Serif Yenin is the go-to expert for walking tour Istanbul. He has shown his beloved city to great names such as Princess Michael of Kent and Pope Benedict XVI. He’s even worked with the most famous celebrity of all: Oprah Winfrey.
I contacted Serif and made arrangements to spend a day exploring Istanbul on a walking tour with him. I went in with excitement and an open mind without too many expectations. I left with a new appreciation of the city, a better understanding of its history, and a newfound respect for my host.
Serif didn’t take me on one of his standard tours, although I hear those are amazing as well. He studied my blog and developed a personalized tour he felt would most interest me. My custom tour featured lots of history and sites interwoven with plenty of stops to sample local dishes. He was able to perfectly design a day suited to my interests, and his thoughtfulness showed throughout the day.
We met in Taksim Square, a central location that made finding him easy work. As we made our way to the subway, Serif began explaining the complex history of the city to be — a history that dates back to 6,000 B.C.
As we descended underground to find our subway, he explained that Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents. I assumed there would be a noticeable difference between the two sides of the city in terms of culture or food, but Serif explained that this is not true. The Asian side is more residential and has fewer tourists but no real difference in the food. Both sides are distinctly Istanbul.
We found our first stop on the metro line: Istanbul University. The university dates back to the 15th century and hosts eighty thousand students at any given time.
We walked through the area, slowly making our way to the Sehzade Mosque. As we walked, Serif pointed out the neighborhood’s unique features, different stalls, and shops.
The Sehzade Mosque is beautiful, absolutely stunning. The architect, Mimar Sinan, is one of Turkey’s most famous. I learned that Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent commissioned the mosque for one of his sons.
Instead of rushing through the site and giving me the highlights, we sat for a while on the stone steps and took it all in. Serif explained the setting’s history to me, pointing out architectural features and design elements.
We discussed how wars and multiple empires had affected the city, changing and shaping its history. There was no hurry, no rush. Serif encouraged questions, and his answers were phenomenally thorough and knowledgeable.
As we exited the mosque, we toured the grounds and found a small cemetery. I had never seen headstones like these before. Apparently, the smaller headstones indicate where children are buried.
Our first foodie stop was for a simple dish, but one full of flavor. Serif explained that it is one of his favorites, and the restaurant he had chosen was famous for this particular dish. The dish, dry beans with rice, is known as kuru fasulye. It was hearty and filling; Serif playfully cautioned me not to get too full, as this was only the first of several stops.
We exited the restaurant and strolled through the neighborhood. This area featured craftsmen at work. Serif explained how the neighborhood had changed in many ways over the years, yet still largely remains the same.
Our second stop was for boza, a local drink. Boza is an early form of beer that contains 1-2% alcohol and is primarily served in winter. The drink is fermented but not filtered in a process similar to beer. It’s thick and creamy and served sprinkled with cinnamon. I admit that at first, I was skeptical, but I finished my glass. The shop Serif chose for us has been serving patrons since 1876, so it’s fair to say it’s established itself as one of the best in town.
The next stop was at a shop selling a local specialty — the intestine sandwich. I had tried this before, and although it’s delicious, I usually have trouble enjoying a dish when I know it contains organ meat. Still, I loved the seasoning on this sandwich, and the bread was amazing.
It was interesting to see the vendor assembling sandwiches. He was quick but efficient, as though he had made more sandwiches than anyone could count. He removed a skewer of grilled intestines from the roaster, quickly chopped the meat, and expertly slid it into the chewy bread.
Serif then told me that our next stop was for a raw dish. I tried to pretend I wasn’t nervous, but I quickly found out it was a raw vegetable dish. This vendor was the biggest character of the day. A small crowd gathered around and watched him prepare and season the filling. He passed out lettuce cups to everyone before filling them with the mash. After a final squeeze of lemon, we all sampled his creation. The dish was so light, but also so full of flavor.
Next, we stopped down an alley I would have never noticed had I been alone. After a few quick turns, we settled in for the first of several Turkish coffees we would enjoy that day. Serif explained how to specify your sugar preference when you order.
I’m not big on coffee, but there’s something about Turkish coffee that I absolutely love. There’s an art to drinking it. You have to wait until the grounds settle in the bottom of the cup before sipping, and make sure to stop before you drink up the grounds.
