Melike gave us an exceptional tour of Topkapi Palace and the gardens. She made the palace come alive with her descriptions of the construction of the palace and the lives of its inhabitants. We were able to see the kitchen(s) as well as the rooms of the Harem, the Sultan, and private governing areas. The tour of the treasury was breathtaking. The extensive gardens are amazing to walk through and gave our tour a sense of relaxation alongside the education we were treated to.

Our Spice Bazaar and Kadikoy Market tour was absolutely fabulous. Nur shared the history of the area with us, before showing us to a spice merchant where we made our selections. After a ferry ride across the Bosphorus, she walked us on an "eating" tour of the Kadikoy Market. She had checked with us regarding food preferences and the selections she made for our repast were delicious. After our lunch, she took us to the Sekerci Cafer Erol for a coffee and two types of Baklava. She was sharing with us the places where she buys her own food which made the tour even more special. We loved this tour and look forward to doing it again with Nur on our next trip to Istanbul.

Claire was amazing. Since there was only 4 of us she made it more personable so we could travel through many areas we would have never found on our own. She also escorted us to shops for items we were looking to buy. Great history lesson of the Spice Market and Grand Bazaar!