Very good trip, well organised and informative. Guide spoke excellent english.Both coach and boat were clean and in good condition ...

 Read More Very good trip, well organised and informative. Guide spoke excellent english.Both coach and boat were clean and in good condition

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Since this was my first visit to Istanbul with, I was apprehensive in view of difference in customs, language, religion, etc. So, I decided to start with a guided city tour under the “protection” of a guide...

 Read More Since this was my first visit to Istanbul with, I was apprehensive in view of difference in customs, language, religion, etc. So, I decided to start with a guided city tour under the “protection” of a guide, who could show us the most prominent sites, and provide other information on city facilities, activities, things to watch for, and serve as translator. The Guide, Sarhat, was a young European looking man, who was friendly and most helpful. He did an excellent job, providing a thorough impression of Istanbul as a modern city, with friendly people, clean and well organized, with a most impressive history which they very much want to share with us. The city tour turned out to be a good decision, which I highly recommend. It helped me better plan the rest of my visit, especially with regard to use of the Metro and ferries, which provide excellent service. I also learned that the most interesting sites are in the historical part of Istanbul, “Sultanahmet”, the one word every tourist should memorize. This is where Haggia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Museums, the Grand Baazar, Topaki Palace, the magnificent Yabatar Cistern, and other attractions are located, all within walking distance. The streets in Sultanahmet are clean, and there are many shops and restaurants, as well as many good and reasonably priced hotels. I found many tourists, especially from Europe, staying there. But most importantly, the people are friendly and helpful, which made me feel safe, even until late night (midnight). It is easy to get there from the International Airport, just ask almost anyone for “Sultanahmet”, and you will get reliable directions. I found most people in Istanbul to be quite friendly, and many spoke enough English to help out.

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My then-boyfriend (now fiance!) worked with the company to create a beautiful surprise engagement for me. Working with them behind the scenes and online, he was able to arrange a gorgeous yacht to pick us (and ...

 Read More My then-boyfriend (now fiance!) worked with the company to create a beautiful surprise engagement for me. Working with them behind the scenes and online, he was able to arrange a gorgeous yacht to pick us (and only us) up in Istanbul, which cruised up and down the Bosphorus River. The captain and a company employee pointed out historic sites, and arranged for a delicious Turkish dinner to await us below, while we were enjoying the sights on the second level. When it was time to propose, the captain left us by ourselves, with a fruit platter and bottle of champagne. They were so accommodating and helpful, and it made the amazing experience of getting engaged to the love of my life all that more special. I highly recommend this company! They are experienced, patient, and willing to help out however they can. The yacht was absolutely lovely, and we we charmed by the Istanbul.

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Since this was my first visit to Istanbul, I was apprehensive in view of difference in customs, language, religion, etc. So, I decided to start with a guided city tour under the “protection” of a guide, who...

 Read More Since this was my first visit to Istanbul, I was apprehensive in view of difference in customs, language, religion, etc. So, I decided to start with a guided city tour under the “protection” of a guide, who could show us the most prominent sites, and provide other information on city facilities, activities, things to watch for, and serve as translator. The Guide, Alina, was a young European looking woman, who was friendly and most helpful. She did an excellent job, providing a thorough impression of Istanbul as a modern city, with friendly people, clean and well organized, with a most impressive history which they very much want to share with us. The city tour turned out to be a good decision, which I highly recommend. It helped me better plan the rest of my visit, especially with regard to use of the Metro and ferries, which provide excellent service. I also learned that the most interesting sites are in the historical part of Istanbul, “Sultanahmet”, the one word every tourist should memorize. This is where Haggia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Museums, the Grand Baazar, Topaki Palace, the magnificent Yabatar Cistern, and other attractions are located, all within walking distance. The streets in Sultanahmet are clean, and there are many shops and restaurants, as well as many good and reasonably priced hotels. I found many tourists, especially from Europe, staying there. But most importantly, the people are friendly and helpful, which made me feel safe, even until late night (midnight). It is easy to get there from the International Airport, just ask almost anyone for “Sultanahmet”, and you will get reliable directions. I found most people in Istanbul to be quite friendly, and many spoke enough English to help out.

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We just returned from a "Holy Land Cruise" with an extra three days spent in Istanbul, and we used privatetoursinistanbul.com extensively while we were there. They arranged airport shuttle service for us to our...

 Read More We just returned from a "Holy Land Cruise" with an extra three days spent in Istanbul, and we used privatetoursinistanbul.com extensively while we were there. They arranged airport shuttle service for us to our hotel in Sultanamet that was efficient and reasonably priced as well as 4 other days of private tours for us and the 6 other people travelling with us. We actually had made arrangements with another tour company months before that had "fallen through" the last month before we were to arrive, and privatetoursinistanbul.com was quick to respond to my e-mail request for information. They did a great job of accommodating all of our requests--and ultimately allowed us to see virtually everything on our "to do" list for Istanbul. The "mini-bus" they used for our transportation was very comfortable, even for 8 of us with all of our luggage, and the drivers were all incredibly skilled navigating the narrow streets in many of the areas we visited. We were lucky enough to have the same guide all of the days that we were there--"Ender"--a delightful young man with a great sense of humor and amazing knowledge of the complex history of Istanbul. he was able to make recommendations of the best way to see as much as possible and saved us an incredible amount of time by purchasing all of our admission tickets for attractions and thus saved us from standing in long lines. We have done many private tours in places that we've visited, and Ender is one of our favorites guides. We wouldn't hesitate to use their services again if we are able to return to Istanbul.

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