We're a duo of full-time licensed tour guides in Istanbul, Hakan & Emre, both with many years of experience in guiding and interesting background stories. Hakan is a born & raised Istanbulian, he grew up in urban Istanbul in a traditional family that owns a bakery. Spending his entire life in Istanbul, Hakan had the privilage to become a student in the most historical school in Turkey, Istanbul University. Having the opportunity to spend his student years in the only school located in the Old City of Istanbul, he learned the area like the back of his hand. After graduating from collage, he got his first job as a journalist. Fascinated with his hometown's history and the tourism sector, he went to his second university, and became a licensed tour guide. He's been working since 2019. Emre on the other hand, has his roots going back over a century in Istanbul. He spent his childhood in central Istanbul, and found himself abroad for his highschool studies. Later came back to Istanbul, and decided to learn the world's hardest language: Chinese. Spent 4 years in China, mastering the language and even participating in a band that performed in bars and festivals. Came back to his hometown Istanbul to finally realize his teenage dream of becoming a tour guide, did his masters in guiding and got his license. He's been guiding tourists in multiple languages since 2018.
Hakan was very nice, with lots of useful information to share about the city, interesting points and details about Istambul history. He was able to keep all the people interested during the all tour. Really recommend!
We had an absolutely wonderful guided walking tour today with Hakan in the Sultanahmet (Old Town) area of Istanbul. He was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging, sharing fascinating historical insights about landmarks like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cistern. Beyond the history, Hakan also introduced us to the local culture — showing great spots to enjoy authentic Turkish food, nargilè , and the city’s lively atmosphere. He’s a very friendly and passionate guide who truly loves what he does, and that made the experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul - it’s the perfect mix of history, culture, and local life!
Fantastic tour, really interesting and lots of good recommendations!
Knowledgable, friendly, saw all the expected sights and some more. Highly recommend!