Reyan was a fantastic host from start to finish—highly recommend her and this tour. The morning of our tour, she reached out with advice for visiting the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia (bring socks and, if possible, a small laundry bag from our hotel to carry them in) and gave clear directions (with images and a pin on Google Maps so we could see exactly she was) on where to meet. She arrived early to get in line so we didnt have to wait and could make the most of our time together. She gave us a ton of history about the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia. So much to learn about the Roman and Ottoman Empires and 4th crusaders. She also brought us to a rug and jewelry shop (Nakkas) that sits atop a cistern that was largely undiscovered until a few decades ago and is now open to the public for free - what a treat. The owner was there and showed us how they make Turkish rugs which are stunning (they can take up to 18 months because they are meticulously handmade). Reyan was very generous with her time and also sent us recommendations on specific shops to visit in the Grand Bazaar and other places in Istanbul because we have a few specific things we want to buy and the idea of wandering 4,000 shops is overwhelming.

What a fantastic tour and introduction to Istanbul’s culinary scene - highly recommend! I traveled with my husband and a friend and it was our first time in Istanbul. Betul gave us a ton of great information about Istanbul—how people live, where they shop, what they eat. I’m grateful that she chose the Spice Market which is only two long hallways as compared to the Grand Bazaar which has over 4,000 shops. She brought us to one shop where we tasted tea, nuts, Turkish delight and smelled several spices. After that, we took the ferry to Kadikoy (the Asian side) and I am so glad we did. The view from the water is stunning and we got to explore a part of the city that tourists often miss. Betul stopped at various cafes and casual spots and we tried things like stuffed mussels, cigkofte and lahmacun—some of which were on a list of food I wanted to try while here. I’m glad she made all the decisions so that we didn’t have to as it can be overwhelming when you are in a foreign country and don’t speak the language. She was generous with her time and fun fact, lived in the US for a year and lived maybe 30 mins from where we are.

Wonderful tour with Claire!