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Circle Istanbul: Discover the Heart of the City with Professional Guides
5.0
371 Ratings
Beyoğlu
Join Circle Istanbul to discover the hidden gems and cultural treasures of the city with professional guides who are passionate about Istanbul.
Join Circle Istanbul to discover the hidden gems and cultural treasures of the city with professional guides who are passionate about Istanbul.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Taksim Square - Taksim Square is regarded as the heart of the city. It serves as our meeting point.
- Cihangir Mosque - We enjoy a traditional Turkish breakfast here. Turkish cuisine is renowned worldwide, and Turkish breakfast is a key component of it.
- Karakoy Rihtim - We indulge in a baklava tasting at ‘Karakoy Gulluoglu’. Baklava is a…
- Taksim Square - Taksim Square is regarded as the heart of the city. It serves as our meeting point.
- Cihangir Mosque - We enjoy a traditional Turkish breakfast here. Turkish cuisine is renowned worldwide, and Turkish breakfast is a key component of it.
- Karakoy Rihtim - We indulge in a baklava tasting at ‘Karakoy Gulluoglu’. Baklava is a Middle Eastern dessert made with pistachios. Although it originates from the Middle East, Turks excel at making baklava, and Gulluoglu is a famous family in Turkey known for crafting the best baklava in Istanbul.
- Karakoy - Karaköy is a trendy district of Istanbul, known for its bars, cafes, pubs, and restaurants.
- Kadikoy Iskelesi - Kadikoy is the most beautiful part of the Asian side of Istanbul. Many expats living in Istanbul prefer Kadikoy for its open-minded and liberal atmosphere. We reach Kadikoy after a fantastic 20-minute ferry ride, traveling from Europe to Asia, essentially crossing two continents.
- Bosphorus Strait - The Bosphorus Cruise offers a 1-hour journey between two continents (Asia and Europe). It is a “must-do” activity in Istanbul.
- Kadikoy Iskelesi - We have lunch in Kadikoy at a small kebab house known for the best chicken doner kebab in town.
- Balat - This is a Jewish district of Istanbul, where some active synagogues still exist. The Jewish influence is evident in the architecture, making it one of the most beautiful and interesting parts of Istanbul.
- Karagümrük - The most intriguing part of our itinerary is ‘The Turkish Bath Experience’. Prepare for unforgettable and fun memories. A Turkish Bath is a ‘must-do’ attraction when visiting Turkey.
- Fener Rum Ortodoks Patrikhanesi Kutuphanesi - Our next stop is the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Fener District. Fener is famous for its boutique coffee shops and intriguing back streets, making it a true hidden gem of Istanbul.
- Taksim Square - We return to our starting point. The last stop of our tour is the famous ‘Istiklal Street’, where we enjoy lunch at a traditional Turkish restaurant called ‘Meyhane’.
What's Included
- Breakfast included
- Professional licensed tour guide services
- Transportation provided
- Lunch provided
- Experience a traditional Turkish Bath - a must-do activity
- Snacks included
- Dinner included
- Breakfast included
- Professional licensed tour guide services
- Transportation provided
- Lunch provided
- Experience a traditional Turkish Bath - a must-do activity
- Snacks included
- Dinner included
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuity for tour guide and Turkish Bath staffs
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuity for tour guide and Turkish Bath staffs
Additional Information
Have you ever toured a city and wished you knew someone there? Someone with the inside scoop on the city; who you could trust and would show you the things you would have never seen on your own? This is how we want travelers to view CIRCLE ISTANBUL.
Circle Istanbul was created by professional guides, who are passionate about their city. More so, our tour…
Have you ever toured a city and wished you knew someone there? Someone with the inside scoop on the city; who you could trust and would show you the things you would have never seen on your own? This is how we want travelers to view CIRCLE ISTANBUL.
Circle Istanbul was created by professional guides, who are passionate about their city. More so, our tour was designed for travelers who have seen the major sights and are now ready to see the heart of the city.
- The destinations we are going to visit are mostly closed for traffic so the only way to see this beautiful city is walking. Circle Istanbul tour contains a lot of walking.
Location
Tak-ı Zafer Cd. NO:3/1
Tak-ı Zafer Caddesi
Meeting point is front gate of The Marmara Hotel Taksim. It is located at Taksim Square .
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(371 Ratings)
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1 star
John_m
Nov 9, 2025
In depth taste and experience of Istanbul daily life - This was an in depth tour of a wide variety of different neighborhoods of Istanbul including the Asia side. We ate, traveled, walked, rode, shopped and experienced a Hamam like locals. We asked questions about everything we saw and learned so much about the varied neighborhoods in the city. Fantastic tour with very skilled, knowledgeable and experienced guide.
