A super tour with Erol that gave me a view of Istanbul I might not have discovered on my own. From start to finish this was a wonderful tour of Istanbul, beginning at Galata tower, learning it’s history and that of the area surrounding it, seeing the beautiful views from the top of the tower; exploring the charming neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, enjoying delicious Turkish desserts and tea at a local cafe; relaxing on the final leg on the ferry ride home. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone, it was such a pleasure and Erol is incredibly knowledgeable and easy to be with.
If you are looking for something off the beaten path, consider this walking tour from Galata Tower, through backstreets of Galata and Karaköy, then across the Golden Horn to Balat and Fener neighborhoods, two of the most interesting on the old city side of the Golden Horn, followed by a ferry boat ride back to Karaköy. Home to Greek and Jewish communities for centuries, Fener and Balat are fascination places, an area that is largely still “undiscovered” by tourists.
My wife and I took this walking tour in May 2022. Due to Covid and the Russian-Ukrainian war, we were the only two people, so it was *very* personalized. Expect about ~5 miles of walking — bring water. Erol is knowledgeable, an excellent guide, with a passion for sharing what he knows about Istanbul and its neighborhoods.
