Published on Dec, 2024

I had never met or spoke with Safiye prior to this tour, but meeting with her was running into an old friend. We were in Istanbul for 6 days and we spent 4 of them with her. It was like your family friend taking you around town. She was warm, incredibly knowledgeable, and absolutely wonderful with our small children. We took breaks for street food while we hit up all the main sights in the city. She took us to wonderful local restaurants and we got a feel of Turkish life. We took public transit which we LOVE to do. Public transit in Türkiye is so much cleaner than the US. She took us to local parks so our kids could run around. She introduced the children to goat milk ice cream. My daughter said her favorite things were the galata tower and the blue mosque. My daughter also expressed that she loved the Asian side the best. She said the next time she comes to Istanbul she’ll meet with Safiye at their favorite restaurant. My son said his favorite part was the hot chocolate. It was a lovely trip. Until we meet next time.❤️

Published on Oct, 2024

Safiye is the most wonderful guide to show you around Istanbul! Such a warm personality, and very knowledgeable about the history of her country. Every corner we turned, she had something new and interesting to tell us. We felt very lucky to have found her! She gave us many recommendation's for places to visit and restaurants to eat in, and went out of her way to help organise a river cruise so I could celebrate my birthday in style ;) She is an absolute star, and we couldn't praise her enough. Thank you Safiye!

Published on Sep, 2024

My husband and I spent two days with Safiye, exploring the sights, neighborhoods, markets, and food in this amazing city on two continents. She was helpful prior to our stay, answering questions about lodging and currency. She purchased our tickets to sights in advance to avoid the long lines and planned our days to address our interests and make efficient use of our time. She is a wealth of knowledge about the history and culure of Istanbul and the places you visit. But the tour is not a dry recitation of facts. Safiye is engaging and quick to perceive what will interest her audience. She helped us to enjoy local foods and shared information about her own family to help us understand the cultural practices of the people. Istanbul is a very crowded city with excellent public transportation and much to see. It would have been a struggle to navigate the city on our own. Instead, with Safiye's help and gracious hospitality, our visit to Itanbul is a highlight among our travels.

Published on Jul, 2024

Istanbul would not have been half as magical without Safiye as my guide! A solo traveler on my first trip to Turkey, I booked two days of private tours with her: Day 1 to see the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace (which could have been a full day by itself); and on Day 2, the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market. Safiye was absolutely wonderful! She made everything so easy for me--meeting me at my hotel, and stopping to let me rest when my health issues slowed me down a bit. Safiye is very fluent in English and I was enthralled listening to her tell me the history of all the places we visited. But more than that, she is so personable and fun to spend time with. She introduced me to simit with cream cheese (yum!), taught me how to use the tram and wear a hijab, took me to a delicious local cafe for shish kabob, and translated for me. I felt like I truly experienced Turkish culture. Choosing Safiye as my guide was the best decision I made! Don't hesitate to book her for your adventure!

Published on May, 2024

Safiye was a fantastic tour guide and I would highly recommend her to anyone interested in a private tour of the sights in Istanbul. She’s was not only extremely knowledgeable but was also patient & flexible with our 5 month old infant on the tour. Safiye took us to the main attractions (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia & the cistern). We were able to skip the lines & buy tickets directly, which was a great convenience with a baby. She provided all the background to make the buildings feel alive - and put them into the context of Türkiye’s history. It really provided a much better experience than a group tour or audio guide. We ended at a wonderful bakery for baklava & Turkish coffee. She also provided the perfect lunch recommendation for Galeyan - which ended up being the best meal we had in Istanbul. More importantly, Safiye was so kind and sweet to our little boy. She rearranged the plan to accommodate him, helped us calm him down in the cistern, and generally fawned over him! Her patience and warmth towards him made the tour so much less stressful and more enjoyable. Thank you, Safiye! All the best.