Hello,
Our cruise docks at Galataport, Istanbul for 2 days in early October 2025 and we would like to secure a very knowledgeable guide for walking tours each day. We are fit seasoned travelers and can easily handle 4-5 miles of daily walking, including moderately hilly terrain. There are a few similar discussions in the Turkey forum but most are a few years old. Thanks in advance.
there are several recent questions on this topic, all less than a year old:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tours/istanbul-private-tour-guide
Thank you CL. The only tour from the other posts that seems to fit the bill for us is Istanbul Clues. We hope to get at least one additional recommendation for comparison.
We use toursbylocals.com to find guides. What I like about the website is that the price, total # of participants, mode of transportation, items not included in the cost are upfront. Also, there is a profile for each guide and reviews so I can decide if they are a match for us. They have a special cruise ship section you can look at.
We’ll be in Istanbul this October and I am just starting to research guides, food tours, cooking classes, passes, etc now.
Thank you Barbara. This is very helpful. I will check out the site.
My post in link #1 provided by CL:
My guide in Istanbul was Highlight #1 for the Istanbul part of an around-the-world trip last summer. From the trip report:
Highlight #1: Two Days of Touring with Metin Koca. Very good guide.
For our first day, he volunteered to stand in line early at the Hagia
Sophia so that we could have first entry. The young adult and I
decided to join him early in line instead of making him wait on his
own. It was AWESOME being the first visitors to enter the Hagia Sophia
and seeing it for a short time before it was overrun by other
visitors. In our two days with Metin, we saw popular to not-so-popular
mosques, the main old cistern, the old walls of the city, Topkapi
Palace, and other things. It was a very good experience.
Multiple people on this forum have recommended him. His e-mail address for booking directly: [email protected].
Thank you Dave.
I had contacted Istanbul Clues but never got a response. Were you able to reach them Happy Wanderer? I know SRM is great but I know they are also pricey. I booked them for the food tour that everyone recommends but am also hoping to find a guide to explore neighborhoods with.
Hi pjmun
I emailed Istanbul Clues early this morning. Have not heard back yet but I will keep you posted.
If you are interested in a food tour, I can highly recommend Yummy Istanbul's "Taste of Two Continents" tour.
Thank you, Carol.
Hi pjmun,
Istanbul Clues is one of the most up-to-date and accurate sources of information about that city. I don't think they will leave your email unanswered.
Maybe you should check your spam folder. I think you had a communication problem with a hotel that forum members found very responsive last month.
pjmum,
I agree with Belisarius45. Check your spam folder if you haven't already. Istanbul Clues responded to my email the same day. I had a few questions regarding possible changes to the Old City Tour and he again responded very quickly. We plan to use his services when we are in port in Istanbul.
@ pjmun you are very likely experiencing the same issue you had communicating with the Istanbul hotel. Try a different email (like Gmail) to contact them, or you may need to have a chat with your internet service provider to see if they're blocking incoming emails from foreign addresses (a possibility given your troubles).
I think you are right. I will email them from my gmail account.
Hi Happy Wanderer. We're doing something similar in September, landing at noon the first day and departing at 3:00 the second day. Metin was not available for us individually, but he does lead a small group tour that we signed up for here: https://www.viator.com/tours/Istanbul/Istanbul-Blue-Mosque-and-Hagia-Sophia-Small-Group-Tour/d585-51192P70.
In addition, I've been in touch with a local guide recommended in Rick's latest Istanbul book about this food tour: https://www.withlocals.com/experience/the-10-tastings-of-istanbul-abc71c91/locals/. I think we're set for that, and he's accommodating our needs, but also, he is pretty persistently trying to upsell us on more touring with him. I suppose business is business but ...
I'd love to hear what you discover and decide to do, if you're willing to share. Thanks. :-)
Hi Ruthie,
We decided to do a half-day walking tour in Sultanahmet with Istanbul Clues and explore on our own the following day visiting Topkapi Palace and a few sites in Beyoglu which are quite close to where we will be in port. I hope you have a wonderful time in Istanbul.
