Photos: Kadı, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Krzysztof Golik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Aysenur Ede , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Kadı, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Krzysztof Golik, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Aysenur Ede , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Arnavutköy's wooden waterfront houses
Your local guide
Mert Yavuz
View profile
Highlights
- Wooden Ottoman houses facing the water
- Restored fronts, unrestored backs
- A neighbourhood's character, block by block
- What has been lost, honestly explained
- Arnavutköy's quieter back lanes
About this tour
This session walks Arnavutköy's row of wooden waterfront houses before turning into the quieter lanes just behind them. You see which houses have been carefully restored and which still show the wear of decades by the water. Mert, who grew up here, explains what has been lost from the neighbourhood as honestly as what has been kept.
The call opens with a sound check at the waterfront, then turns into the back lanes as the walk continues. Mert answers questions about specific houses and sends a short note afterwards on the restoration efforts under way.
This suits anyone interested in Ottoman-era domestic architecture rather than only palaces and mosques. It also pairs well with a session further along the shore in Bebek.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Istanbul before heading out.
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Waterfront row 21 min
The camera moves along a row of wooden Ottoman-era houses facing the Bosphorus directly, and Mert points out which have been restored and which are still waiting.
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Back lanes 21 min
You follow a narrower lane behind the waterfront row, where Mert explains how the neighbourhood's character changes just one street back from the water.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about Istanbul: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Baklava and Beyoğlu, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Istanbul time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Istanbul, showing you Waterfront row and Back lanes live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Arnavutköy live with my phone.
Times shown in Istanbul time (GMT+3)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Mon 23 Nov · 10 seats left From 23,00 €
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