This tour is mainly for first-time visitors of Istanbul, offering a comprehensive exploration of the city's gems.
It serves as a great introduction to Istanbul, providing a deeper visit to significant historical attractions than the usual tourist routes.
You'll experience a personalized tour where questions are welcome, and have the opportunity to discover hidden gems, gaining a better understanding of the city in this carefully tailored one-day experience.
As a licensed tour guide with seven years of experience, a language teacher, and a PhD candidate student of art philosophy, I'm here to accompany you on your Istanbul journey for a few hours.
Exploring a new place goes beyond merely visiting historical monuments; gaining a profound understanding of the destination's sociological and cultural facets enhances the experience. I am committed to crafting a tour that not only showcases landmarks but also enriches through meaningful connections.
Posted By : melSandpoint_ID
I met Israfil early on in his tour guiding career, and I'm so grateful that I did! From meeting me at the airport, even though my flight was delayed by more than an hour, to showing me the amazing sights of Istanbul, to connecting me with his friends and colleagues in other areas of Turkey who assisted me on my travels, this man is a true friend and kind soul. He has a deep love of his country and it shows through in his enthusiasm for introducing travelers to the incredible sights and experiences of his city. Israfil is considerate and respectful but also loads of fun, and as a solo female traveler I felt instantly at ease. I hope to make it back some day and when I do, I'll reach out to Israfil and request his excellent guiding services again. (Maybe to Cappadocia, huh, Israfil?? :)
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Posted On : 2024-06-18 01:20:26 
Posted By : Marmimare
I was traveling to Iran, and I purposely chose an 11-hour stopover in Istanbul to be able to visit a small piece of the city, since I was passing through there. I chose a private tour on the internet and was very lucky to find Israfil waiting for me to show me the wonders of the old city! It was an unforgettable day, he showed me and explained in an excellent way everything there is to know and discover about this splendid city and its wonders... and I don't exceed in English but he did with his smile, kindness and irony made me understand everything! He also let me try some local delicacies, we really saw the most we could in one day and I also managed to do some shopping, which us women always enjoy😜.. it was an unforgettable day.. it wasn't just a guide but he entered my heart as a person and I will return soon to visit him and visit much more. Thank you Israfil for making my experience wonderful even if short.. but truly intense 🙏
See you soon my friend ☺️
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Posted On : 2024-06-13 06:59:31
Posted By : alessandra_b
We can not exspress enough how lucky we were to have Isarfil as our tour guide for our small group. Very knowledge about the history of all the places we visited. We were not rushed around places, but we had the right time to appreciate every moment of the tour. Highly recommended also for the tips and suggestions he gave us to enjoy our stay in Istanbul. We will book with him again when we will return to this beautiful city!
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Posted On : 2024-06-03 11:26:32 
Posted By : Norma_A
This tour was perfect and exceded our expectations in many ways. It has the right combination of places to visit in the perfect amount of time. My kids enjoyed the experience and we all learned so much about the history, architecture and culture of Istanbul. Israfil is an excellent guide, he shared so much information and had interesting stories about each location. He was very attentive and made the point of talking with everyone in the group. I highly recommend this tour and will do it again next time I come to Istanbul.
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Posted On : 2024-05-22 13:17:24
Posted By : Melipe
I was traveling to Bali and had an extended layover in Istanbul. I wanted to use that opportunity to explore a bit of the city and so I booked this day tour with Israfil. I’m very happy I made this decision because he was an awesome tour guide that made me feel safe which was incredibly important as a solo, female traveler.
The tour was great as we explored different parts of the city including the major mosques / attractions, as well as hidden gems such as eating Turkish pizza at a small diner where locals go.
I would 100% recommend booking this tour. You will learn a lot about the culture and history of Istanbul with Israfil.
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Posted On : 2024-05-22 06:52:38
Posted By : Катерина Т
It was a real pleasure to meet such a guide Israfil and explore the old city of Istanbul. it was very interesting, educational and humorous with a lot of recommendations of interesting places in the city. I'm really looking forward to the next trip to explore the city again with you!
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Posted On : 2024-05-16 13:48:49
Posted By : 183kingap
I'm so glad I booked this tour with Israfil. The entire experience felt personalized to my interests, and he shared fascinating insights about each location we visited. It wasn’t 'touristy' at all, making it perfect for anyone seeking an authentic experience.
Moreover, if you are traveling solo to Istanbul, I highly recommend him. I felt safe and well-cared for throughout the entire tour.
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Posted On : 2024-05-16 12:09:03
Posted By : Gideon_S
What an amazing walking tour with the very genial Israfil! The day started drizzly but the dazzling sites he took us to quickly lifted our spirits... The breathtaking Blue Dome of Sultanahmet and the sparkling stalls of the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar were a feast for the eyes. We met his old colleague and friend who operates a shop in the Egyptian spice market to sample his wares and made a stop at the old hippy hangout to try and jog my wife's memories of her last visit to the city over 30 years ago.
But our favourite places were the Basilica Cistern (well worth the extra entrance fee to witness this subterranean masterpiece of Roman engineering) and the tea stop at atmospheric hooka café, in a former ancient school, that is straight out of Indiana Jones.
Israfil is charming and engaging with passion and a depth of knowledge for Istanbul . He is generous with his time and genuinely interested in what his guests ask him. I was most impressed when someone not on our tour asked him a question and he answered them fully with patience and warmth. 10/10
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Posted On : 2024-05-15 03:41:50
Posted By : Robert_P
My time with Israfil exploring Istanbul was amazing! I actually came for a Hair Transplant and wanted to do a tour of the city, but didn’t know where to start. By selecting him as my tour guide changed the entire trip. From start to finish, I felt I was talking to an absolute expert on what the city has an offer. Starting off at the ✔️ Blue mosque moving to the Hodges Sophia checking out the underground water system and more. We actually found time to check out some local spots like the putting shop and an old hookah bar. We checked out all the markets, specifically spice market, and some of the spots within the market that aren’t just tourist traps. Amazing stuff.
I promise you, I would not have learned as much as I did I would not have experienced the local facets of the city without going with him!
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Posted On : 2024-05-15 02:05:04
Posted By : D9702YProbertf
Had a great tour of old tow Istanbul with Israfil. His historical and contemporary knowledge made for an insightful and engaging experience.
We felt like we met a friend who shared the best of Istanbul with us. Highly recommend!!
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Posted On : 2024-05-07 08:52:19
