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Founded by Umit Aggul & Erk Erkaya, Locally Istanbul is a bespoke travel agency that creates tailor made, off the beaten track private tours for free independent travelers based on their expectations and interests since 2011.

Tripadvisor Reviews

Excellent
158 değerlendirmeye göre.
Lisa S
Lisa S
2023-05-18
Fantastic private tours in Istanbul We just returned from a cruise that gave us two days in Istanbul. We worked with Erk from Locally Istanbul who arranged both days of tours for our small group. Our first day was with Evrim who took us all over the Old City including the Spice Market. Here she introduced us to her favorite shop & we were treated so kindly with lots of tasting! We loved exploring this part of the city with her & visiting the mosques & the palace. We didn’t sit down until we got to our private Bosphorus cruise. The entire day was amazing! Our next day we spent with Erk who took us through many of the neighborhoods. With that, we were able to enjoy stops along the way & try so many delicious street foods. In addition to these stops, Erk took us to a local restaurant for lunch that was amazing! It was Michelin recommended without the expensive costs. We ended the day near our cruise ship for dessert. The baklava he had us try was incredible, but the ice cream & chocolate mousse we haven’t stopped talking about! I can’t get over how amazing it all was. Both days were perfect. If only we had another day!l!
cwm8718
cwm8718
2023-05-02
Amazing Private Tour Experience! Must do! I had an amazing one-on-one private tour with Ümit around the Bohemian side of the city. The knowledge he had to share about the city, history of the country, politics, and religion as we wandered around the city was astounding. I am so glad I reached out to Ümit and Erk. I was able to learn so much about the city and country that I would never have learned. I would highly recommend them when visiting Istanbul!
Cindy D
Cindy D
2023-04-25
Outstanding tour experience The Bohemian and Bosphorus Asian Side tours with Umit were wonderful. Umit is a kind, extremely knowledgeable guide who went out of his way to be sure we saw the incredible sites of Istanbul. He tailored our day to accommodate a special request to find tulips in bloom. Every aspect of our experience was outstanding; from scheduling to the tours.
Jessica b
Jessica b
2023-04-16
Best guide ever Erk is a dream!! Showed such beautiful things of Istanbul. My whole family enjoyed our time with him!! If you are going to Istanbul, book this!!!! It will make your trip next level!
Maggie W
Maggie W
2023-02-27
An Absolute MUST I booked them for our first trip to Türkiye, not quite knowing how vital this would be to our entire trip. We were beyond impressed with the care, consideration, and information that Umet imparted. Our tours were catered specifically to my family and me (we had a 5-year-old in tow, and even HE thought Umet was the coolest). We ate wonderful, local food; we learned so much about the culture and history; we felt right at home, thanks to these guys. We cannot sing their praises enough!
Brighton_Ragazza
Brighton_Ragazza
2023-02-06
Fabulous tour We did the Bohemian tour with Ümit. He is an exceptional guide – very knowledgeable and passionate about this amazing city. He tailored the experience to suit us. Not only did we have a entertaining and interesting time on the tour; he also gave us many recommendations and suggestions to help us make the most of our time in Istanbul
jillk989
jillk989
2023-01-04
Fabulous tour company!! What a fabulous trip! We initially booked 2 days but added a third since we were enjoying so much. Erk is an incredible guide – from the pre planning to our time in Istanbul, we felt very well taken care of. More importantly, he gave us an amazing experience in Istanbul – beyond just the must visit sites.
vivianm992
vivianm992
2022-11-14
Get the best out of Istanbul We were aboard a cruise ship and did not have a lot of time so we wanted to make the most of it by hiring a private guide. The first day was devoted to exploring different neighborhoods and getting an understanding of the culture, religion and overall behaviour the people. It was enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable.
The next day, we visited the old city with all the iconic sights.

Both guides were different but extremely knowledgeable in a easy going kind of way.

I would recommend Umit and his team in a heartbeat! Istanbul is impossible to do on your own, it is quite chaotic so having a guide is wonderful.
Jennifer C
Jennifer C
2022-11-12
Thanks to Ümit at Locally Istanbul, we had an unforgettable stay in Istanbul! We are first-time visitors to Istanbul from the San Francisco Bay Area. We have traveled globally but had never been to this part of the world before.
My husband and I had an incredible time in this extraordinary city. But we could not have experienced Istanbul to the depth and vibrancy we had, had it not been for Ümit from Locally Istanbul as our guide. He was tireless in showing us the “Bohemian” side of Istanbul in the New Town area. We were taken to hidden gems, cafes, and eclectic eateries that only a local who is passionate about his city could know about. He was so generous with his time and with his knowledge, tailor-making our experience to what we were interested in but also adding his specific knowledge about the city in which he grew up.

Unlike many other guides who are also excellent and high-quality, but can be cookie-cutter, Ümit made the day special by individualizing the tour, spending most of the day in New Town with just a short stop at the Grand Bazaar where he showed us some of the best shops for ceramics, textiles, and rugs, and then taking the ferry over to the Asia side with us. This was exactly what we’d wanted, and he managed to hit all the high notes for each of these places.

He guided us to 12-13 different shops, boutiques, restaurants, vendors, and cafes throughout New Town and the Grand Bazaar as he told us about the city’s social history, people, religion, and politics. He also recommended what we might do during the remaining 2 days of our stay. We followed his advice and found that they were each spot-on and of excellent quality.

In the end, Ümit spent an extra 2-3 hours with us, even walking around the Asia side of Istanbul to walk us through the markets and to take us to his favorite restaurant in the Kadıköy neighborhood. With his warmth, enthusiasm, and humor, he went above and beyond what he had to do, and we were so grateful for his generosity.

