Istanbul Urban Adventures
Day tours, with a local
Constantinople, Stamboul, Istanbul -- a city that straddles both east and west... a city so fascinating that many travellers find it hard to leave. Istanbul Urban Adventures invite you to discover those exotic and complex things through the Istanbul city tours that have intrigued travellers throughout the ages. Modern travellers find themselves intoxicated with the fabulous food, incredible skylines dotted with minarets of striking mosques, the breathtaking sight of sunset over Europe from the Bosphorus, all of which you can find in these Istanbul tours.
It’s the kind of place that people always want to return to. Visions of the majestic Sultanahmet sites such as the beautiful Blue mosque, grand Topkpai place and Aya Sofya have embodied the ultimate fusion between east and west and have created a city of world desire. But above all else, it is the generosity and hospitality of the Turkish people that is most memorable.
Join us as we explore mosques hidden away and discuss what it’s like to be a modern Islamic Turk and then haggle for fresh pistachios in the fresh food markets. Join today’s Turks in their modern stomping ground and get the lowdown on what and when, while also being stunned by ancient architecture and fascinating cultural customs such as having your fortune told. Or immerse yourself in a very authentic family meal with locals in their home and discuss the news of the day and what the family members were up to that day.
These are just some of the many things to see and do in Istanbul and we at Istanbul Urban Adventures are your first ticket! While your here you might also want to check out our other Urban Adventure partners in the region like Cappadocia, Athens, or Florence.
Home Cooked Istanbul
from 6 reviews
From EUR 25.00
Nothing beats home cooking, especially Turkish home cooking. Join this Istanbul tour to be treated to a feast at a local family's home, as well as other oh so Turkish pursuits: drinking tea, playing backgammon, and hitting the water pipe!
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Hidden Istanbul
from 8 reviews
From EUR 25.00
Turkey's capital is a beautiful city, but it pays to know where to look. Join this Istanbul tour to be shown the unmistakable icons as well as the hard-to-find secret spots that make Istanbul so captivating.
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Old & New Istanbul
from 8 reviews
From EUR 25.00
Turkey may be transforming rapidly but there's still room for tradition. On this Istanbul tour you'll drink turkish coffee, have your fortune told (via the coffee grounds of course), see 19th century cinemas, visit old bazaars, and see where the old Orient Express used to stop.
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Istanbul Street Food Picnic
from 5 reviews
From EUR 25.00
Taste the very best of Istanbul’s local snack food on this delectable food tour. Explore the Spice Bazaar and meet friendly traders who will reveal their treasure trove of local delicacies. Stock up on goodies from markets and street stalls, visit the street-food haven of Galata Bridge and finish the tour with a traditional Turkish picnic.
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Ezo Gelin Soup
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Canada
12 Apr 2014 We were lucky to have a fairly small group on our walking tour. This mean that we had time to ask questions we weren't always waiting on someone else so that we could move on. Our guide, Caner Oztekin, was very personable, friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. He kept the tour moving at a comfortable pace and even joined us for lunch after the tour had long finished. He was even kind enough to walk us to a reputable carpet shop before his next tour. I would definitely recommend your company to a friend, especially if all of our guides are as solid as Caner. I'm not sure that the tour's name is accurate though as we generally walked to places that most tourists could visit and easily find. In my opinion, a "hidden" tour involves going to places that tourists don't know about or wouldn't find without local knowledge. Still , the itinerary gave us an overview of the history and sites.
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09 Mar 2014 The evening when we dined with two local families, living in the one apartment, was great and is to be highly recommended ss a worthwhile experience. Thank you
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United Kingdom
07 Mar 2014 We booked 2 half-day tours since we were only in Istanbul for one day. It was perfect - We had a 'private' all day tour with Tolga. He was wonderful. I wanted to see authentic arts & crafts and do a little shopping and he made sure we saw and did what we wanted in addition to his 'regular' tour. He guided to the best shops for quality and price. He made us feel very comfortable, he is patient and courteous and we fell in love with the city through his stories of the history and the sights. We would love to go back and spend more time and thanks to Tolga we would manage on our own. We also feel we made a friend. I highly recommend the tours to get a very intimate and local feel for the city and see things you might miss otherwise.
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United Kingdom
07 Mar 2014 We booked 2 half-day tours since we were only in Istanbul for one day. It was perfect - We had a 'private' all day tour with Tolga. He was wonderful. I wanted to see authentic arts & crafts and do a little shopping and he made sure we saw and did what we wanted in addition to his 'regular' tour. He guided us to the best shops for quality and price. He made us feel very comfortable, he is patient and courteous and we fell in love with the city through his stories of the history and the sights. We would love to go back and spend more time and thanks to Tolga we would manage on our own. We also feel we made a friend. I highly recommend the tours to get a very intimate and local feel for the city and see things you might miss otherwise.
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Hong Kong
05 Feb 2014 The guide was very informative and I learnt a lot. I hope i can join some of the other tours in comng future.
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Australia
11 Jan 2014 I was the only person taking the tour with Tolga and it felt like just walking around Istanbul, chatting and looking at different things with a friend. Tolga is very patient and courteous, knowledgeable about the history and traditions and it makes him an excellent guide. Thank you so much, Tolga! I highly recommend this tour as an orientation during your first days in Istanbul. The meeting point was a bit hard to find, due to the fact that there are a few entrances in the Spice Bazaar, and not a single person knew where Balik Pazari Kapisi was.
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USA
15 Nov 2013 really fun evening getting to know a local family and eating home-cooked food
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Australia
10 Oct 2013 Semih was an excellent guide whose command of English was very good. He showed us all his favourite local "haunts" within the spice market and surrounding areas. Great experiences with local food vendors which was fun as well as tasty. The picnic after was excellent sampling local products bought from the market.
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Canada
17 Sep 2013 Our guide, Semih, was amazing! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about his city. This is the perfect tour to do after hitting the key sights as it shows you another side of the city; filled with history, culture, and even some fortune telling. Perfect tour, PERFECT guide!
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New Zealand
08 Sep 2013 This tour was a fantastic way to have an introduction to Istanbul. Semih our guide took us through a number of the key tourist sites but then really introduced us to the local side of Istanbul. I appreciated seeing the city through the eyes of a local person and gained an appreciation of local culture. In the days that followed I felt 'at home' in the city thanks to the many insights that Semih imparted. If he and this tour are truly representative of Intrepid urban adventures then I will be taking them everywhere I go.
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Hos geldiniz! Welcome to Istanbul Urban Adventures! Our team of bilingual Turkish professional guides are waiting to share their passion for this fascinating city and all that it has to offer.
Istanbul Urban Adventures team
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Wherever we go in the world, we take a responsible attitude with us. That means travelling in a way which both respects and benefits local people, their culture, their economy, and their environment. Please read on for more information on our Responsible Travel policy and how you can be a responsible traveller for your entire journey.
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