Private tour in Istanbul Safiye K

Full Day Private Istanbul Old City Walking Tour

5.0

(134) reviews

-
Hours icon 6 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 6 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later

Safiye K.

4.9

Guide rating

431

Reviews

Tours delivered

2 hrs

Avg. response time

MERHABA!! (Hello) A warm HOŞGELDİNİZ( Welcome) from guide Safiye. First of all I want to thank you for choosing Istanbul for your next destination. You will experience great Turkish hospitality, taste delicious Turkish food and learn deep history and culture, you are in right page :) I am Safiye and joined Toursbylocals in 2010 since then I am delivering private tour to eager travelers from all around the world. I am a happy guide and who adores her job. I do organize any kind of private tours and I custom tours according to travelers needs. The unique thing about Tourbylocals is, you can get a local guide in every city and feel like a local, learn the history and culture, visit hidden gems, try authentic local food, experience real life and use public transportation. I do arrange Shore Excursions and as well as layover tours. I arrange a private vehicle and driver if clients request. The beginning of my guiding carrier with Tourbylocals. I spend a couple of days with a couple from US. At the end of the tour, they told me that "Safiye we read a lot of books about Turkey and Turkish people, we knew how nice they are but you are the true reflection of all those informations". In my opinion without visiting Turkey, you will never experience this. Most of the Turkish people are very nice and hospitable, because it is in our culture. Since then I feel myself more responsible about my country because guides are the real culture ambassadors. Istanbul is a great city with a lot of history and culture, it is a very vibrant city with a lot of life. Istanbul is a crossroad between two continents (Asia and Europe) It is the only city in the world that you can experience changing continents in 20 minutes you can even have breakfast in Europe and take a ferry to Asia and have lunch there. I hope our paths cross one day through Tourbylocals, I feel lucky myself to guide you and help you for a lifetime Istanbul experiences and unforgettable memories. ***In accordance with the recent amendments of laws regarding tour guiding in Turkey, the guides are not allowed to directly sell tours. So, please note that the tours quaranteed here are to be by means of an officialy registered A Class Tourism & Travel Agency. -Professional Tourist Guide License from Ministry of Culture And Tourism License Number: 1403 -Graduation from Adnan Menderes University School of Travel Agency Management and Tourism Guiding Program. I am not a driver guide. I can accompany you in your vehicle or I can arrange a private vehicle and driver. In some museums, we are not allowed to enter exhibition halls, we give information about the exhibitions and give you some free times to visit.

Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Safiye K.

Overview of your Istanbul tour

Welcome to Istanbul which is old Constantinople! This tour will take you to one of the most beautiful mosque in the world which called Blue Mosque. After that we will stroll through to one of the oldest building in the world called Hagia Sophia, it used to be a church, mosque, museum and now on a mosque again. Then the tour will take us the Sultan's palace, Topkapi Palace used to be the center of the Ottoman's Empire administrative center around 400 years. After the Palace we can have a lunch break to eat some delicious Turkish food, then we will visit one of the oldest water supplier in the world called Underground Cistern, Istanbul is very famous with its cisterns, there are around 30 of them. At the end we will see the largest bazaar in the world, it was built in 15th C to host the caravans used to come from China through Silk Road.

Recent Reviews

Annie M.United States
3 weeks ago

Very friendly and knowledgeable.

Adam T.Australia
June 2026

Excellent. Would thoroughly recommend Safiye, she is very knowledgeable and clearly knows her way around Istanbul.

Scott C.United States
May 2026

Our tour was awesome. Perfectly tailored to gut what we were looking for and our guide Sophia was terrific!!!

Janice O.Canada
May 2026

Safiye provided us with a great day. We were very much looking forward to our day in Istanbul and it did not disappoint. Safiye was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learned many things about Istanbul and Turkey. Her tour was very efficient as she looked after getting tickets to all sites ahead of time. It was a great mix of history, food and a bit of shopping. We would highly recommend Safiye as a guide.

Benjamin S.United States
May 2026

We had such a great time exploring Istanbul with Safiye. Everything was easy from the very beginning—she communicated clearly, stayed on top of all the logistics, and was always right on time. Spending the day with her honestly felt like hanging out with a friend who just happens to know the city inside and out. Since this was our second trip to Istanbul, we’d already checked off most of the big tourist spots. Safiye took that and ran with it, putting together a day full of new neighborhoods, local places, and experiences we never would’ve found on our own. It really felt like seeing the city the way locals do, not just following the usual routes. She kept the pace comfortable, adjusted things as we went, and made everything feel easy and fun. We walked away feeling like we got a whole new side of Istanbul. We’d absolutely book with her again and recommend her to anyone—whether it’s your first visit or your fifth.

Deborah M.United States
April 2026

We had a wonderful tour of the sights of old Istanbul! Safiye was very knowledgeable, kind, engaging, and sensitive to our needs (we are four seniors of varying abilities, walk-wise). She also took us to a great place for lunch. We were dazzled by the places she took us, and delighted with her sweet personality.

Your Istanbul tour itinerary

- I can get tickets for the Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia in advance for you to avoid the ticket lines! -Hippodrome, it was a place where the Romans used to have horse chariot races, we will see on the way of Blue Mosque very shortly -Blue Mosque -Hagia Sophia, we will see from outside and I will explain you its history from outside. There is a big restoration started inside and outside, big scaffolding inside and it is not worth seeing with the construction. But if you really want to visit it, of course we can visit. -Topkapı Palace, was a home for the Ottoman Sultans for hundreds of years. You will walk to the same paths where the Sultans walk. You will learn a lot about Sultan's life. -Underground Cistern -Grand Bazaar- it is optional, if you want to go there, I will go with you, if you don’t want to go, we can finish the tour around Sulranahmet.

Want to customize this tour?

Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.

Transport details
Type: Walking

It is a walking tour but if necessary we can take a tram or taxi.

What's included
Private Guide
Services: private guiding
What's not included
Other: Personal expenses
Food Drinks Snacks
Tickets: Topkapı Palace is 60 USD per person, cistern is USD per person. Hagia Sophia is 35 USD per person
Tastings
Public Transportation
Meeting location

At Meydanı Caddesi, İstanbul, İstanbul, 34122, Türkiye

Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide:

  • You can request a specific meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout.
Other details
Tour categories
City Highlights
Tour reference number
5743
Languages
Turkish
English
Spanish
Activity level
Moderate

Traveller reviews

5.0

FAQs

Who is this private tour in Istanbul best suited for?

This private tour in Istanbul is perfect for travellers who want to explore the rich history and culture of the city with a knowledgeable local guide. It's ideal for those interested in iconic landmarks like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. With a moderate activity level, it's suitable for those who enjoy walking and want to experience the heart of old Constantinople.

What should I bring or wear?

Can this private tour in Istanbul be customized to focus on what I want to see and skip places I've already visited?

How long is the tour, and can the start time or duration be adjusted?

Where does the tour start and end?

Is transportation included?

How much walking is involved, and is it suitable for kids, seniors, or travellers with mobility concerns?

What languages is this tour offered in?

What's included in this private tour, and what should I budget for separately?

Is this a private tour? What is the maximum group size and the starting price?

AI-generated. Please confirm details with your guide

-
Hours icon 6 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 6 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Any Reason Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
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