Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Spice Bazaar
- Bosphorus Ferry
- Kadikoy Market
Photos & Highlights
- Gain insider knowledge from a culinary expert about the rich history of Turkish cuisine
- Engage with local vendors and sample authentic Turkish cuisine from bustling markets
Select a date
Tour Description
Explore Istanbul's vibrant Spice Bazaar and Kadıköy Market, where the aroma of spices and the chatter of bustling markets create an unforgettable atmosphere. Prepare to dive deep into the heart of Turkish cuisine with a local expert by your side, uncovering the rich history and cultural significance behind each dish.
Picture heaps of mint tea, fragrant saffron, and smoky Urfa pepper sitting next to silk pashmina scarves and copper coffee pots while vendors call out and offer samples of Turkish Delight. Sample the distinctive flavors of the bazaar as you learn about the connections between the history of the market and Turkish cuisine from your expert.
Cross the Bosphorus Strait by ferry to explore the Kadıköy market, bursting with briny air and bright colors. Here, you’ll see everything from fishmongers and gourmet shops to butchers and fruit vendors. Linger at a few unusual stops, like the pickle shop where anything that can be is pickled. Visit local delis and bakeries, perhaps tasting tart pomegranate sauces, syrupy Turkish sweets, cake-like cheese helva, and sour sumac juice.
By the end of the tour, you'll have a newfound appreciation for Istanbul's culinary scene and will feel confident navigating the city's diverse food scene. Here, every bite tells a story of tradition and community.
Join us for an enriching experience that transcends typical tourist activities, transforming your understanding of Istanbul's gastronomic heritage.
- You want to explore Istanbul's vibrant food markets and engage with local vendors, all with an expert by your side to serve as your cultural translator.
- You'd like to learn the history behind iconic Turkish dishes and ingredients, tasting authentic flavors and treats along the way.
- You love culinary adventures and want to discover hidden food gems in Istanbul.
- You’d like to explore the local markets, but are unsure of how to find the best vendors or would like guidance in evaluating the overwhelming selection of ingredients and samples.
- Spice Bazaar
- Bosphorus Ferry
- Kadikoy Market
A few things other Context travelers have tasted on this tour include:
- Herbs and spices
- Dried fruits and nuts
- Turkish Delight
- Local cheeses
- Cured meats
- Preserved fish
- Pickled items
- Seasonal fruits
- Turkish coffee
These tastings do replace a meal. Of course, if you are still hungry afterward, your expert will be able to help you find the best place for a little extra treat.
Dietary restrictions should be shared in advance in order to possibly adapt the tour.
What is included in the tour?
Various food tastings are included during the tour, from sweet to savory. Ferry tickets to cross over to Kadıköy are not included. Your expert guide will help you purchase these during the tour.
Where does the tour begin and end?
The tour begins at the Spice Bazaar (on the Historic Peninsula) and ends at the Kadıköy Market. Your expert guide will provide you with instructions on returning to the Historic Peninsula or to another destination at the end of the tour.
Can this tour be adapted for vegetarians or celiacs?
Yes, please indicate any dietary restrictions in the tour notes, and your expert guide will adapt the tastings accordingly.
Do tastings cover a full meal?
Yes, tastings cover a full meal.
Will I be able to purchase items to take with me?
There is ample opportunity to buy food to take home, some of which can be vacuum-packed for travel.
Can we add a car service to drive us from our hotel to the start of the tour?
Yes, absolutely. You may add a car service directly at checkout, or simply send us an email, and we will be happy to arrange it for you. Please note that due to new regulations at the Port of Istanbul, we are unfortunately unable to offer pick-up services directly from the port. However, if your hotel is located within Istanbul, we will be very happy to accommodate your transfer needs and ensure a smooth start to your tour.
Can we add a car service to drive us from our hotel to the start of the tour?