Again, there was no rush. We sat and enjoyed the coffee and watched the neighborhood pass by around us. People haggled in the streets, vendors cleaned their shops, and locals went about their shopping. it was a familiar scene in an unfamiliar city.
When I told Serif I wanted a nice shot of the city, he said he knew the perfect place. A short walk and a few flights of stairs later, I had my shot:
Our tour took us from the European to the Asian side of the city, and Serif was correct, there wasn’t a noticeable difference. The Asian side was less crowded, but after recent events, all of Istanbul is less crowded. We talked about how those events have affected tourism and his business.
Tourism is way down, by some estimates up to ninety percent. We discussed how, even after a terrible incident, life must go on. People must still return to work, to school, to their lives.
On this side of the city, we sampled traditional Turkish delights. If you get the chance, try the pomegranate double roasted pistachio version. For someone who claims to not like sweets, I had several of these.
Walking along Istikal Avenue and returning to where we had met, Serif pointed out shops and businesses that have been around for more than a hundred years. In a city so thoroughly modern, the blend of old and new is nearly seamless. I can think of only a handful of cities I’ve ever seen with a similar character.
Saying goodbye and wishing each other well, I thought about how I had started the day with no expectations. But Serif had managed to set the bar for my future tours to a new high. The day was truly the perfect blend of history, both old and new, foodie stops, and new knowledge of culture and traditions. I definitely encourage you to contact Serif to arrange your own tour when planning your visit to Istanbul.
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Walking Tour Istanbul: Practical Information
To book your tour click here visit Serif’s website.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank Serif for having me as a guest on his tour. Although the tour was complimentary, as always, all opinions remain my own.
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Ah, your photos are amazing! I would love to visit Istanbul soon and also to go on a walking tour with Serif. It would be lovely to hear stories about Oprah too,, she’s my fave TV personality!
Thank you! I wanted to quiz him so much about Oprah but I held back. I love her so much also! To me him meeting Oprah is a much bigger deal than meeting the Pope.
STOP!! I’m hungry now hahaha! LOVE food in Istanbul a lot. Never heard of boza though – learnt something new there 🙂 But seriously – pomegranate double roasted pistachio Turkish delights?? DELICIOUS!!! (Booking flight to Istanbul rightaway….)
The food alone is worth going back for! Also, I don’t know if you saw the article I did on the Turkish oil wrestlers or not… https://foodieflashpacker.com/turkish-oil-wrestling/
EVERYTHING from the food to the architecture looks amazing in Istanbul. Dying to go!
It really is one of my most favorite cities in the world. I feel like I could go back over and over and not tire of it.
I’m just not in to intestines either. There’s a very typical sausage here in France also made from the intestines and I’ve given it a go, but like you just knowing what it is makes it not enjoyable for me.
If someone just served it to me w/out telling me what it was I probably would have eaten the entire thing. The seasoning they use is actually delicious.
Mmm, Turkish coffee! Yum. I already like this tour guide for looking at your blog and customizing a tour for you. So many times, the tour is bland because it’s not what you would want to see, but a good guide goes the extra length to understand what you like. Very nice.
I’m still getting the hang of Turkish coffee but it’s getting better. I used to get all the grounds in my mouth but now I’m learning the art of it. This tour definitely wasn’t bland!
How fabulous to have a guide who customized a tour just for you. That he actually read your blog and tried to understand what would interest you goes above and beyond. No wonder Oprah used him!
Exactly! It was a great tour. I really recommend him to anyone visiting the city!
Love this post!! What I love specifically is the deep knowledge of the culture and the food. This sounds like the best type of food tour, very personalized!!
I’ve been to Istanbul once for business but did not have the time to explore the City. I made a promise to myself to go back and visit, and when I do, we will reach out to Serif. Love the fact that he has toured “Oprah” around, Nice!!
Custom tours are the absoloute best and it looks like yours was fantastic! What food would you say was your favourite? I’ve been looking into visiting Istanbul for a while now and when I finally book tickets I’ll be requesting a tour!
What an incredible idea for Serif to make a tour around your blog. It looks like you got the ultimate walking tour!
