seeing again.

Rose (Gulizar) was a fantastic and welcoming host to Istanbul. Her knowledge of the culture and history is extensive (she has a Master's in Archeology), which appealed to my family greatly. Her real talent is not just a deep knowledge bench but the ability to convey that knowledge in a meaningful and understandable way. She also did a fantastic job helping my family with shopping and taking us to some incredible places to enjoy local Turkish food. But the singular thing she did that was both unique and impactful is making us feel like part of her family and helping us feel like we were locals for our short time in Istanbul. I can't recommend her enough, and would encourage anyone visiting Istanbul (especially families) to hire her as a guide. If she appears booked, reach out to her anyways, her husband is also a great tours by locals guide.

In addition to our five star review of Gül - she was knowledgeable about all aspects of Turkish society, she was prepared with a list of activities and options for our 3 days with her, she was attentive towards our specific requests. She was all we could have asked in a private guide. We will certainly use her again should we return to Istanbul, and we will certainly use Tours By Locals again. If Gül is an example, they have very high standards, indeed.