Top Istanbul Unique Experiences

Explore Istanbul's exciting markets, bazaars and artisan workshops. Join your host and experience the city coming alive in the shopping districts, both during the daylight and as the sun sets. Relish in the local vibe and enjoy a full sensory experience as you browse all the while getting top tips on bartering. Your host will create a bespoke experience for you based on your preferences.

Navigate through Istanbul and immerse yourself in its rich cultural diversity with your guide. Visit the famous attractions, take in the beauty of the iconic mosques or delve into the belly of the city and live like the locals do. Explore the tangles of streets and bazaars that give the city its personality.

Book your evening cruise on the Bosphorus ahead of time; this must-do activity sells out quickly. Step on board the boat for views of Istanbul's top landmarks—including the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and the Blue Mosque—lit up for the night. Enjoy a traditional Turkish dinner with drinks, followed by entertainment.

Foodies can make the most of a tasting tour around Istanbul with this private culinary excursion, with a guide to show you the best of the city's cafés, street vendors, and taverns. After you're paired with a like-minded host, you can agree on a tour itinerary that fits your needs, and meet at a convenient time for your adventure. Encounter the city's backstreets, admire mosques and temples, and taste several specialty Turkish dishes as you explore.

Whether tucking into a tasty kebab, feasting on mezes or indulging in sweet baklava – Turkish cuisine is a treat for adventurous foodies. Uncover Istanbul’s culinary secrets on this 3-hour cooking class and learn to cook your traditional dishes under the guidance of an expert chef.

Drink in delicious flavors during a full-day guided wine tour in the historical region of Kirklareli from Istanbul. Taste your favorite wine varietals at three classic wineries as you explore the heart of Thrace and its beautiful foothills beside the Strandja Mountains. At each stop, savor four wines and hear about the production of each grape varietal including merlot, cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel. Refine your palate as you discover each wine's particular qualities and learn about foods that pair well.

Fly over Cappadocia's famous landscape of fairy chimneys on a hot-air balloon ride, the quintessential way to experience this region of Turkey. As you float with the wind, you'll get views and photo ops of the rock formations that you can't get from the ground. Hotel transport is provided so you don't have to worry about getting yourself to the launch site.

Although Istanbul’s best known for thousands of years of history, the in-the-know visitor is just as keen to get a local’s view as they are to visit the most popular sites in the city where Europe and Asia collide. Join a passionate Istanbullu for a flexible city tour that focuses as much on cultural differences, local events, and the nuances of Turkish life as it does on the city’s well-loved art and architecture.

Istanbul is a vibrant city that thrives when the sun goes down. With its people often out late; eating, drinking and exploring the city’s nightlife and undiscovered gems, there are plenty of things to see, taste and do. Different areas offer a different vibe and a night with a Host will ensure you make most of your night in Istanbul; enjoying spectacular views of the oriental skyline of domes and quaint cobbled streets pointing to Asia, glistening blue waters of the Sea of Marmara, and magical bazaars, eating, drinking and shopping your way around some of the best neighbourhoods, and maybe even continuing your night partying after getting some top tips from your Host. Within 24 hours of your booking, we will contact you to find out about your interests so we can assign a like-minded local who will create a bespoke experience for you. Your Host will suggest an itinerary and agree a meeting time and place, but you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

Whether you want to check out famous sights or go off the beaten path, this personalized walking tour with a local guide reveals the best of Istanbul. Learn about top attractions, and get an insider’s look at the city’s great restaurants and cafes as you explore an authentic slice of Istanbul. Your guide can also share tips for places that you can visit later independently.

Travelers hoping to get familiar with Istanbul but don't have a lot of time to spare can embark on this half-day tour. With private and personalized tours, you can choose your own adventure. Whether you crave cultural immersion or want to gain some historical knowledge, your guide will compose an itinerary just for you. Say goodbye to tourist traps and hello to a customized adventure.

If it is your first time visiting Istanbul or you don’t have long, you may be wondering how you can make the most of your time here. You’ll probably want to familiarise yourself and get oriented while exploring a few iconic attractions and learning how to navigate the tangles of streets and bazaars. There are many pockets of Istanbul waiting to be uncovered so let your Host help you navigate around the city and show you how to get around. Perhaps you would like to wander along the cobbled streets and soak up the atmosphere as you immerse yourself in local culture? Within 24 hours of your booking, we will contact you to find out about your interests so we can assign a like-minded local who will create a bespoke experience for you. Your Host will suggest an itinerary and agree a meeting time and place, but you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

A sparkling jewel in the crown of the Bosphorus Strait which separates Europe from Asia, Istanbul is unlike any other city in the world. The historic city is an all-senses enhancing experience not to be missed, bursting with ancient ruins, palaces, stunning mosques, narghile bars and endless shops. Dive into the emporiums, with a Host by your side and learn what the city is all about! With some of the oldest markets in the world, a dizzying array of foods to try and historic attractions to explore, find out how to enjoy the best of Istanbul; from the dizzying and mystifying to the peaceful and vibrant. We will contact you within 24 hours of your booking to find out about your interests so we can assign a like-minded Host who will create a bespoke experience for you. Your Host will suggest an itinerary and agree a meeting time and place, but you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

Put down the selfie stick and immortalize your Istanbul adventure with a private photoshoot. Use the city’s most scenic neighborhoods, including Galata and Sultanahmet, as your backdrop. Your personal photographer captures candid and posed pictures from the perfect angles. Within five days, you receive 30 high-resolution digital photos from the shoot. Ideal for solo travelers, honeymooners, and families alike, the excursion is the perfect opportunity to capture your vacation.

Get ready for a private amazing journey to discover historical highlights of Byzantium Empire such as Little Hagia Sophia, Hagia Sophia (St. Sophia), Basilica (Underground) Cistern, Hippodrome, Walls of Constantinople and Chora Church. This private tour will start at 09:30 in the morning after your breakfast in your hotel and it will have finished by 16:30. You may have lunch and rest in the middle of the tour in a traditional Turkish restaurant.

Cappadocia is one of the most stunning regions in the world, but its fairytale geography is best admired from above. Enjoy a panoramic, bird’s eye views of rock-cut churches, chimney-shaped towers, and beehive homes during this soaring hot air balloon flight, timed to begin at sunrise. Tours include flights from Istanbul, complimentary tea or coffee, and a post-flight champagne toast for the ultimate VIP experience—plus a take-home flight certificate.

Istanbul is a city with many faces. From its iconic mosques to tangles of streets and bazaars that enrich its cultural diversity- there is so much to take in. But with so much to experience, you may be wondering how you could possibly discover what the city has to offer in just one day! With your thoughtfully handpicked Host by your side, you’ll be able to visit some of the top attractions as well as a few secret local spots along the way too. Whether you want a grand sight-seeing experience that takes in the iconic Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia museum, to a casual stroll through the lush gardens of the Dolmabahce Palace – let us know your pace and we will stick to it. Within 24 hours of your booking, we will contact you to find out about your interests so we can assign a like-minded local who will create a bespoke experience for you. Your Host will suggest an itinerary and agree a meeting time and place, but you can always change your mind about what you want to do.