Tour operator
Culinary Backstreets Istanbul
The neighbourhood food-tour company that began in Istanbul in 2009 as Istanbul Eats, known for its day-long Two Markets, Two Continents walk.
An Istanbul-run food tour company operating since 2006, offering culinary tours that use food as a way into Turkish culture and everyday life.
Good to know
Turkish Flavours has been running food tours since 2006 and describes itself as one of the pioneers of the food-tour idea in Turkey. The business is run by an Istanbul native, working with a network of local hosts, and its tours are built on the belief that food is one of the best ways to understand a culture and the Turkish approach to living well.
Rather than a quick tasting trail, expect an unhurried introduction to Istanbul's markets, ingredients and eating habits. Check the company's website for the current tour line-up and availability, book in advance in spring and autumn, and mention any dietary requirements when you reserve so the hosts can plan around them.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
Since 2006.
The company is run by an Istanbul-born local, supported by a network of local hosts.
Bar
A long-running bar, restaurant and late-night club on the top floor of the historic Mısır Apartment on İstiklal Avenue, with panoramic city views.
Hotel
A five-star Kempinski hotel built around a restored 19th-century Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus shore, with an infinity pool and 317 rooms.
Thing to do
One of the world's oldest covered markets, begun in the 1450s, with 61 vaulted streets of carpet, jewellery, ceramics and textile shops.
Attraction
Justinian's sixth-century domed basilica, now the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, with a separate visitor route through its upper galleries above the prayer hall.