Photos: Alexxx Malev, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Till Niermann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Maʿrūf Baghdādī, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo credits
Photos: Alexxx Malev, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Till Niermann, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Maʿrūf Baghdādī, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Vefa's boza shop and old backstreets
Your local guide
Hakan Çelebi
View profile
Highlights
- A boza shop open since the 19th century
- A fermented drink, explained properly
- Quiet backstreets near a busy centre
- Three generations of the same shop
- A winter tradition, still going
About this tour
This session moves through Vefa, centred on a boza shop that has served the same fermented drink since the 19th century. You see how the drink is made and the quiet backstreets around the shop, close to the busier centre of the old city but noticeably calmer. Hakan, whose family has bought boza here for three generations, explains the drink's history and its traditional winter association.
The call opens with a sound check inside the shop, then moves out into the surrounding streets. Hakan answers questions about the drink and the neighbourhood and sends a short note afterwards on both.
This suits anyone curious about Istanbul's food traditions beyond its restaurants. It also pairs well with a session in nearby Zeyrek.
Included
- Live video session with a local guide
- A close look at the dishes and where locals buy them
- A short list of places and dishes to try later
Not included
- Food and drinks shown on camera
- 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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Boza shop interior 21 min
The camera moves into a boza shop that has served the same drink since the 19th century, and Hakan explains how the fermented grain drink is made and why it is traditionally drunk in winter.
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Old backstreets 21 min
You follow the quiet streets around the shop, where Hakan points out wooden houses that have survived despite sitting so close to the old city's busier centre.
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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: Turkish delight (lokum) and Sultanahmet, 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 Boza shop interior and Old backstreets 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.
Do I need to buy or cook anything?
No. This is a conversation: the guide describes the dishes and where to find them, so you can try them yourself whenever suits you.
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 Vefa 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: Wed 18 Nov · 10 seats left From 19,00 €
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