Istanbul Uncovered: Daily Life, Customs, and Stories - Alternative Tour
If you’re curious about the Turkish people—where they come from, their traditions, marriage customs, education system, healthcare, and economy—this 2.5-hour tour is a perfect choice. Rather than focusing on history, this experience delves into everyday life in Turkey, giving you a deeper understanding of its culture and society. Along the way, you’ll hear fascinating insights and engaging stories from a knowledgeable local guide, making for an informative and memorable experience.
Departure: 14:30 pm ( 2.5 Hrs )
Availability: Tuesdays – Thursdays – Fridays – Saturdays- Sundays ( Not available on Mondays and Tuesdays )
Meeting Point: We will be waiting with a yellow umbrella at the entrance of Corlulu Ali Pasha Madrasah , Google map link
Price:
We kindly ask for a minimum contribution of 10 Euros or 400 TL per person to help support our services. This contribution goes toward booking costs, Google advertisements, organizational expenses, and, most importantly, fair compensation for our passionate, licensed tour guides.
Our guides aren’t just storytellers—they’re highly trained professionals who have completed an intensive four-year study program and work full-time to bring history and culture to life. With Turkey’s high inflation rate, your support ensures they receive the fair wages they deserve for their expertise and dedication.
We truly appreciate your generosity and can’t wait to take you on this unforgettable cultural journey. Thank you, and see you soon!
Please Note:
Booking is required to receive updates and reserve your spot.
Corlulu Ali Pasha Madrasah
Our journey begins at a historic Ottoman-era religious school. Here, we will explore its transformation over time, touching upon the broader evolution of the Ottoman Empire into the Republic of Turkey. This is where we set the stage for understanding the deep-rooted history that has shaped modern-day Istanbul.
Old Book Bazaar
Immersing ourselves in Turkey’s literary heritage. We’ll dive into the rich intellectual traditions that have influenced the country’s culture, offering you a deeper understanding of the stories that have shaped the nation.
Istanbul University
Turkey’s largest and most prestigious institution. With its long-standing academic legacy, we’ll explore how education has evolved in the country and how it continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of Turkey.
As we move forward, we stop at the Faculty of Economics and a functioning Istanbul University-affiliated hospital, gaining insight into Turkey’s economic landscape and healthcare system. These stops allow us to understand how these institutions support the nation’s ongoing development.
19th- and 20th-century houses
We’ll reflect on daily life in Istanbul, discovering the traditions and customs that still influence modern Turkish culture.
Suleymaniye Mosque
Architectural masterpiece by the renowned Mimar Sinan, built during the reign of Sultan Süleyman. From the mosque’s garden, which offers one of the most breathtaking observation terraces in the world, we will enjoy panoramic views of Istanbul, spanning both the Anatolian and European sides. Along the way, we’ll stop at the Süleymaniye Bath, delving into the fascinating history of the Turkish bath culture and its significance throughout the centuries.
Stop Turkish Delight and Tea
To wrap up our day, we will enjoy a relaxing moment with authentic Turkish delight and tea, the perfect way to reflect on all that we’ve discovered.
This thoughtfully crafted tour takes you beyond the typical tourist attractions and offers you a deeper connection with Istanbul’s hidden gems. It’s a journey into the city’s stories, traditions, and everyday life—offering a truly local perspective that no standard tour can provide.
Unfortunately Paypal, Venmo or similar applications are not working in Turkey and you can only tip in Cash in TL, Euro, Usd.
Alternative tour happen in English and if you have a large groups, we can provide it in other languages as private option.
During our tour, we will visit a mosque, and we ask that all visitors dress modestly to respect the sacred space. Ladies are required to cover their heads, shoulders, and legs, while men should wear shorts that cover the knees. The mosque provides free coverings if necessary, but you are welcome to bring your own scarf if you prefer.
Basis Travel - Free Walking Tour Istanbul
Out of 5 stars
Overall rating out of 600 Google reviews
Lidia Moharic
3 days ago
I had a fantastic time on the Free Istanbul Tour! The guide was knowledgeable and friendly, sharing fascinating stories about the city's history. The pace was perfect, and I loved exploring both popular and lesser-known sights. Highly recommend it to anyone visiting Istanbul!
