Tour Information

Join to our Istanbul Food Tour through the central section of Istanbul's Old City and a very non-touristy area of Asian Side. As we explore the Old City of Istanbul, you will discover a glorious cultural heritage remained from an Imperial background melti

Code : EFN38
Tour Name : Food Taste Walking Tour Istanbul
Duration : Full Day
Itinary : Discover the Real Istanbul !

Since 1993 Efendi & Backpackers Travel Agencies (affiliate companies owned by same company) have been giving food tasting and cultural walking tours through Istanbul's most delicious and historic neighborhoods. We provide a "non-touristy" experience so you feel like a native Istanbuler! Each tour includes food tastings from the best specialty food shops, ethnic eateries, and one local restaurant, as well as an "off-the-beaten-path" glimpse of "Life in Istanbul City" -the history, culture, architecture, and entertainment offerings.

Tour with us on a journey through the central section of Istanbul's Old City and a very non-touristy area of Asian Side. As we explore the Old City of Istanbul, you will discover a glorious cultural heritage remained from an Imperial background melting Turkish, Arabic, Greek, Jewish, Persian, Armenian, Circassian, Caucasian and even more together in one bowl. Relish in the rich and varied history of this vibrant and intriguing neighborhood as the story of its past and present unfolds before you. Our tours are small group tours of maximum 10 people with daily departure everyday. You will use the most convinent public transport through the city just like a local and visit the best places to taste to shop for the authentic local foods.

Your guide will meet with you at your hotel or a central location to start the tour. The day will start with a short ferry journey to Kadikoy on Asian Side. You may sup your Turkish Tea on the ferry and feed the sea gulls  while watching the beatiful scenerey of Topkapi Palace and Bosphorus. Kadikoy has one of the visit a food&fish local markets in the city. The market district, just inland from the ferry docks, is a particularly appealing one, with bright fruits and vegetables, lots of fish, and a variety of good restaurants with sidewalk tables in fair weather. We stop by one of the coffee houses at site to drink Turkish Coffee to get ready for the next part of our trip. 

You will take a tram journey up to Moda, a popular site for locals for leisure. Here is you taste a delicious ice cream (or drink a salep if the weather is winter) at Ali Usta. We walk by the tea gardens on a promontory at Moda, with fine panoramic views across the Sea of Marmara to Old Istanbul. We keep walking to Kadikoy again through Bahariye Street, one of the most busy streets in the city for shopping like clothes, shoes etc. we stop by Saray Muhallebicisi to eat (Turkish: tavuk gogsu, "chicken breast") is a Turkish dessert pudding made with chicken andmilk. It became one of the most famous delicacies served to the sultans in the Ottoman Topkapý Palace. It is today considered a 'signature' dish of Turkey.

We will have our lunch at Local Resturant . You can taste some of the most famous and traditional local meals and mezes here .

After the lunch, we get to Karakoy by using the local ferry again. You will visit Gulluoglu Baklavacisi, established on 1871 Gulluoglu is one of the leading baklava procudures in Turkey for tasting the Turkish Baklava . Gulluoglu has also a big shop in central Karakoy where you will also find some best examples of Turkish cheeses, olives, olives oils and mezes. You can do shopping here as much as you want.

Walking over the Karakoy (Galata) Bridge by the fishermans and checking what they hooked today, we reach to Egyptian (Spice Market). Here is Spices, dried fruits, cheeses, sausages, jams, nuts andseeds, lokum (Turkish Delight) and other edibles fill most of the shops, though jewelry and other high-margin goods filling up the shops around. Being the last stop of Silk Road on West, Egptian Market is a colorful place both with spices and the visitors of all nationalities.

Our last stop on the tour is to Haci Bekir Sekercisi (Bonbon Turc) that you can find the most delecious Turkish Delights and flowered sugars. Since 1777, Haci Bekir is offering the his products here as being known as one of the best among the locals. You can buy Turkish delights here as souvenir for your friends as packed for long journies.

The tour finishes with good memories behind about 17.00 in Sirkeci tram stop. Your guide will advise the best ways to get back to your hotel. You may also get advice for the dinner !

The cost of the tour is 225 Euro per person including guidance, local transport fees and complimentaries of ice-cream, Turkish coffee, simits and baklava. Lunch is self payment at site.  The tour departs with minumum 2 people. Additional each person will be 65 Euros after 2 People. if you want to join as person cost will be 400 Euro.

Our tour guides have a university degree and experianced. Moreover, they have a great passion to introduce you our culture !