Yes, absolutely. You may add a car service directly at checkout, or simply send us an email, and we will be happy to arrange it for you. Please note that due to new regulations at the Port of Istanbul, we are unfortunately unable to offer pick-up services directly from the port. However, if your hotel is located within Istanbul, we will be very happy to accommodate your transfer needs and ensure a smooth start to your tour.
We understand that some of our valued guests may have mobility concerns, and we want to ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience throughout your tour. If there are any accessibility concerns that your tour guide will need to be aware of, please let our team know at the time of booking.
Is this tour wheelchair-friendly?
This tour is not walking-intensive. The Spice Market is accessible to visitors in wheelchairs; however, the ferries and the Kadıköy Market are more challenging. If you have mobility concerns, please contact us to discuss the best option for your needs.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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132 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
On September 9 this year I took your Istanbul Markets tour. I did receive a request to rate the tour from you on my iPhone but somehow dropped the message. i wanted to make sure you knew, belatedly tho it may be, that I thought the tour was superb. The leader was enthusiastic and articulate and took us to many places and shops that would never have been found without her guidance. The luncheon was terrific My only suggestion is that you rename the tour Gourmet Tour because that was really what it was. It was delightful and more than I had expected. I would recommend it to anyone going to Istanbul. If you want to contact me please feel free to do so.
Carol
Reviewed on:
Oct 21, 2011
Aylin was a good tour guide and had some good information to share. Aylin has a great sense of all that the markets have to offer, and moved easily throughout each site we visited. At times the tour moved very very quickly, we could understand this as we had a tremendous amount of ground to cover. Aylin's pace seemed to suit her, but not necessarily the groups pace. She did have a lot of knowledge about the shops and what they were selling, but the education about slow food through the years was somewhat sparse and we would liked to have her share more of her expertise on this subject. Finally, she was taking a lot of cell phone calls while on the tour and trying to make arrangements for an appointment she was setting up for later in the day. Overall the food experience was very good and we had a fantastic idea about the Turkish food.
Mary
Reviewed on:
Oct 17, 2011
I am sad to say that this was probably the most disappointing tour we have ever taken with Context. Aylin seems to be a very well-regarded food writer in the region, but we felt like she never quite took the time to connect with us and the other guests. (In fact, we all chatted about that fact at the end.) She seemed rushed and distracted--likely by the fact that she was leaving directly from the end of the tour for the airport for a flight home to Ankara, which she mentioned often. On the ferry to Kadikoy, she also ran into several other food writer friends, and split much of her time between us and them for the remaining hours of the tour. We would not have minded, frankly, if they had just joined our itinerary, but we felt like we lost Aylin's focus and attention. We seemed to be on a rushed path through the market to simply check things off the list so we could get to lunch on time at Ciya. Once there, we had a great meal, but again, she spent much of her time distracted. And when she finally took her leave of us, one of the others on the tour noted that she did not leave for the ferry, but rather joined her friends at another table. We felt like she didn't take the time to connect with us at all and that she was more focused on her other tasks that day. Given the expense of the tour--plus the added 120TL for two people at lunch--it was a rather disheartening experience overall. (I also must mention that although it is common in Istanbul apparently to walk into cross traffic as a pedestrian, we from out of town are not used to it and it was rather unsafe behavior, especially for the older couple on the tour with us. Aylin quite literally stepped from the curb into multiple lanes of traffic rotary in front of the ferry station and simply expected us to follow. It's really not safe or comfortable behavior for a tour gude to expect that of us non-locals!) Two days prior, we had done a food-related tour with another local company in Fatih and Sultanahmet; we had six people plus our guide, and we felt like we received much more cultural information and attention there than we did from Aylin. It's hard to feel like we were one more thing on her to-do list before she could get out of town. I appreciate that she is a busy woman, but I frankly would rather have had the tour another day than have had the rushed experience we did. Please take this commentary as gentle feedback. We've done probably a dozen tours with Context in five cities, and this was our one disappointing experience ever. We will continue to recommend the company--just maybe not Aylin.
Carrie
Reviewed on:
Oct 1, 2011