It was great for sure! I appreciated his attention to detail. It made the trip truly memorable.
Oh how this takes me back! I think the lettuce cups with mash looks terribly delicious!!! I wish I had tried that when I was there. We took a ferry to the Asian side but didn’t really know where to go so we just headed back. What I did get was amazing photos from the ferry!
I love that ferry ride! And it’s so crazy that in less than 30 minutes you’re on a completely different continent.
I love how this tour was tailored to meet your needs. That’s awesome. And, OMG, the food looks divine!
I have a serious love of Turkish food. I think it’s a cuisine people don’t know enough about. It is so diverse and delicious.
That is so so cool. Love how he looked at your blog and customized a tour. The pics are gorgeous and the experience amazing! Love the shot of the craftsmen at work. Yeah,organ meat, I am heading to China in a couple of months…lots of that there!
What an amazing customised tour! I love that Serif studied your blog and took to you things that would interest you most. Sign of a great tour guide. The coffee sounds amazing!
Those pictures look awesome. Very delicious. Istanbul is an incredible city. All the mosques are beautiful. I can’t wait to go back…Great post.
Sounds like he was a terrific guide and took you to all the right place! We’ve been to Turkey, but only Istanbul for a short time. We will get back there soon and this will be a great way to get introduced to the city!
Istanbul is definitely a city worth spending more time in. I’ve been twice and I feel like I could go again and again and not grow tired of it.
I love that the first food sample is a simple-pleasure type of dish, the type that would make a simple lunch or breakfast, and how the food samples along the way really stayed that way. I was in Istanbul 4 years ago and I found it to be a fabulous food city, especially as there are so many already-prepared food places where you can check everything out before choosing, then just point to thing. You’ll have fun there.
I think Turkey is one of the greatest foodie countries in the world and Istanbul is certainly the best place to find food from all over the country there. I really miss Turkish breakfasts.
I’m not a foodie but your post makes me want to come back to Istanbul right now to try out foods I’ve missed when I went. Intestines (from chicken) are also eaten in the Philippines (my home country). We call it “isaw” or grilled intestines skewered in barbecue sticks.
I’ve seen the chicken intestines on a stick when I was in the Philippines but I wasn’t brave enough to try them! If they’re your favorite I guess I should give them a try.
This is just fabulous. That mosque is remarkable. I love how he tailored the tour to your interests after reviewing your blog, that’s a class act. That photograph of the guy smoking a cigarette over the stove is just great!
The craftsman smoking was probably my favorite shot also!
Istanbul maybe one of the best places ive been, great post thanks
Istanbul is one of my favorite cities! And I absolutely love exploring through food/walking tours. This one looks great. Thanks for sharing and happy travels 🙂
If you haven’t done Serif’s tour already you should try it next time you’re there!
Interesting perspective here. I have to admit that I really didn’t like my visit to IStanbul at all…but it’s nice to see others doing so. It’s what makes travel great.
I love that he read your blog in order to take a customized approach to planning your walking tour! I’m definitely keeping him in mind for any future trips to Istanbul.
You should keep him in mind! Tell him I sent you if you get to go. I know you’ll enjoy it.
What a wonderful way to learn about Istanbul. It sounds like we have similar tastes – history and food – so this customized tour would have suited me as well. If I head that way I will put a tour with Serif on my list!
I love walking tours! Any city I go to I try to find a free walking tour. This tour looks and sounds amazing! Especially all the delicious foods!
It was really a great tour! I recommend it if you get the chance to go.
You had such an amazing tour, Nathan, You have captured all of the great moments from Turkish culture and architecture!
Thank you! It really is a great tour. I recommend you checking it out when visiting Istanbul.
The only city in the world on two continents, fascinating! Thanks for this post, very enjoyable to read!
Yes- I love that fact about the city. We crossed back and forth between continents on our tour.
Istanbul is simply amazing. I never knew it could be soo beautiful. I would love to explore it and gain a new perspective about the place. Walking tour of Istanbul is definitely on my list!
Great information and can be chosen out one of helpful article specially for solo traveler on short visit, learnt a lot about Istanbul and places to visit …Great article, This really helped to sort out where to go and what to do during the trip to Istanbul.