Skip the Lines: Istanbul Highlights – Hagia Sophia, Topkapi & More

Namjoo K.United States

We had an amazing experience with Ugur as our guide in Istanbul. We were a large group of 16 people, but thanks to the headset system he provided, everyone could clearly hear his detailed explanations even when the streets were crowded or we were spread out. It made a huge difference. Learning about Turkish history while actually visiting the historical sites made the experience so much more meaningful and enjoyable than simply looking around on our own. Ugur's knowledge was outstanding, and he explained everything in a way that kept both the adults and students engaged. He even came to pick us up near our accommodation and traveled with us on the tram, making everything very easy and stress free. For lunch, he took us to an excellent local restaurant with great value. The food was so good and affordable that many of our students ordered second servings without worrying about the cost. Although the website stated that a physical International Student ID card was required, Ugur helped our group of 10 high school students use their digital ISIC cards together with their passports to receive the student admission price of only 400 TRY for Topkapi Palace. We really appreciated him going the extra mile to make sure our students received the discount. While visiting shops and the carpet store, there was occasionally some pressure from the sellers, but Ugur always looked out for us. Whenever we weren't interested in buying anything, he simply gathered our group and led us out without any awkwardness. What impressed us most was his flexibility. He constantly adjusted the schedule based on our group's energy level, interests, and timing instead of following a rigid itinerary. That made the entire day much more enjoyable. Ugur is knowledgeable, kind, flexible, and truly understands what travelers want. He was a great guide, and we would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone visiting Istanbul.

Ugur was extremely knowledgeable and engaging. Such a pleasure to spend time with him. Very responsive to our requests.

One of the best things I did for the Istanbul portion of my visit to Istanbul was to hire Ugur to help my husband and me see some off-the-beaten-path locations for two full days. Ugur is a great communicator, prior to meeting up he developed a few suggestions of where we could go. He met us at our hotel which was great because we didn’t have to figure anything out - he was right on time and ready to show us so many interesting places. Ugur is so personable, and very tuned in to making sure he adjusts his plan to meet our interests and our energy levels. He is a lovely family man, has a great sense of humor and is just a pleasure to be around. We both enjoyed every minute!

A delightful tour on a cloudy, rainy day in Istanbul. I had a most wondaful experience with Ugur during our time in Istanbul. I was interested in history and local culture so Ugur quickly adapted to my requests, we hit the highlights (somehow we never got to wait in a long line to get in!) and it was wonderful to have someone with such a great wealth of knowledge of history and love for the city. By the end of our time together I felt like I was just having a stroll, visiting a friend without a single dull moment. The fact that the weather did not cooperate did not "dampen" the experience at all. Thank you, Ugur. I can still taste that coffee from the "A buffalo can stand on it" coffee house!

Ugur K. is a delightful and extremely knowledgable tour guide who was very accommodating to our needs for our first visit to Istanbul. He took us to the standard historical sites, as well as to local favorites off the beaten track, including a delicious local "fast food" restaurant--which was the best meal we experienced in Istanbul. He taught us how to use the local public trolley so we could get around on our own, too. Ugur also has connections to bypass the long lines at the popular tourist locations, too. In addition, we were planning to start our tour at 10 a.m. due to anticipated jetlag, and Uger recommended an earlier start to see more. Uger was spot on--we awoke at 4 a.m. so 8 a.m. was ideal to start our journey. I highly recommend Uger.

Ugur is extremely knowledgeable and personable. My wife and I thoroughly e joyed our tour with him. He was constantly checking in with us regarding how we were feeling and modifying the tour to reduce standing in line as well as focusing on area of our interest. I highly recommend him. Also, I highly recommend taking his advice and starting early, 8AM. You will basically have minimal to no lines to wait in to get going. Start later and anticipate standing in line for 30-60 minutes or more.