But on top of that wonderful tour, Ümit enabled us to have an unforgettable experience the very next morning. We were in Istanbul on November 10th when much of the city’s people commemorate the passing of the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Atatürk. We knew nothing about this, but he offered to meet us in front of Dolmabahce Palace where Atatürk had passed away on November 10th, 1938, and where throngs of people congregate every year to remember his legacy. To be among the crowd of respectful mourners gather in honor of their founder was both memorable and moving. None of this would have been possible without Ümit letting us know and actually meeting us there, just because he wanted his guests from far away to experience a meaningful moment.

Istanbul is a magnificent city but one that is enhanced by walking through it with an excellent guide. We had an extraordinary time, thanks to Ümit who went above and beyond what we could have expected.

We plan to recommend Locally Istanbul and Ümit to any of our friends and family who would want to visit Istanbul in the future.
Samilton
Samilton
2022-10-31
Work with Locally Istanbul If You Want to Have an Amazing Time in Istanbul! Erk and Ümit (Locally Istanbul’s founders) and their team ensured we had a wonderful and hassle-free time in Istanbul. They helped us with everything: tours, airport transfers, shopping, a Bosphorus cruise, and reservations at restaurants and a hammam. We were first-timers and outsiders; they gave us the benefits of knowing natives and insiders. We will return to Istanbul and again rely on Locally Istanbul.

Google Reviews

Mia L
Mia L
2023-06-14
My husband and I had two fantastic tours with Locally Istanbul. We started with a private sunset boat tour of the Bosphorus with Umit who is highly personable and delivered his considerable knowledge – starting with local wine – to us perfectly along the way. He is also a talented photographer who took great photos of us as we enjoyed our evening on the water. We then did a full day of Istanbul 101 in the Old City with the lovely Evrim who had vast knowledge of history, architecture and culture. We both felt we learned so much – everything we had read and finally saw became more enriched with Evrim by our side. Evrim also helped us navigate and negotiate fabulous purchases in the Grand Bazaar. Erk was amazingly communicative before and throughout our stay – helping us with absolutely everything we could possibly need from restaurant recommendations to the best place to change money as well as anything else we could possibly think of. We couldn’t be happier with our experience.
Lisa Smith
Lisa Smith
2023-05-19
We just returned from a cruise that gave us two days in Istanbul. We worked with Erk from Locally Istanbul who arranged both days of tours for our small group. Our first day was with Evrim who took us all over the Old City including the Spice Market. Here she introduced us to her favorite shop & we were treated so kindly with lots of tasting! We loved exploring this part of the city with her & visiting the mosques & the palace. We didn’t sit down until we got to our private Bosphorus cruise. The entire day was amazing! Our next day we spent with Erk who took us through many of the neighborhoods. With that, we were able to enjoy stops along the way & try so many delicious street foods. In addition to these stops, Erk took us to a local restaurant for lunch that was amazing! It was Michelin recommended without the expensive costs. We ended the day near our cruise ship for dessert. The baklava he had us try was incredible, but the ice cream & chocolate mousse we haven’t stopped talking about! I can’t get over how amazing it all was. Both days were perfect. If only we had another day!l!
Don Smith Jr.
Don Smith Jr.
2023-05-10
Erk and Evrim were terrific! I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you are planning to do tours in Istanbul, you will not go wrong with these individuals. Informative, professional and a lot of fun. Would use then again!
Craig Moore
Craig Moore
2023-05-02
I had an amazing one-on-one private tour with Ümit around the Bohemian side of the city. The knowledge he had to share about the city, history of the country, politics, and religion as we wandered around the city was astounding. I am so glad I reached out to Ümit and Erk. I was able to learn so much about the city and country that I would never have learned. I would highly recommend them when visiting Istanbul!
John Wooden
John Wooden
2023-04-30
Erk was a fantastic guide and arranged a tour or the Bohemian District shops that suited my interest. His connections and knowledge made for an extraordinary afternoon. I highly recommend reaching out to Erk if your interested in discovering hidden treasures.
Cindy Day
Cindy Day
2023-04-25
We had two outstanding tours with Umit – Old City and Bosphorus Asian Side. His knowledge of the culture and history was incredible and the personalized approach he took was terrific.
Jessica broussard
Jessica broussard
2023-04-16
Locally Istanbul will make your trip!!! Simply the best. Can not recommend them enough!!!
Maggie Wile
Maggie Wile
2023-02-27
These folks are TOP NOTCH! I booked them for our first trip to Türkiye, and we were beyond impressed with the care, consideration, and information that Umet imparted. Our tours were catered specifically to my family and I (we had a 5-year-old in tow, and even HE thought Umet was the coolest). We ate wonderful, local food; we learned so much about the culture and history; we felt right at home, thanks to these guys. We cannot sing their praises enough!
Janna Wyatt
Janna Wyatt
2022-09-24
These guides were absolutely incredible! They catered each tour specific to our group and made us feel like VIPs the entire time. Truly an amazing experience. Cannot recommend them enough!
Kimberly Henderson
Kimberly Henderson
2022-09-24
An absolute trip of a lifetime. Everything was amazing, and they make sure you do everything you want and make sure you truly experience the beauty of Turkey!!!! I wish I could have these guides for every trip I go on!

CONTACT US

Erk Erkaya
Co-Founder
+90 532 7077885
[email protected]

Umit Aggul
Co-Founder
+90 532 3021940
[email protected]

For reservation & requests, please mail us at [email protected]