Review provided by Viator
Tiffiney_t
Oct 7, 2025
What a GREAT day! - My husband and I had the pleasure of spending the day with our guide Onur for the Circle Istanbul walking tour. Onur was very informative, engaging, polite, and most of all, patient. It was a long, full day and he shared a lot of Turkish culture and the history of Istanbul with a smile on his face. We toured both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. Onur took us to many popular landmarks and local places to try different type of Turkish cuisine.
Although we had the experience of riding the bus and taking the ferries, keep in mind that the majority of this tour is walking. Be prepared. Wear comfortable clothing and good walking shoes. We walked over 14,000 steps and every single step was absolutely worth it. This was the highlight of our trip! If you want sights, history, cuisine and experiences; this tour is HIGHLY recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Deann_k
Oct 4, 2025
HIGHLY Recommend! - It was amazing. A great way to see the true city, outside of tourist areas. We ate, explored, and shopped like locals. We've only been on larger tour groups so we weren't sure what to expect but our guide, Kerem, was incredible. Be prepared to eat the best food!
Review provided by Viator
Kyra_d
Sep 19, 2025
Fantastic Day seeing another side of IST - Kerem was an absolute delight to spend a FULL day with. Very knowledgeable and passionate about his home and its culture and rich history. This tour is full of everything you’d want outside of the busy typical tourist attractions and spots. Left us wanting to come back for more time to explore more of IST and all it has to offer. Would HIGHLY recommend
Review provided by Viator
Lynne_b
Sep 12, 2025
Day to remember - Karem made this a day we will always remember. What a fantastic introduction to Istanbul. So much food! Breakfast was fantastic, followed by snacks lunch and dinner. All transport and soft drinks included. Fantastic value and highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Denise_m
Jun 22, 2025
Best Day in Istanbul! -
Just…WOW! We wanted an “off the beaten path” type of tour that would give us exposure to many areas and experiences and food. This was a JACKPOT!
We met at Taksim Square then walked for a little while. Metin (best tour guide ever!) shared lots of interesting facts about the area, then came the first treat of the day- breakfast. This was an incredible feast of authentic Turkish cuisine, the spread was endless.
Lunch, dinner, and the snacks along the way were also delightful. It wasn’t just the food but the history behind each dish and the lesson on how to eat everything. Pickle juice, stuffed mussels, lahmacun, baklava are just a few of the things we ate.
So many things experienced in this one day we’d have spent several days on our own trying and still not have discovered half of the areas or history. My husband and I felt like newborns after the Turkish bath. The boat rides on the Golden Horn gave us a chance to see some of Istanbul from the water.
Metin set a good pace for the day, he kept us moving. We never felt rushed or that we were in any one place for too long. He looked out for our safety when we were in crowds or busy areas. He allowed us to add in things that were of interest to us and kept us entertained even then.
Definitely pay whatever the price for this tour is because you’re getting an absolute steal! I hope you’re as lucky as us and get Metin as your guide! He made this a memory for a lifetime!
Review provided by Viator
Laurel_g
Mar 25, 2025
This was probably the... - This was probably the best day tour we’ve ever done. Honestly it was a lot like I’d spend a day with a friend - lots of walking, stopping for coffee, occasionally popping into shops, snacking on the ferry with a beautiful view. It was very cool to go to a local hammam to relax in the afternoon.
Our guide Metin was a lovely, enthusiastic person who has so much appreciation for the culture and architecture. He was the perfect tour guide: stopping to explain enough to orient us but also quietly letting us observe the people and neighborhoods as we walked around. He also was really accommodating to our interests as well.
Come hungry for several great meals and lots of little snacks! Would definitely recommend, especially as a complement to the more tourist highlight tours. Thank you, Metin!
Review provided by Viator
E6942xyscotth
Feb 3, 2025
An absolute must do - This is quite simply one of the best day tours I have done, ever, anywhere in the world.
Our guide, Metin, was an absolute wealth of knowledge on everything Istanbul and Turkey. Exceptionally well spoken and just a pleasure to be with.
We visited several different regions of Istanbul on both the Asian Side as well as the European side, and the good throughout the day was delicious, it started with a tradition Turkish breakfast and just got better tdurring the day.
To cap it all off a vist to a hamum (Turkish bath) in the afternoon was just the icing on the cake.
If you are ever in Istanbul, I can 100% recommend this tour - particularly if it is led by Metin.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mohammed
Jan 23, 2025
Experience Istanbul as if you are a local - Our guide Berkay was very knowledgeable and hospitable. He explained to us in great detail, the history and culture of some of the different areas of Istanbul. In addition, we sampled various types of local cuisine and experienced a traditional Hammam.
We highly recommend this tour if you want to experience Istanbul like a local.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cheryl_r
Dec 31, 2024
Excellent tour - Metin is the absolute best!
Very knowledgeable, professional, personable
A lovely attentive person
The tour included everything mentioned in description
Review provided by Viator
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