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Istanbul Modern Walking Tour: Taksim to Galata with Secret Passages

Istanbul Modern Walking Tour: Taksim to Galata with Secret Passages

Walking tour

Run by a local guide · #tématique tours

Refundable cancellation up to 24 h before.

This tour is all you need to feel Istanbul's soul. You'll walk around Beyoğlu district, see its glorious passages and hard to find secret spots that get missed by tourists and Turks alike.

Duration
2 h 30 min
Destination
Istanbul
Meeting Point
Taksim Republic Monument
Provider
#tématique tours

Description

Experience the lively Taksim district under the knowledgeable eye of your guide. Veer away from the hustle and bustle of Istiklal Avenue to discover the beautiful side streets and historical passages that get missed by tourists and Turks alike.

This tour takes you into the heart of the modern section of Istanbul to be shown the unmistakable icons as well as the hard-to-find secret spots that make Beyoğlu-Istiklal Street so captivating.

Beyoğlu (formerly Pera) was the primary neighborhood of the foreign community as well as non-Muslim Ottoman subjects and gradually attained a European look with the arrival of foreign embassies. It is now the city's major entertainment district, full of bars, clubs, cafés, restaurants, and scores of top shopping brands.

Area is also famous across Istanbul for its outstanding street food but discovering good eateries in a big city is not always easy. Not to worry, as we stroll Istiklal Street, your guide will point out places to get the best local snacks and coffee, as well as show you the main points of interest along the way.

Includes

  • Taksim Square
  • Taksim Metro Station
  • Taksim Gezi Park
  • Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church
  • Balik Pazari
  • Çiçek Pasajı
  • Avrupa Pasajı
  • Passage Hazzopulo
  • St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Ras Al Khaimah
  • Istiklal Caddesi
  • Pera Museum
  • The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews
  • Galata Tower
  • Kamondo Stairs
  • Galata Bridge
  • Istiklal Street
  • Taksim Square
  • Galata Tower
  • Walking Tour of the Secret Passages and Backstreets of Taksim
  • Galata Bridge
  • Professional Licensed Guide
  • St Antuan Church
  • Discover the secret haunts of locals in Istiklal Street
  • Explore the backstreets and hidden gems

Meeting Point

Taksim Republic Monument

Get directions →

Traveler reviews

7 reviews in total · Opinions from people who already lived the experience

Great guide, great experience

Our guide, Erol, was knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging from start to finish. He shared fascinating anecdotes and gave us helpful suggestions not only about the places we visited during the tour, but also about many other aspects of the city. The itinerary he proposed was well thought out and comprehensive, allowing us to discover both iconic landmarks and hidden gems. A truly enriching experience — highly recommended!

Alessia · September 2025

Interesting & fascinating insights about Istiklal & Galata area

Erole was a very knowledgeable and helpful guide. He helped us get a good perspective about the history of the Galata and Istiklal area and gave very good references for food specially for my wife who is vegetarian.

Vikram Singhal · July 2024

Good tour to complete your visit

It is a tour to complete your Istanbul visit because it includes things maybe other tours don’t. Very nice guide!

Claudia · September 2023

Great Experience!

This tour was extremely interesting and useful! The tour guide gave me a lot of information regarding the life of local people, where and what they eat, some historic facts and information about the area. We walked around Galata and Beyoglu and saw not crowded tourist places but places for locals, which are hidden from tourists. I got a lot of recommendations. I highly recommend this tour at the first day of arrival so you could get tips and recommendations for the rest of the trip.

Anastasia Dolgikh · September 2021

Our favourite walking tour

We did already some free walking tours before - this was one of the best! We had a private tour through Galata and Beyoglu with Erol today. It was a great wAy to experience the vibrant city quarter with different eyes and off the path. The tour was also very individual adjusted to our interests and we learned a lot about general topics like food (including special recommendations), culture, history and so on. It was very easy to follow Erols story telling and we did not feel bored at any time. We highly recommend this tour!

Masaki Blanc · September 2021

Great experience!

This was a wonderful tour! We got a taste of the history of the area as well as recos for best local (and affordable) eats! We would definately recommend this tour. Tienes que hacerlo, te lleva a lugares donde la gente local usualmente socializa, como donde restaurantes locales, cafeterias y bares muy padres y muy baratos. Con un ambiente genial!!!

Alyssa and Felipe · August 2021

FromEUR €32

approx. MXN $667

Charged in EUR; the peso conversion is approximate and your bank may add fees.

Availability and Language

EUR €32

approx. MXN $667

★ 4.5 · 7 reviews

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