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Istanbul Tour Guides: Scholarly and Experienced

The world we live in is a wondrous place, replete with beauty, allure, and escapades. And what better way to discover it all than on foot?

Walking not only lets you see well-known sights but also provides the chance to traverse the unbeaten paths and uncover hidden gems. Who wouldn’t relish that?

Looking for an even better experience and hoping to make the most of your visit? Guided walking tours are the answer. But wait, don’t just select any old walking tour! Choose one led by passionate local guides, just like the ones at Walks In Istanbul, who can show you the majestic Topkapi Palace, the legendary Hagia Sophia, and the trendy vibe of Fener and Balat.

If you assume that guided walking tours entail just visiting museums and standing in line, then our Golden Horn walking tour will completely alter your perspective. Or perhaps you’d like to try a night tour in Kadikoy to sample the renowned Turkish cuisine? We don’t want to spoil your excitement, but we have tailor-made walking tours for everyone’s preferences in Istanbul.

Join us and encounter the city the way locals do. This is not merely another walking tour, but rather one that is customized exclusively for you!

Book an Istanbul tour now for personalized attention and skip the lines with priority admission.

Arzu

Founder

Arzu is an ex-tour guide, tourism professional, and entrepreneur.  She is an expert at creating themed walks in urban areas with a network of professional guides. Arzu has an exceptional knack for brainstorming new projects and an expert eye for details.

Arzu prides herself in her rapid response to queries, her organizational skills, and her ability to handle special or extraordinary projects. She is responsible for running and expanding all business in Europe.

Aside from work, Arzu enjoys writing, traveling, storytelling, rock’n roll, and good wine with good company. She lives in Tallinn with her son Deniz.

Dilek

Istanbul City Manager

Dilek is from Istanbul. After teaching English in Istanbul for many years, she moved to Canada to seek new adventures. She, now, divides her time between Tallinn, Istanbul, and Toronto.

Dilek is an outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking, cycling, and exploring. She is also a coffee lover and is always seeking the best cafes while traveling.

Currently, she supports our awesome teams in Athens and Istanbul as Operations Team Leader. When she is not at work, Dilek can most likely be found in the Canadian Rockies visiting her daughter, Yasemin.

 

Çetin

Guide Manager - English

Çetin was born in a remote village in midlands Turkey into a farmer family and ended up in İstanbul. He has a diploma of a chef and a BA in ESL and a professional guiding license. He can cook, teach and guide! This lucky man has an organic farm in Greece where he rushes when he’s not working. His passion for Istanbul passes to our clients as they walk the city with him. Cetin is also responsible with the field operations in Istanbul when Arzu is away in Tallinn.

Cetin and his wife Ayse live in Istanbul and Greece with their lovely daughter Defne.

 

Sabih

Guide Manager - German

You will be very lucky to have Sabih as your tour guide in Istanbul. His experience, his command of the business, intelligent mind and his very gentle approach to our guests makes him the ideal companion to spend a day with.

Sabih has graduated from the Austrian Sankt Georg’s Gymnasium in Istanbul where he acquired his German and English skills. He takes pride and pleasure in discovering offbeat areas and perceiving the city through both his lens and that of his clients. He is also a dedicated musician who is fascinated by the mystical charm of everyday Istanbul.

Sabih is an engineer and a loving father to Mine who is studying to be a lawyer.

Çiğdem

Çiğdem is an Istanbul addict, and has done so much in her life that this small space won’t be enough! She has a degree on economy, and a master’s for theatre and dramaturgy.  She worked for multinational finance companies for years. She was a production assistant, PR contact, hospitality manager at stadium concerts, and a conference interpreter.
We are lucky to have her energy and enthusiasm as part of her guiding career these days.

Guzin

Very animated personality, she is a lot of fun!

Guzin is another Istanbulite in love with the city and has worked in a wide variety of professional capacities in private tourism sector since 1995 on different levels such as travel consultant, travel agency manager and a guide. She has an entrepreneurial spirit who exited a car-dealer Startup.

When not travelling, Guzin enjoys hiking, learning new languages and cultures. She loves animals and volunteers for animal shelters in Istanbul/ Turkey.

Mustafa Kemal

Mustafa Kemal – what a perfect name for someone who is really perfect for what he does. He’s an expert guide in English and Russian. Not only Istanbul, but he also guides on the western coast of Turkey and shares his passion for Turkey with our clients. He’s known for his friendly manner, easy-going personality, and super social character.

Mustafa Kemal lives in Izmir with his beloved family and their baby daughter Karya.

Ahmet

Ahmet is a great conversationalist, his explanations are very detailed and thoughtful.

He has great stories to share and is patient enough to lead an efficient tour in Istanbul’s chaos. His tours are loved by our customers because they are full of history, charm, and local color.

