What is the best approach to hire a guide for a day Istanbul? Is there a list Rick recommends? What are typical prices?
Posted by
11 posts
Rick Steves has a list of many guides in Instanbul. SRM Travel. www.srmtravel.com; Nilufer Iris niluferiris@hotmail.com; Attila K1l1nc www.marmaratiurs.com; Nilay Cagli Turkeli nilayturkeli@gmail.com; KSG Tours www.tourguidesinturkey.com. We, too,are looking for a guide for our trip to Istanbul and Ephesus in August and we are just now researching these guides Rick recommends. Good luck!
Posted by
141 posts
We were in Istanbul and Selcuk in early Dec. 2014...You can easily get a guide in the Old City (Sultanhamet) by the mosques any time . I feel you can get someone with character and negotiate a good rate with them by not booking a guide in advance.. Also outside Ephesus there are lots of men waiting to be hired as guides or taxi drivers that double as guides...Also, if you stay at a pansiyon they can easily arrange a guide for you for whenever. My advice is to wait till you are in Turkey to get a guide.
There are lots of young men in Istanbul around the mosques that offer to guide you and do NOT think of them as a nuisance. It is really pretty cool how they approach you...
Posted by
bath, maine, usa
106 posts
I hired an English speaking guide who approached me in the ticket line at Aya Sophia. I hired him for a tour of Aya Sophia. The next day we went to the Big Island, the largest of the Princess Islands in the Sea of Marmara. He was a licensed guide and I had a wonderful day. I am sure your hotel could provide you with a guide as well.