Although we can quite happily wander Istanbul’s streets for hours or days at a time, making new discoveries and getting a little lost here and there, it’s sometimes nice to have a bit of guidance. You may have noticed that there’s a heck of a lot of history in this city and, while we think we know a thing or two about what’s going on these days, we’re not professional historians. This is where tour operators come in. It’s amazing what you can learn about a city you thought you knew so well when being guided by an expert in the field.
“The best way to get to know a city is by getting lost in it, touring every corner, every alley; smelling it enjoying it in every way possible in order to increase one’s comprehension of the links between people, culture and places,” writes Fest Travel’s General Manager, Faruk Pekin, in the foreword to his 2004 book, Istanbul: The Legendary Capital. Established more than twenty-five years ago, Fest Travel is one of our favorite travel agencies in Istanbul. Taking this advice to heart, they’ve mapped out around 90 different routes with which they aim to show both tourists and Istanbullites a side of the city that they’ve never seen before.
They offer half day, full day, and weekend tours of some of the city’s best sights, by boat, bus and (our preferred method) strolling. There are art tours, religious tours, cultural tours, and study tours. This wide selection allows you to be picky and choose based either on your own interests, eg: Jewish Heritage, Ottoman, or Byzantine or by your neighborhood of choice, eg: Galata, The Golden Horn or Pera.
They also operate tours elsewhere in Turkey and internationally too. If you’re feeling adventurous, check out their historical, cultural and archeological tours to over 70 different destinations including: Mongolia, Uzbekistan, and Botswana.
kaynak: http://www.theguideistanbul.com/article/fest-travel-istanbul-you%E2%80%99ve-never-seen-it
