Explore the cuisines of Istanbul on a 5-hour food tour of the city on both sides of the Bosphorus. Starting in the Sultanhamet neighborhood, board a local tram to Eminonu Port to transfer by public ferry across the Bosporus Strait to Kadikoy Port in Asia.
Enjoy views of 2 continents on the journey. Then, stroll around the Kadikoy neighborhood visiting local markets and diving down a maze of streets lined with local shops selling all kinds of produce. Go to the fish market to try some delicious mussels stuffed with rice and spices.
After a break at a café, full of locals playing backgammon and okey, follow your guide to a restaurant that specializes in home-cooked food from the Kurdish area of southeast Turkey (vegetarian and gluten-free options available).
Stomach full, head back to Europe on the ferry, enjoying panoramas of Istanbul Bosphorus at night. By now you should have room for something sweet, so your guide will take you to an establishment where you can sample a typical Turkish dessert, before taking the tram to a 300-year-old madrasah that has been converted to a café.
Relax with a drink as you watch the locals going about their business. Try the fruity flavors of an authentic nargile (water pipe), washed down with some Turkish beverages, such as cay Turkish coffee, sahlep or boomba tea..
