Istanbul Taste of Two Continents Food Tour - Spice Market & Ferry
Description
Ready to taste the best food on both sides of Istanbul? Start with a delicious traditional Turkish breakfast in Europe in the heart of the historic Old City, before you sail across to Asia and explore the vibrant streets of Kadıköy. With your foodie guide, you’ll make 8 delicious stops during your walk with a variety of samples at each – enough to fill your belly to the brim with all the fantastic Turkish flavors! From street foods and home-made Turkish food to traditional kebabs and Turkish ice cream, The Taste of Two Continents tour is your full-day immersion inside Istanbul’s food scene and a glimpse of Turkish culture and daily life.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Taste of Two Continents food tour begins in Istanbul’s Old City. There, we meet to begin our tour in the heart of Eminönü, close to Spice Market.
Market Sourced Turkish Breakfast: Visit a breakfast market in the morning and gather an assortment of Turkish breakfast items, including cheeses, buffalo cream, hazelnut paste, honey, olives, dried beef pastrami, simit, and enjoy it all with traditional Turkish tea & menemen (Turkish scrambled eggs) at a local tea house. Listen to your guide’s entertaining & interesting stories about culture and daily life in Turkey while wondering if this could be your favorite breakfast ever.
Cross the mighty Bosphorus by ferry to explore the more modern and chic area of Kadıköy, on the Asian side. Kadıköy is home to some of the best local restaurants in Istanbul, frequented a new generation of Turks who love to dine out, while still savouring the flavours of their childhood.
You will nibble, sip and munch your way through the local Kadıköy market while your guide explains the colorful stalls and products. You'll want to bring your cameras out here to capture all the vibrancy that makes up the flavors of Turkish cuisine!
As you make your way through the colorful streets of Kadıköy market, you’ll sip on freshly brewed Turkish coffee while delighting in locally-made crispy golden baklava. You’ll savor the delicious tastes of popular street foods like dolma, tantuni, and kokoreç, as well as other local favourites.
The Taste of Two Continents tour finishes in Kadıköy Ferry Terminal. Your return ferry tickets are provided. Your guide will help you to catch the Eminönü ferry (back to the Spice Market) or Karaköy ferry.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Maximum group size is 10
- Comfortable walking shoes recommended
- Children aged 5 years and younger are welcome at no charge
- Tour runs rain or shine
- This is a walking tour. Max walking distance is 10 minutes between many stops. Total 2.5kms (1.5miles) walk.
- Not recommended for vegan, gluten free, lactose free travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with serious allergies or food restrictions
- Please advise any specific dietary/allergy requirements at time of booking
Reviews(3,448)
Ali was an amazing tour guide. The food choices were amazing. My wife had certain food sensitivities and Ali made sure she was always informed and taken care of. One of the best food tours I have ever been on.
Aisha was a great tour guide. We enjoyed learning about Turkey and eating all the yummy food along the way. We got a lot of exercising in as well! We went in mid June and the weather was nice, not too hot. Everywhere we went they were ready for us with food, water and most times tables as well. It was a nice way to experience the culture. Also nice to have restrooms along the way!
Everything about Yummy Istanbul was exceptional- right from The beginning when we needed to change our booking from 2 to 3 ppl, no room left on original booking so they opened another time slot! Aeyça our guide was outstanding- she was warm, friendly and charismatic, and super knowledgeable. Our tour was nearly 6 hrs long, and I was sad it was over at its completion !! She took time to make other recommendations too, for our further travel - it was like spending time with a friend. I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this experience as an introduction to Istanbul !
It was a fabulous day of eating and information. Ali was fun and knowledgeable about the food and the areas. I would have loved to get a list of the restaurants and food we had after the tour so we could re visit some of the places. But highly recommend the tour and Ali as your guide.
Small group tour with a lovely, knowledgeable guide. Sampled many examples of local cuisine. Would definitely recommend.
First of all we had the best tour guide Ali. He was so friendly and interested in our questions and put in effort to learn more himself. I loved the way we were going through different very local shops and he explained the history and gathered some samples to then stay at a table and taste everything. The food we had was exceptionally good and he didn’t pressure us into buying anything from local vendors. I couldn’t recommend this tour more if you were coming to Istanbul!!
This is the perfect solo activity to do in Istanbul if you are a foodie. Absolutely, under no circumstances eat prior to this tour. There is sooo much food to try and eat, and it’s all so good. This tour was a highlight of my trip. Aside from the delicious food, the guide provided interesting history in the city and development of the food culture. Riding the ferry across the Bosphorous to the Asian side of the city was really cool. I think the mussels were the highlight of the tour for me. I saw them the day before and was nervous to try them. The whole day was 10/10.
Thanks, Ken! We're so glad you had a great day eating your way across to the Asian side with us, the ferry over the Bosphorus really is a highlight. And we love that you worked up the courage for the mussels, they win a lot of people over! So many guests tell us the tour ends up being a highlight of their trip, and we're really happy it was the same for you. We hope to welcome you back to Istanbul someday. :)
Amazing tour by Ayse! We had way too much food, needed a nap afterwards. Everything was fantastic. Very helpful with vegetarian options, there was only one dish that our vegetarian friend could not eat/ did not have an alternative. Also great way to see parts of the city and learn history from the guide.
Thanks, Michelle! We're so glad you had a great day with Ayşe and that the food had you ready for a nap, that's the Yummy Istanbul way! It's great to hear she looked after your vegetarian friend so well too. We always do our best to adapt, even if the odd traditional dish can't be swapped at every stop. We hope to welcome you back to Istanbul someday. :)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) The Istanbul Taste of Two Continents Food Tour was one of the highlights of my visit to Turkey. It was a fantastic way to experience the city's rich culture, history, and incredible food. The tour started at the famous Spice Bazaar, where our guide introduced us to a variety of local spices, sweets, teas, and traditional delicacies. The vibrant atmosphere and colorful stalls made for a wonderful introduction to Istanbul's culinary heritage. One of the best parts of the tour was the ferry ride across the Bosphorus. Traveling between Europe and Asia offered stunning views of the city skyline and provided a unique perspective on Istanbul's position between two continents. Throughout the day, we sampled a wide range of delicious Turkish foods, including savory snacks, local specialties, and traditional desserts. The guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and shared fascinating stories about the history, culture, and food traditions of Istanbul. The tour was well organized, the pace was comfortable, and the food portions were generous. I highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Istanbul who wants to discover authentic local cuisine while exploring both the European and Asian sides of this amazing city.
Thanks, Peet! We're so glad you had a great day eating your way from the Spice Bazaar across to the Asian side with us. The ferry over the Bosphorus, with two continents on either side of you, really is something special. And we love that the stories behind the food brought Istanbul's culinary heritage to life. So many guests tell us the tour ends up being a highlight of their trip, and we're really happy it was the same for you. We hope to welcome you back to Istanbul someday. :)
Fun, friendly, informative with a few fairy short walks and lots of yummy food… We were guided by Selen who was 100% amazing
Thanks! We're so glad you had a great day with Selen, 100% amazing is exactly what we like to hear! We hope to welcome you back to Istanbul someday. :)
