Dilek is a very knowledgeable and lovely guide. She was very helpful and gave me many tips how to get the most out of Istanbul. She answred my wattsup question long after the tour and she has saved me money and time with her advise.

Dilek took me to the Asian side of Istanbul and showed me a part of the city I hadn’t seen before. She also shared much of the history of the city which was fascinating. Her style is warm and friendly and we finished the tour with a lovely meal.

I went on a customized food tour with Dilek, exploring both Kadikoy and Karakoy, and taking the ferry between them to also get a nice view of the city skyline. There were so many options and things to eat, I finally had to tap out as I was completely stuffed! I really appreciated that Dilek did not have a set itinerary to follow, but presented options based on what I was interested in eating and my dietary restrictions. I learned so much and have a list of other places to try (her recommendations that I didn't have the stomach space for) on my future visits to Istanbul!

The tour with Dilek is one of the highlights of my 10-day trip in Turkey. Dilek very kindly helped me look at my existing itinerary and customize a food tour for me which is not only not repetitive, but exceed my expectations. Before I met Dilek, I was “traumatized” with many days of kebab and I thought that’s all about Turkish food. Dilek totally changed my perception to Turkish cuisine by surprising me with fish wrap, grill lamb sandwiches, fried mussels, olivessss and coffee. She brought me to the Asian sides where more locals go to and I hadn’t explored before. Dilek kindly introduced me to curious locals and I feel very welcomed by everyone. She is also very capable in answering all my questions regarding culture, religion and food. I would love to express much gratitude to Dilek for making my trip more than perfect.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to have Dilek be our guide in Istanbul for two full days in October 2023. Dilek was wonderful to work with prior to our trip and she is very adept at tailoring tours to your personal needs. We were in Istanbul for a full week (having been there once before) and we were Dilek the first two days of our visit. To hire a private guide might seem a bit extravagant but not in a city like Istanbul that has so many things to see and do. She saved us so much time and showed us many things (ie. navigating the public transport, restaurant suggestions and finding little treasures that we never would have seen on our own.) that really enhanced the rest of our week when we were on our own. She’s very dependable, a joy to be with and a complete professional. We highly recommend her tour guide services.

I had booked Dilek for two days to walk around with us in Old Istanbul - however just before our arrival in Istanbul, Dilek had a family emergency and could not join us. I cannot thank Dilek enough for taking an initiative and responsibility for finding us another guide. She also came to meet us once we were back in Istanbul. I would recommend Dilek highly for anyone requiring a private guide . Thank you Dilek

Dilek is the perfect guide. Of course she knows her facts and figures and history, she is a licensed guide. She can talk on and on about the history of the Blue Mosque or breeze through with a summary. It’s up to you. She’s concerned about your wishes but has plenty planned if you don’t want to think. She’ll take you to local places and introduce you to some of her favorite thing. Beware she knows all the best cake and coffee cafes. She taught us how to negotiate the public transportation, it’s the only way to go. I can’t say enough if how much I enjoyed spending time with Dilek.

It was the perfect tour, you won't find a better guide than Dilek or her husband. Simply the best. If you want a guide in Istanbul.. book Dilek.. friendly, funny, knowledgeable.

Dilek was wonderful!!! She took my through the Asian side, where I am staying, to help me get oriented to the different neighborhoods and local life. We just flowed through special historic places and local spots, trying food along the way. She was patient with me, willing to teach me Turkish phrases and some history. She was responsive to my curiosity about places and love for books, helpful beyond description with finding necessities for living here, and cared enough to make sure I was well set up for the rest of my stay! I also so appreciated her heartfelt conversation, and authentic enjoyment of her city! I had the best time!!!

I am glad to know Dilek as she managed to bring us the real turkish atmosphere, leading us through secret gems of Istanbul and showing us monuments and mosques. It felt like we know each other for a long time and we felt like at home. Answering all our questions about Istanbul and country we are now richer for yet another journey. Thank you so much Dilek...untill we meet again.

I was traveling solo to Istanbul in early dec and I was only in the city for a limited amount of time. Dilek took me on a 4 hour walking tour of Istanbul and we managed to cover all the sights that I wanted to see. She is warm, friendly and flexible - she knows istanbul like the back of her hand, and she shared interesting info about the sites that we visited. As a licensed tour guide, I did not have to waste time queuing for the sites as she had priority and that was a major bonus for me. If I ever return to Istanbul, I’d most definitely look for Dilek again.

If ever there was awards for being the best then DIlek surely gets one. We arranged a tour with her from Istanbul to Bursa but modified it to suit our itinerary since we were staying over in Bursa and leaving again 2 days later. Dilek accommodated our needs and even arranged a pickup at a different hotel 2 days later for a transfer back to Istanbul without even charging us $1 more than agreed. She is very patient and your best interest at heart. We had lost one of our bags sometime during the day tour which she then found and kept with herself until we could meet up again to collect it from her. I don't believe this kind of service would be found in many other places around the world. If ever i'm back in Istanbul, Dilek would be the only person I call to arrange anything for me. 5 stars all the way.

Dilek is fresh, sweet, flexible and very knowledgeable. She gave us a wonderful overview of the life of the city, its culture and its people. We enjoyed the walks, the conversations and the tour. She was attentive to our needs and ready to adjust the itinerary of the day to our preferences. We felt we did a lot of things, considering it was just a half day tour. Thank you Dilek, we were delighted by your beautiful city and the kindness you showed to us. Dilek, you are a good ambassador of your culture! We hope to come back soon! Heidi

We spent a delightful day with Dilek, seeing Istanbul through her eyes. It was a cold and blustery day, but Dilek’s smile and hospitality helped to keep us warm (along with plenty of hot Turkish tea!). We loved Istanbul and loved Dilek!

I could go on at length with how happy I was with the tour that Dilek guided me thru - she is very knowledgeable ( and I can be pretty painful wanting to know trivia), extremely personable and also perceptive; we had sat down at a restaurant that wasn't entirely my style and without having to say anything she suggested we go elsewhere. But the proof is in the pudding - on the way home I had booked flights with a short layover thru IST but changed those so I could take another tour!