Cem

Cem is loved by our customers because he can make the experience in amazing sites of Istanbul even better! He is a great entertainer with a unique attitude and has lots of knowledge of the history, art, and culture of Turkey.

He quit the military academy and his teaching job because he loved being outdoors and sharing his wealth of knowledge with our customers. He is a real gem! Cem lives in Istanbul with three kids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hulya

Hulya has a bachelors degree in English Literature and Language from Ankara University. She lectured English language classes for many years at the leading schools and universities in Istanbul. She has been working as a professional tourist guide for more than 10 years now. Thanks to her enthusiasm to meet people from various countries and to tell them about her favorite city Istanbul with its uncharted details and ravishing history. Her energy never dies. She likes dancing, reading and socializing. She will do her utmost to make you get the most out of your days in Istanbul!
She is a loving mother to Cansu who is studying Master of Laws (LLM) in University of Amsterdam

Suha

Suha is an aeronautical engineer and has a BA in Archaeology. He leads our German tours in Istanbul with success, wisdom, and efficiency.

Suha can give a very complete picture of the sites we visit in Istanbul. His experience lets our customers enjoy the amazing wonders of the old town of Istanbul. He is very comfortable delivering a well-paced and thoughtful tour.
Suha lives in Istanbul and has two adult children.

Ezel

Ezel is a true Istanbulite who has traveled to more than 60 countries. She lived in the Netherlands for a year and is a bilingual guide in English and Dutch. She has an engineering degree from ITU and her hobbies are maths (yes), learning new languages, enjoying being a chef and mothering baby Tibet.

 

Adnan

Born in historical Ottoman Bursa on World Tourism Day, it was Adnan’s destiny to be in tourism. He studied economics and completed a second degree to fulfill his childhood dream: being a tour guide. He traveled to some 40 countries around the globe. Adnan’s known for his enthusiasm and sense of humor. We pride ourselves on having him on the team with his 27 years of experience. He’s a delight to walk around with thanks to his love for gastronomy and photography.

Adnan is married to Funda and they parent Pelin beautifully.

etem

etem can easily pass for an american. he owes his english language skills to the american school of tarsus. he studied economics at the university of istanbul, then spanish literature at the same university, then got a master’s degree in architectural history at kadir has university.

etem is an avid reader and travels around the globe with his wife nazan and their gorgeous children mira and eren.

Selim

Selim was born in İstanbul and except a few years in Tel Aviv and Paris, he never left his beloved city. Even though his BS is in Maths, he took an alternative path in life and started guiding all around Turkey and abroad. Travelling, music, movies, sports but most of all his family are his major interests.

Selim and Selen live in Istanbul with their little gangster Poyraz😎

Tan

Guiding is a tradition in Tan’s family. He has the expertise from his parents and is now enjoying 25 years in business. He is our destination manager for the Aegean coast. He’s behind the scenes organizing all the vehicles, transfers, and makes sure everyone sits back and enjoys our shore excursions in the area. He has a big laugh and has a lot to talk about (in a good way). His passion is to transfer the uncommercial face of our country to our guests.

Tan has two grown-up kids and they live in Izmir.

Murat Celik

ISTANBUL

Meet Murat!

Murat was born in 1996 in Bursa and has been living in Istanbul since the age of 3. He studied Tourism Guidance at Ege University in Izmir, and his love for classical archaeology and mythology adds a unique touch to every tour. What makes Murat stand out is his passion for sharing stories and making history come alive.

Join him for an adventure that’s not just about places but about the stories that bring them to life!

Ali Dolek

ISTANBUL

Meet Ali!

Ali was born in Istanbul and is a true lover of the city. Graduating from a German high school, he brings over 30 years of tourism experience to our team, joyfully leading cultural tours for our guests. Ali specializes in guiding our German tours in Istanbul.

With a strong knowledge of religious matters, a command of gastronomy and Turkish cuisine, and a distinctive humorous style, he successfully embodies Turkish hospitality. Known for being a pleasant conversationalist on any topic with guests, Ali creates an engaging and enjoyable atmosphere.

Melissa

ISTANBUL

Meet Melissa, a tourism enthusiast with a rich family legacy in the industry. Her passion lies in making your journey captivating and enriching, blending her love for archaeology and art history.

Melissa’s tours offer a unique twist, weaving in her interests and love for storytelling. She delights in offering a different perspective of the city’s history. With a genuine love for exploring new places, meeting people from diverse cultures, and capturing memories through photography, Melissa ensures every tour is an unforgettable adventure.

Her infectious enthusiasm and welcoming smile set the perfect tone for your trip. See the city through an expert’s eye every corner holds a story and every experience is tailored to create lasting memories.
Discover the city with Melissa leading the way—your unforgettable journey awaits.