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What you’ll do

Did you ever think you could travel across two continents and 2500 years of history in just 4 hours? Nope, us neither, but that was before we went to Istanbul. As the capital of four empires: the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire, the Byzantine Empire (again), and the Ottoman Empire, there’s a lot to take in, but don’t let that overwhelm you.

You’ll flit between ornate mosques and mosaic encrusted basilicas, stroll through lush palace gardens and visit one of the oldest markets in the world. We won’t bore you with dates and facts, rather you’ll see the city’s history come to life as you explore with your local Istanbul host.

Stop to pick up street eats like flaky borek pastries or kebab - this is the country which introduced kebab to the world, and we think that counts as history too! Just let us know if you’d like to discover the impressive, world-famous minarets and domes which dot the city’s skyline or you’d like to lose yourself (figuratively, not literally) in the narrow, winding streets of a historic neighborhood - you’ll soon see why the city is so fittingly known as the Jewel in Bosphorus Strait’s Crown.

  • Private experience, tailored to you

  • 4 hours

  • Matched to your ideal host

  • Walking tour (may use public transport)

  • Hosted in English (On request: Arabic, Bengali, French, German, Spanish)

  • Your hotel/apartment or any other central location

Experience outline

  • You’ll spend 4 hours immersing yourself in the culture of Istanbul and soak up its history as you explore the streets with your host by your side
  • Get what you want from your experience by discovering the truly unique culture of this city by strolling
  • Visit one of the oldest markets in the world and haggle for some bargains
  • See historic and beautiful mosques and churches, then discover more secret histories that aren’t in your guidebook
  • Stop to try some delicious local food along the way

Things to know

What’s included

  • A private and personalized experience
  • 4 hours with your host
  • Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options)
  • Authentic local knowledge and insights
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Meeting point

Your hotel/apartment or any other central location

What’s not included

  • Food and drinks
  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Transportation costs
  • Gratuities (optional)

Cancellation

Cancel 7 days before the experience for a full refund

Photos taken by our hosts and guests

Travelers having fun right now!

Travelers having fun right now!

Reviews

    Absolutely wonderful! Feruza went above and beyond the call of duty as our host! She met us at the airport, showed us the sites in Istanbul while providing detailed information and context, introduced us to some delicious foods, brought us back to our hotel and made sure we didn't overpay for our taxi ride back to the airport the next day. She is also one of the most pleasant, kind, and generous people I've ever met. This tour turned out to be indispensable to us because there is no way we would have been able to navigate our way through Istanbul on a 1-day layover by ourselves and see all that we got to see. Thank you, Feruza and City Unscripted!

    May 2023

    Launa S

    We were glad we did the tour and would recommend him to anyone wanting this experience.

    May 2024

    Jonathan S

    Daniel was very knowledgeable about her beautiful home town of Napoli. You can tell she loves what she does by sharing her adventures growing up in Napoli. She was very accommodating to our schedule. I would definitely book with Daniela next time around to Napoli.

    May 2024

    Alicia S

    We covered a ton of territory during our tour of Kyoto with our energetic guide Alex! He brought us to all the sites we requested to visit, as well as a few off the beaten path. He was knowledgeable of the history of the sites, and happily answered all of my husband’s questions. Alex certainly made our day memorable, and one which we’ll never forget as he took many fantastic photos of us!

    May 2024

    Courtney C

See more reviews

Meet our local hosts in Istanbul. One of them will tailor this experience to your wishes!

We’ll expertly match you to your best suited host based on your interests, personality and the experience vibe you’re after.

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