About Tour Guide Dilek O.

“A Custom Heritage Tour That Exceeded Every Expectation”

We requested a fully custom heritage tour for my 88-year-old mother-in-law, Nora, tracing her mother's footsteps through 1920s to 1930s Istanbul, and Dilek was the perfect partner for it. Before the tour, she worked closely with me by email to understand what we were hoping to find, researched the historical context herself, and even consulted a colleague who specializes in Armenian heritage tours. That preparation showed from the start. Dilek picked us up right on time with a spacious, wheelchair-accessible van and narrated everything as we crossed to the Asian side. At the Armenian school, she spoke with the caretaker in Turkish and got us inside a building that's normally closed, where staff pulled out historical photos once they saw Hazel's 1930 graduation certificate. In Moda, she walked us onto the pier, pointed out the islands where Armenian families once kept summer homes, and doubled back so we could photograph a street sign. She also knew exactly which market stall made the best börek, which Nora loved. The high point was the Üsküdar American Academy, Nora's mother's old school. Security turned us away at first, but Dilek and the paperwork we'd brought changed their minds. An administrator rode in our van so we could photograph the historic administration building, and the principal came out to greet Nora in Armenian and English. It was an incredibly emotional, unexpected gift, made possible because Dilek knew how to advocate for us in the moment. If you want a custom, deeply personal tour of Istanbul rather than a standard sightseeing route, I can't recommend Dilek enough. She treats a custom request as a project worth researching properly, not just a checklist of stops. This was one of the most meaningful days of our entire trip.

Dilek O.

(8 reviews)

Dear Stephenie Thank you from the bottom of my heart for these kind words. Helping Nora connect with her mother’s past in Istanbul was one of the most special and emotional tours I have ever had the pleasure of guiding. From the historic archives at the Armenian school to our walk on the Moda pier, every moment felt magical. Thank you for your trust, your wonderful energy, and for letting me be a part of this unforgettable day. Much love to Nora!

“Pure magic for families! Kept our 7-year-old captivated for 3 hours!”

Booking this private tour of the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Basilica Cistern was the best decision we made in Istanbul. Dilek was absolutely spectacular, especially with our 7-year-old daughter. Taking a child on a 3-hour historical tour can be daunting, but she turned it into an interactive adventure. She kept our daughter completely captivated from start to finish by asking engaging questions, telling captivating stories, and offering fun little rewards that kept her motivated. Her ability to connect with children while delivering a wealth of historical knowledge to the adults is a rare and incredible skill. Beyond her deep expertise, she was incredibly warm, friendly, and helpful throughout the entire afternoon. If you are travelling to Istanbul with kids, do yourself a huge favour and book a tour with her. She made history come alive for our whole family! Vijay

Dilek O.

(8 reviews)

Dear Vijay and Sunisha, Thank you so much for taking the time to write this beautiful review. Meeting wonderful families like yours is the greatest reward of my job and reading your kind words made me so happy. I enjpyed guiding your daughter so much. Her curiosity and bright energy made our time exploring the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Basilica Cistern so much fun. I loved going on that interactive adventure with he. She definitely earned all of those little rewards! It is always my biggest goal to make history engaging for both the adults and the kids, and I'm so happy to hear that you all had a magical afternoon. Thank you again for choosing to spend your day in Istanbul with me. Sending my warmest hugs to you, your wife and your sweet daughter. I hope our paths cross again someday,

“A Lovely Way to Discover Old Istanbul with kids”

We had a wonderful experience exploring Old Istanbul with Dilek. She was very knowledgeable, friendly, and made the tour enjoyable for the whole family. Most importantly, she was wonderful with our children and was very patient and engaging with them throughout the tour. She made sure they stayed interested while also giving us a great introduction to the history and beauty of the key highlights of the tour. We really enjoyed our time with her and would happily recommend her to other families traveling with children.

Dilek O.

(8 reviews)

Hi Isabel Thank you so much for this wonderful review! It was a pleasure exploring Old Istanbul with you and your beautiful family. I always believe that history is best enjoyed when everyone especially the little ones can connect with it and have fun. Your children were so curious and amazing to be around which made the tour enjoyable for me as well. Thank you for your kind recommendation and I hope to welcome you all back to Istanbul in the future