Faamanu Lefiti
a week ago
Tour guide was very informative! Hit main points I wanted to see. Would recommend!!
Aj
a week ago
Younes was amazing, very friendly and all around good👍
Darpan Gautam
a week ago
Younes was amazing, would highly recommend for everyone!
Jenny To
a week ago
Albert Packer
a week ago
Had a tour with Yunus and it was a wonderful experience! He took plenty of time to answer all of my many questions! He was super informative and now I see Istanbul and the culture from a totally different perspective. Can’t recommend this tour enough!
Maria S
2 weeks ago
It was an mazing walking tour with Yunus. Thank you very much. High recommended
Prashanth Shankar
2 weeks ago
Mohamed was an excellent guide and a story teller giving us both cultural and historical relevance to each place we went to.
Olga (Meilin)
a year ago
It was our first time visiting Turkey and Istanbul, so as good travellers we decided to learn more about this beautiful and historical place. We have closed Basic travel free walking tour and it was excellent choice. This tour includes all basic sightseeing and Yunus was our good guide to the most attractive and important chapters of the Istanbul history. Dear Yunus, thank you very much for your exciting stories, astonishing moments. And at the end of our tour as a cherry on cake, we visited nice rooftop with very nice food and coffee.
Laura M
4 months ago
Did the old town and off the beaten path tours with Yunus - fantastic!! Yunus was very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend!
tracy mok
2 weeks ago
it’s a great tour to start off the trip of Turkey with different knowledge…the islamic culture, the history, fun things about the locals etc…the guide is funny and very knowledgeable. highly recommend!
Lorenz Steinkohl
9 months ago
I initially just started with the old town tour but ended up doing the alternative history tour as well. You can tell that Yunus is very educated and knowledgeable because he gives really balanced and insightful answers about Turkish’s history as well as current societal issues. Always open to chat about all sort of questions and made the tour fun. The old town tour was cool because we explored well known sites but also went down alleyways I wouldn’t have otherwise noticed. The alternative history tour gave me really good insights into the daily lives of Turkish people. I don’t think I would’ve gotten the same out of more touristy/ organised tour. If you have the option, I’d recommend doing a tour early on because for me it gave me a lot more context for my remaining Istanbul stay. We learnt some useful Turkish words as well. Aside from that, the tour groups were not too big and I got to meet some cool people via them as well! Thanks Yunus!
Alexandra Kutanina
a month ago
The walking tour with Yunas was fantastic! He’s a great storyteller who made the city’s history come alive. The tea and Turkish delight at the end were such a nice touch. Highly recommend for anyone exploring the city!
Sreshya Kamakshi Vishwanathan
a month ago
Excellent tour of the old city by Yunus, who offers many insights along the way and is a fabulous storyteller - the 2.5 hours flew by and we learnt a lot. Thank you so much for also being so approachable and genuine! The Turkish delights and teas at the end are also a very nice surprise.
Jim Butler
4 months ago
Mohamed was a lively, knowledgeable and articulate guide, providing great insight in to Istanbul, the sights, the sounds the culture and the history. He also ensured we all stuck with him on his tour and made sure we were kept safe as we navigated the traffic with him. Great tour, great guide and well worth doing, I recommend this experience to anyone venturing in to Istanbul for their first time.
Marko Švec
a year ago
Definitely one of the best walking tours i have ever been to! The guys are great guides, quite funny and very friendly. On both tours I met interesting people, so I would come againt simply to hang out with them. You shouldn't miss this if you come to Istanbul 🙂
Max
a year ago
Cumali was our guide for the Alternative Istanbul Walking Tour. Cumali has an extraordinary depth of knowledge of Istanbul. He is an exceptional teacher and storyteller transporting us back in time, it felt like we were walking the streets and alleys in a different era! I cannot recommend this tour highly enough, I’ve done many walking tours and this one is top tier. I’ve been thinking about his stories for many days since the tour and learnt so much. Thank you Cumali! 🤩🙌
Renata Lacerda van Dodewaard
11 months ago
What an amazing tour! Imran knows a lot of facts about the history of the city. He gave the group many tips on good spots in the city. He was friendly, and the tour was really great. I would definitely recommend it.