He made all the difference! - Tanju was excellent. Extremely knowledgeable. It’s a cliche, but he really did make Istanbul come alive. And his personality and friendship doubled the enjoyment of our trip. Get him if you possibly can.

I love coming to Turkey - Everything was delightful. This was my second time and they always take great care of me when I visit. Outstanding job!!

The best guide ever - I highly recommend this tour! It’s very interesting. Plus, the guide, Tanju, is amazing because he gets us into many attractions and points of interest without having to wait in line. This makes the day much more dynamic, fun, and engaging. Tanju’s attitude is very friendly and warm, which makes us feel at home and eager to come back to Istanbul.

Amazing trip - It was an amazing experience!! I would totally recommend it, the food, company and scenery was exquisite!! 10/10 would do it again!!

Title: The Genie of Istanbul — a Guide, a Friend, a Legend - Whenever I travel, I always try to learn about a city through the eyes of a local guide. Finding the right one is often a matter of pure luck — but meeting Tanju in Istanbul felt like something more than luck. Though I’m not religious, I truly believe it was fate. Tanju is not just an outstanding guide — he’s a storyteller, a historian, and a beautiful soul who makes the city come alive. Whether you’re a curious first-timer or a seasoned scholar of Constantinople’s history, he’ll meet you at your level with passion, humour, and astonishing knowledge. Since our first private tour almost five years ago, Tanju has become much more than a guide — he’s become a dear friend and collaborator. Together we’ve even curated events for my clients, because his professionalism and creativity go far beyond traditional guiding. And I cherish this relationship. Tanju is the Genie of Istanbul — he doesn’t just go the extra mile, he’ll swim across the Bosporus for you! He will open the doors to hidden gems, secret courtyards, and unforgettable experiences that you’ll never find on your own. If you want to experience Istanbul in its full magic and depth, book with Tanju — but do it early! He’s the most sought-after guide in Istanbul and beyond for a reason.

Historical! - Tanju was incredibly informative! We were able to cut the line and get into Hagia Sofia easily. The tour was dynamic! He described the history of the structure and the fascinating insights - encompassing Christian and Islamic history! He also was incredibly accommodating to my 12 year old brother - though I would not recommend this tour to smaller children as they will probably not find the same joy as adults do in the details. 10/10 would recommend his tour!

Amazing Tour with Tanju — The Best in Istanbul - Turkey - If you are visiting Turkey, do not miss the chance to tour with Tanju from Skip the Ticket Line! He is without a doubt the best tour operator in the country, incredibly friendly, professional, and full of knowledge about Istanbul’s rich history and hidden gems.

A tour guide who made our stop in Istanbul an incredible experience… - While planning our cruise to Greece and Turkey we were researching tour guides for our stop in Istanbul. We came across Tanju’s page on Instagram and were impressed with his credentials and testimonials. After reading all the reviews there and on TripAdvisor we reached out to him and were able to confirm a tour for the dates we were making a cruise stop in Istanbul. Tanju was prompt with responding to our messages, understanding our expectations and provided us with easy-to-follow specifics about meeting him upon arrival. All this let us feel very relaxed and confident that we would be in good hands. That was just the preview. From the minute he greeted us outside the cruise port with his beaming smile, sharp professional demeanor, using our names and welcoming us with all the warmth one could expect, we were double sure of the experience ahead. Tanju has an energy about him that is very personable and warm that helps form connections immediately. His extensive experience with American tourists and diplomats, ably supported by his eduction in the US make communicating with him very easy. And, he has a very good understanding of what we would likely enjoy the most. He used that knowledge to realign with us, now in person, to plan the rest of the day to our liking, priorities and constraints. He was quick to customize the plan, understand the pace at which we wanted to explore and led the way. Istanbul turned out to be our best stop through several ports in Greece and Turkey. It was because of the gracious and generous hospitality, the informative insights and interesting tours of sites, a delectable peek into the local cuisine and culture, shopping and hamam experience, and great conversations that were made possible by Tanju, an amazing tour guide. Our day-long interaction also forged a beautiful friendship with this warm, compassionate, knowledgeable and trustworthy human who is no longer only our tour-guide, but also a new friend we now have in Istanbul. I would highly recommend engaging him for whatever your tour needs are as his planning, flexibility and consideration will create the most wonderful experience for anyone seeking his services. Read on for specifics about what Tanju’s itinerary for us involved: We started with the key attractions - Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern - Tanju got us through the VIP entrances where we could skip long lines and waits. He provided us with great insights and information about the history and significance of each in an easy to follow and interesting manner. In particular, his keen eye for photo ops was an added plus. At the Cistern we captured some of our favorite pictures. We then splurged in the world-famous Turkish coffee and tea with sweets in one of the legendary cafes outside the Blue Mosque. We entertained ourselves with Tanju teaching us greetings in Turkish language - Merhaba, “Teh-sheh-kull-erh Ed-erh-im” and Janam! Next, we wanted to stroll through the historic town and Tanju took us to the University campus while sharing great info about the secular and local culture of Istanbul. The next stop on our request was to experience the best local cuisine, especially kebabs. His pick of restaurant was par excellent and for the wine enthusiasts we are, he also introduced us to the best local wine. This is where we also learned about another of Tanju’s talents…one of our co-travelers was interested in coffee reading. We didn’t have to look any farther as expertise in reading coffee grounds is another of his skills. After this wonderful day touring the beautiful city and its rich heritage, as we were about to wrap up we asked Tanju about the Bosphorus sunset cruise. He connected us with the best yacht service for this experience which turned out to be another highlight of our stop in Istanbul. Before saying our goodbyes I asked Tanju about guidance on local shopping and hamams for the following day. He gave us some great pointers and then went above-and-beyond with what he did next. When we told him we would be interested in shopping the next morning, he made himself available to take us to a couple of the best stores that we would not have found on our own. We found the best stuff and shopped without feeling the usual tourist-pressure at such places. He also pointed us to the best, most exotic and oldest hamam to experience the other thing Turkey is known for.

The guide to get for Istanbul! - My friend and I consider ourselves very lucky to have gotten Tanju as our guide. He was an outstanding guide: a consummate professional and an engaging storyteller. We benefited from his comprehensive knowledge and generosity in sharing tips (ex. for where to eat afterwards). I will be recommending him to any friends heading to Istanbul.

Fantastic private tour of Istanbul with Tanju - We highly recommend booking your private tour of Istanbul with Tanju. He was a very personable and considerate guide. He made our day in Istanbul an experience to remember. Right from booking the trip he was easy to communicate with, replied promptly and met us at our designated meeting spot on time. He had pre booked tickets where possible and had all the local knowledge to skip the queues. Tanju’s training and depth of knowledge of Art history and architecture was evident during our visit to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Cistern, which had been on our bucket list. Absolutely worth every cent having a personalised tour. Thank you Tanju for making it a memorable day!