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Live tours in Istanbul

Explore Istanbul, Turkey, live with a local who lives there. A guide walks you past Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) and Topkapi Palace on a video call, or talks you through it by phone.

52 live tours From 14,00 €

Explore Istanbul live with a local

Sessions run live, not as a recording: you join at a time in your own time zone, and the guide follows whatever you want to see or ask about. Sultanahmet is worth asking about: the historic peninsula holding most of the major sights.

Every date has a minimum group size: if it does not fill up, it is cancelled and you are refunded in full automatically. Small groups, real answers, no script.

What a live session shows

  • Hagia Sophia A former Byzantine cathedral and Ottoman mosque, now a mosque again, topped by a vast dome.
  • Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) An early 17th-century mosque named for the blue tiles lining its interior.
  • Topkapi Palace The former residence of Ottoman sultans for nearly four centuries.
  • Grand Bazaar One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, trading since the 15th century.
  • Basilica Cistern An underground Byzantine water reservoir supported by hundreds of columns.
  • Galata Tower A medieval stone tower with a viewing gallery over the old city and the Bosphorus.
  • Bosphorus The strait dividing Europe and Asia, crossed daily by ferries and bridges.
  • Spice Bazaar A smaller historic covered market known for spices, sweets and dried fruit.

Neighbourhoods

  • Sultanahmet the historic peninsula holding most of the major sights
  • Beyoğlu the modern district around İstiklal Street, known for nightlife and galleries
  • Kadıköy a lively district on the Asian side, popular for food and markets

Food to know

  • Kebab
  • Baklava
  • Turkish tea (çay)
  • Meze
  • Turkish delight (lokum)

Book a live tour in Istanbul

49 tours

Good to know about Istanbul

Do I need to be in Istanbul to join a session?

No. You join from wherever you are; the guide is the one in Istanbul, live on camera or on the phone.

How long does a session last?

Between 1.3 and 2 hours, depending on the guide and the topic.

What language is the session in?

Guides here offer English, Turkish, German and French; pick the one you want when you book.

What if I lose connection partway through?

Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up.

Can I ask the guide anything, or is it a fixed script?

Anything. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.