Metin - So Glad We Met Him - Where to start? - We met Metin at Taksim Square and he asked me how I was, I was honest and said I wasn’t great as I’d lost my passport the day before. I’d spoken to 3/4 places I’d been to and none of them had it. He immediately asked where the last place was and after telling him very confidently said “I know these guys, I’ll call them for you and I think we’ll get it back” It’s a strange way to start a review I’ll concede, but it’s an example that from our very first interaction Metin couldn’t do enough for us to help. The tour itself can be best described by my partner when she said “it’s like spending the day in Istanbul with an old friend” - the enthusiasm with which Metin went about showing us the city was a beautiful thing. The highlights of the tour are rightly the breakfasts and the Hammam bookending your day what isn’t accurately measured is pit stops for authentic snacks and the flexibility with which Metin adapts the time between to match your interests. I’m an avid review reader, I read dozens of reviews for this tour before deciding to book. I won’t ruin the details of it by over describing each step, but what I will say is our guide was known by almost everybody, put your faith in him and say yes to as much as you can fit an unforgettable experience. To finish - before the Hammam Metin spoke to the shop I potentially had left my passport at, it turns out they’d found it and returned it to a police station. He took us to the station (which without notice had moved to a complete new location) and helped us with the over worked and busy Turkish police officers to quickly get my passport back. This tour is probably worth more than the price you pay, you get food and drinks, your walked about like a local, see history and culture and best of all you feel like it’s done with a friend. Cannot score it any higher

We had a great day being... - We had a great day being taken through the city - shown hidden treasures, learning some of the history, and tasting great food! It's a long day with a fair amount of walking, but it's paced well with the various stops/eating/sitting throughout the day. A perfect way to preview several sites, experiences, and neighborhoods throughout the city.

Fantastic guide. Metin was fantastic - We were referred by some friends of ours to make contact with a guide by the name of Metin, who had guided them a week before we got to Istanbul. We made contact & Metin advised us of a few very central hotels to choose from to stay at, which was extremely helpful and then he put together a 1 day trip to show us some of the more interesting parts of Istanbul. His knowledge of the area and it's history were invaluable & he also took us to shoos where the locals shop for their spices & turkish delight, avoiding the tourist traps. The prices were early 50% cheaper!!! He was so accommodating in all that we asked and always with a smile & a great sense of humor. Thank you Metin for making our visit to Istanbul son amazing

Metin is a superstar. - Absolutely amazing tour with Metin. This guy is a superstar. I can’t say enough good things about his tour, his service, and his level of knowledge. Seriously don’t look anywhere else.

Great day! - Ayse was a wonderful guide! Fun time! So glad we did it! Enjoyed getting beyond the typical tourist attractions. So much fascinating history.

Best Tour Ever! - Our day with Ayse was phenomenal from start to finish! A visit to Istanbul would not be complete without this comprehensive tour. Each food stop was delicious and gave us a look into the delicious food available in Instanbul. The traditional turkish breakfast was incredible as well as the shawarma (although everything was delicious!). We truly felt like we got to experience the perfect snapshot of Istanbul in one day. Loved the ferry rides on the Bosporus as well as the visit to the Turkish Bath, also enjoyed that we were able to experience multiple modes of transportion (taxi, tram, bus, ferry). We highly recommend this tour as a must do, and well worth every penny! Our tour guide Ayse was an absolute delight! This tour delivered everything in the tour description and exceeded our expectations and then some!

Istanbulers for a Day - Travel, eat and relax like a local! This tour is part food tour and part historical tour. Our guide Metin really immersed us in the local culture. From breakfast, to lunch til dinner we ate like Turks. We used public transportation and felt how it was to live a day in the life of a local in Istanbul. We rode the metro, ferry and the tram. Metin brought us to the neigbirhoods of Cirjangir, Kadikoy, Fener and Balat. We appreciated the local shops, cafes, restaurants and markets where Istanbulers go. To top it all, we experienced how it was to be pampered in a Hamam. I highly recommend this tour and our guide Metin.

Outstanding tour & a terrific tour guide! - Our tour guide, Ayse Ozge was beyond excellent! Ayse is very knowledgeable about history, art, culture, religion & she did an outstanding job at showing us the extraordinary side of Istanbul beyond the overwhelmingly crowded tourist sights. We visited all the sights (both on the European & Asian side of Istanbul) that are listed on the website & my husband & I truly enjoyed the tour. Besides explaining in depths about each sights, Ayse also took us on a food fare which included a delicious traditional Turkish breakfast, lunch & dinner, as well as snacks in between . Ayse is extremely friendly & has an open communication style with us, as well as with anyone she meets. She is genuine & well perceive by many local business owners. For instance, one of the cafe that we visited for snacks did not have a public WC, but she was able to convince the owner to let us use their own personal WC. Another example, she was able to convince the owner to allow us to take a photo of their beautiful restaurant with a romantic backyard without eating there. Ayse is very attentive & kind. She often check with us every moment to ensure we were comfortable & if her pace was not too fast for us. Ayae has an aesthetic eye for photography and often points out the beautiful unique areas to take pictures.. She offered to take our photos & all the photos that she took of us were artistic & vibrant; they captured the essence & beauty of the specific areas that we visited. Ayse is energetic & very enthusiastic. From hearing her talk, we can tell right away that she's is very passionate about her job & her city, We enjoyed her ability to "connect the dots" in history to more fully understand the important lessons that history has taught us & the struggles of the "movers & shakers" that came before us, as well as having a unique perspective about her community & the world. Overall, Ayse is an awesome tour guide! She is extremely knowledgeable, fun, flexible & considerate. She did an outstanding job & we highly recommend her to anyone. We wish there is a tour guide like Ayse in every county that we visit.

Best Day Tour of Istanbul - We loved the variety of experiences on this tour. We saw real neighbourhoods and areas that gave us an excellent overview of Istanbul other than the museums and other must do’s I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to discover this wonderful city. Having an experienced and local guide such as Ayse enabled us to feel safe while enjoying our day.

Great Istanbul tour - Great tour with a lot of stories that make you understand Istanbul, its past and present ! I fully recommend Metin.