Private tour in Istanbul Safiye K

Istanbul Private Half Day Customized Tour

5.0

(96) reviews

-
Hours icon 4 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Last-Minute Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 4 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Last-Minute Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later

Safiye K.

4.9

Guide rating

437

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 tours 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 2009 Graduation from Adnan Menderes University School of Travel Agency Management and Tourism Guiding Program for 4 years + 1 year was the preparation year only in English. 2012 I was choosen for a EU YOUTH Project called European Voluntary Service, I spent 1 year in Barcelona as a volunteer. 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

Istanbul is a huge city and it never ends. There is always something to do or visit. There are some people over there want to create their own itinerary because classic tours don't correspond their interests. There are some nice and cool neighbourhoods but less known by tourists but worth to visit. There is a designer area and antique shops, second hand street etc. You just say it, Istanbul has it. We can do our best to tailor a tour according to your interests. I can make a fun tour itinerary and guide you. Trust me you will learn a lot, taste yummy foods and visit interesting places. It will be a great Istanbul treat for you.

Recent Reviews

Yamy S.United States
3 hours ago

Safiye was excellent! She was so knowledgeable, friendly, and funny. We had a great time with her—the whole tour was perfect. We definitely recommend her, and if we go back to Istanbul, we’ll ask for her again!

Thomas R.United States
4 days ago

This was the first day of two days with Safiye and it was the beginning of a great adventure. She is by far the best guide we have ever had in several trips to Istanbul - friendly, great sense of humor, flexible, knowledgeable, organized. Her restaurant recommendations were fantastic also. Book a tour with her - you will not be disappointed.

Thomas R.United States
4 days ago

We spent two wonderful afternoons with Safiye - and we will be back to explore more of Istanbul with her in the future. She tailored our walking tour to take us to specific sites we wanted to visit and pre-purchased tickets (no waiting in lines.) Safiye is a true professional - organized (even had an extra head scarf for my wife when she needed one to enter Hagia Sofia!), friendly, very knowledgeable, and has a great sense of humor. She guided us to shops in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market based on my wife's specific interests and where she knew and could vouch for the owners. We spent an entire afternoon at Topkapi and she really brought the times of the sultans alive with her stories as we walked through the grounds and the harem. We left our two days feeling that we had indeed made a new friend. Safiye is one of the best guides we have ever had.

Lori S.United States
August 2026

Safiye was fantastic! She was super knowledgeable and very personable. She was organized and ordered tour tickets ahead of time to avoid waiting in lines. She was flexible and made quick adjustments to our schedule. She was passionate and a joy to spend time with. Highly recommend!

Beth S.United States
August 2026

Safiye was an incredible guide. She was fun, incredibly personable, excellent communicator, informative and accommodating with the plan. I would recommend her to anyone. She is truly skilled and experienced. Thank you Safiye.

Susan W.United States
June 2026

Safiye provided excellent tours and was very knowledgeable about the landmarks, neighborhoods, and history. I would not have gone to as many places or explored as many corners if it were not for her. I hope to return to Istanbul again next year and I will look for her again and book another tour.

Your Istanbul tour itinerary

This space is for you! Make your own itinerary and let me know or we can discuss it together. I am writing some half-day tour examples for you. 1st Example: Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace with Harem 2nd Example: Hagia Sophia, Underground Cistern, Grand Bazaar 3rd Example: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace 4th Example: Spice Market, Grand Bazaar, Local Markets in Eminonu area. -These are suggested itineraries, let me know what you would like to see and do and I will customize the tour accordingly!

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

Depends of your hotel location. If it is located in old city that we will walk to sites. If your hotel is not in old city that we will take public transport or taxi.

What's included
Private Guide
What's not included
Other: Personal expenses.
Public Transportation
Food Drinks Snacks
Tickets
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
99951
Languages
Turkish
English
Spanish
Activity level
Moderate
Accessibility
Kid Friendly

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 create their own itinerary and explore the city like a local. It's ideal for those who are interested in visiting less-known neighbourhoods, designer areas, antique shops, and more. Whether you're looking to learn, taste delicious foods, or visit interesting places, Safiye K. will tailor the experience to your interests.

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?

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

1

Tour date
View our cancellation policiesUpgrade for total flexibility with Last-Minute Cancellation
Book with a depositSecure your tour today and pay your balance later
-
Hours icon 4 hours
Walking
Private tour for 1-6 people
Your party size

1

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