Asian Side of Istanbul: Uskudar and Kadikoy Full Day Walking Tour

Because our time in Istanbul was limited, we wanted to spend several hours getting to know the less visited eastern side of the city. Viator's Asian Side of Istanbul: Uskudar and Kadikoy Full Day Walking Tour was exactly what we wanted. Our guide, Dogus (pronounced Dozh more or less), was wonderful! She's young, energetic, cheerful and well-informed. It turned out that she's pursuing her doctorate in marine archaeology and guides as a sideline. We wanted a small group tour of up to 5 but, as it turned out, there were only the 2 of us. Dogus picked up us at the hotel and we took the metro under the Bosphorus. Once there, we strolled the waterfront with her as she filled us in on the history of the buildings near the water, making us aware of the different personalities of the neighborhoods we visited. Lunch was included on the tour, so we went to a neighborhood restaurant and were treated to a typical lunch. We walked through markets and visited a confectionary store that had all sorts of temptations. Watching both old and new Istanbul from the ferry was a perfect wrap-up to our visit.

This tour is way overpriced for it’s simply a walking tour. Transport by minivan only covers hotel pick & drop off. 95% of time you are on your own by foot, rain or shine.

This tour was a fantastic introduction to the Asian side of Istanbul. As tourists, navigating an unfamiliar environment can be overwhelming, but this experience completely took the stress out of exploring. I loved that we didn’t have to worry about directions or logistics—everything was seamlessly taken care of. Tuncer picked us up directly from our hotel, and his communication throughout the entire process was excellent. Tuncer was incredibly kind and patient, offering insightful explanations on topics we weren’t as familiar with. My boyfriend and I are Armenian and Jewish, and Tuncer not only showed genuine interest in our backgrounds but went above and beyond by personalizing the tour to incorporate aspects of both our cultures. This thoughtful touch made us feel truly seen, valued, and acknowledged. His easygoing, relatable nature made the entire experience so much fun. He was funny, open-minded, full of energy, and always made sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. On top of that, he eagerly offered to be our personal photographer whenever there was a chance for a great shot, which made the tour even more memorable. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend Tuncer to anyone looking for a meaningful and personalized experience in Istanbul!

My wife and I spent a memorable entire day with Tuncer, our tour guide. He was a wealth of knowledge and provided us with so much historical and interesting information about the entire area. We spent 8 hours with Tuncer and we enjoyed the tour immensely. Would highly recommend the tour especially if you are lucky enough to get Tuncer as your guide. The area was very interesting and we travelled by all methods including train, subway and boat. Lunch was amazing. I would highly recommend this tour as it provides you with an opportunity to learn about the EuraAisa side of Istanbul. We were lucky ti have Tucker to ourselves. It was a wonderful start of our journey prior to boarding our cruise ship from Istanbul.

Tuncer our guide contacted us prior to tour date to verify pickup location and time. He was prompt on time and place to start tour. It was interesting to use the mass transit systems, like taking the train under the Bosphorus to Asia. Seeing the contrast in cultures from conservative Uskudar versus metroplitan Kadikoy was evident in the clothing, buildings, and displays. In Uskudar, there was an exhibit of the thirty-six sultans of Istanbul from 1200-1600 ad. There were small figurines of each sultan and his wife dressed in garments that they would wear, among other things related to their rule. Help to put people to events, mosques, and palaces that we were immersed being in Europe and Asia. We had a nice lunch at a local Turkish cafe which was part of the trip. Kadikoy was more modern and bustling, very touristy. Rode back on ferry across the Bosphorus then back to hotel. Tuncer was a very warm and exuberant. We were very happy to share our day with him. I would not recommend this tour to others. There are very limited sites to see on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Could have been much shorter in time. It was relatively expensive though we did not have to pay for tickets, transportation, and food and refreshments. It was better run than Withlocals group.

Tuncer is energetic, knowledgeable, and articulate. This was a trip that would have been difficult logistically for us to pull off on our own. The only drawback was that it was a walking tour on a hot and humid day, and we should have taken more breaks to pace ourselves. One of us was worn out and we ended up cutting short the trip by more than an hour.

My guide on the Asian side of Istanbul: Uskudar and Kadikoy full day tour was a very nice man called Tuncer. It was an unforgettable journey through historic times to the present day. The guide has a wealth of historical knowledge and is able to convey it well and get the other person interested. You can see that he puts his heart and soul into his work and enjoys it. This makes it an unforgettable experience for the tourists who travel with him. And I must add that I was very lucky to have the guide all to myself, as I was the only one who had booked a tour for that day. Another company might have cancelled or tried to move me to another day, but not Istanbul Walks and not my guide. And I am very grateful for that. It was a very unforgettable day indeed.

1) Bosphorus view from Asia side was beautiful. 2) Lunch in Uskudar was delicious. Our first opportunity to drink Turkish coffee.

Had an amazing time on the tour of the Asian side of Istanbul. Our tour guide, Tuncer, was very pleasant and informative. We got to see and learn a lot about the history of the town and experience the culture. Lunch was also delicious! Would highly recommend.

Tuncer was the most amazing guide. His energy and experience showed as he showed us so much on the Asian side of Istanbul. A must if one wants to see all of Istanbul.