Istanbul: Circle City Food Walk, Ferry & Turkish Bath Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.97 (373 reviews) 98% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration10h

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Baklava mornings, Bosphorus ferries, city stories and steam

You’ll taste real Turkish breakfast in Taksim Square, cross from Europe to Asia by ferry, sample baklava in Karaköy, wander colorful Balat streets, share laughs over kebabs in Kadikoy, and let go inside a traditional Turkish bath—with a local guide making every stop feel personal.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Istanbul's diverse neighborhoods

Meet at Taksim Square
Enjoy traditional Turkish breakfast
Taste baklava at Karakoy Gulluoglu
Explore Karaköy district
Take ferry to Kadikoy
Have lunch in Kadikoy kebap house
Discover Kadikoy neighborhood
Visit Jewish district Balat
Explore Greek Orthodox Patriarch and Fener
Experience Turkish Bath
Return to Taksim Square
Lunch at traditional Meyhane restaurant

The Experience

It started with the sound of pigeons in Taksim Square and that strange hush before the city really wakes up. Our guide—Deniz—waved us over like we were old friends. I’d already been to the big sights, but this Circle Istanbul tour felt more like hanging out with someone who actually lives here. Breakfast was spread out on a table that looked too small for all those plates—cheeses, olives, honey so floral it almost stung my nose. Deniz kept passing bread and telling stories about his grandmother’s kitchen (he swears her simit was better than any bakery’s). I tried to keep up but honestly just wanted to eat everything.

Karaköy was next—a swirl of coffee smells and paint peeling off old shopfronts. We ducked into Gulluoglu for baklava (I still think about that pistachio crunch) and then wandered through streets where cats seemed to own the place. Crossing continents by ferry sounds dramatic but it’s just what you do here; twenty minutes across the Bosphorus, seagulls screaming overhead, tea glasses clinking. Kadikoy felt lighter somehow—maybe it was the breeze or maybe just being away from tourist crowds. Lunch at this tiny kebab spot was loud and fast; I got chicken doner dripping onto my hands and Deniz laughed at how messy we all were.

Balat surprised me—the colors of the houses are almost too much but then you see laundry strung between windows and old men playing backgammon outside synagogues. The air smelled like baking bread mixed with something sweet I couldn’t place. Later in Fener, we stopped for coffee in a café where the owner insisted we try his homemade lokum (I said yes before he finished asking). The Turkish bath at Viaport Marina? Okay—I’ll admit I was nervous about stripping down in front of strangers, but once you’re inside with steam everywhere and someone scrubbing your back like they mean it…well, you forget yourself for a bit.

We ended back near Istiklal Street as dusk crept in—everyone tired but kind of glowing. There’s something about walking all day, sharing food and stories with people who know these corners so well—it sticks with you longer than any postcard view ever could.

What’s included

Your day includes guiding from a licensed local expert throughout Istanbul’s neighborhoods.
all transportation including ferries.
traditional Turkish breakfast.
world-famous baklava tasting in Karaköy.
lunch at a boutique kebab house in Kadikoy.
entry to an authentic Turkish bath experience.
plus plenty of snacks and coffee stops along the way before returning to your starting point.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Circle Istanbul