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THE SULTAN’S PALATE: A Culinary & Cultural Journey through Old Istanbul
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Joined 2025
Discover Istanbul’s tastes and treasures without the steep hills. This premium, flat-route tour takes you from the Hippodrome to the legendary Royal Kitchens of Topkapi Palace. Enjoy upscale boutique shopping at Arasta Bazaar, followed by an exclusive cooking masterclass at Deraliye Restaurant. Prepare iconic 16th-century sultan’s dishes alongside an expert chef and celebrate with a spectacular Ottoman feast. History, shopping, and comfort combined.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
German Fountain
- I will welcome you at the heart of old Constantinople. Before we start our walk, I want to set the stage for you. As we stand on the completely flat ground of the ancient Hippodrome, I will share the wild stories of Roman chariot races, political riots, and Ottoman imperial celebrations that took place right under our feet.
Topkapi Palace: Secrets of the Royal Kitchens
We will take a short, scenic stroll into the grand gates of Topkapi Palace. While the palace is vast, my main focus today is taking you into the incredible Matbah-ı Amire (The Palace Kitchens).
This is where imperial culinary history truly comes alive. I will show you where a staff of over 1,200 chefs cooked for the Sultan, how the "Halvahane" prepared royal sweets, and the fascinating ways they guarded the Sultan’s food safety. Trust me, hearing these stories will perfectly build your appetite for later!
Premium Shopping at Arasta Bazaar (My Favorite Flat Route)
We will leave the palace and follow a beautiful, completely flat path behind the Blue Mosque straight into Arasta Bazaar. I chose this spot specifically because it’s calm, linear, and completely hassle-free compared to the chaotic crowds of larger markets.
Your Time to Shop: I will give you plenty of free time to browse my favorite curated boutique shops. It’s the perfect, relaxed environment to pick up premium Turkish silks, organic cotton pestamals, authentic Iznik ceramics, or fine textiles or authentic handwoven rugs without any rush.
A Short Stroll to the Kitchen
After our shopping break, we will take a relaxed 5-minute flat walk together, crossing the historical tram line, and arrive directly at Ticarethane Street where our kitchen awaits. No stairs, no hills—just pure comfort.
Your Private Imperial Masterclass at the Restaurant
I will introduce you to the expert chefs of the award-winning *** Restaurant. We will tie our aprons and step into the kitchen to bring the history we discussed at the palace to life.
The Hands-on Experience: Together with the chef, I will guide you through the unique flavor profiles of 15th-17th century palace cuisine. You will get hands-on and learn how to cook legendary sultan's dishes, balancing sweet and savory flavors using dried fruits, nuts, and rare spices. (Our star dish will be the famous 1539 Stuffed Melon!)
The Royal Banquet
The hard work is done! We will take our seats in the elegant dining hall to enjoy the fruits of your labor. The dishes you helped prepare will be served as your starters, followed by a full, curated Ottoman feast.
The Grand Finale: As we toast with traditional fruit-infused palace sherbets or Turkish wine / Rakı and enjoy a spectacular main course, I will share a few final cultural insights. We will end our perfect day together with premium Turkish coffee and dessert.
Ending Point
German Fountain
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Private Professional Guiding: Dedicated, personalized guiding service throughout the entire flat-route itinerary (Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace Kitchens, and Arasta Bazaar) for your private group.
Private Cooking Masterclass: Exclusive hands-on kitchen workshop at the award-winning Deraliye Restaurant with an expert chef.
3-Course Royal Banquet: A full dinner featuring the historical Ottoman palace dishes you helped prepare, plus the main course and dessert.
Table Water & Sherbet: Complimentary water and traditional non-alcoholic palace sherbets served during your dinner.
Topkapi Palace Entry Tickets: Museum entry tickets are not included in the tour price. Guests must purchase their own tickets. (I will assist you with the fast-track options at the gate, or you can buy them online in advance). The fee is 2750 TL (around $60 per person including harem,kitchens and holy relics & whole administrative buildings)
Extra Beverages, Coffee & Tea: Any alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, or post-dinner Turkish coffee and tea are not included in the package and will be billed separately by the restaurant based on your personal orders.
Personal Shopping: Any purchases made during your free time at the Arasta Bazaar.
Gratuities: Gratuities for your guide and the restaurant staff are at your discretion.
Tour Important Information
Perfect for All Fitness Levels: This tour features a carefully designed, completely flat walking route with zero steep hills or major stairs, making it exceptionally comfortable and senior-friendly.
Dress Code: We will be walking on historic cobblestones, so comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended. While we won’t enter the active prayer areas of the mosques on this specific route, smart-casual dress is perfect for the palace and the restaurant.
Dietary Restrictions: Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies, intolerances, or dietary restrictions (such as vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free). The kitchen at Deraliye is highly accommodating, but advance notice helps us prepare the perfect ingredients for your masterclass.
Shopping & Logistics: Since Arasta Bazaar offers incredible boutique shopping opportunities, I recommend bringing a secure daypack or tote bag for your purchases. If you plan on buying larger items (like carpets or large ceramics), the shops can easily arrange international shipping for you.
Wheelchair & Stroller Accessible: Thanks to the flat-ground itinerary, this tour is fully accessible for guests with mild mobility challenges.
Weather Ready: A small part of our journey involves walking through the open-air courtyards of Topkapi Palace and the bazaar. Please check the weather forecast and bring an umbrella or sunglasses accordingly.
Important message from the supplier
I can give day tours and evening tours as well as excursions far from the city that I currently live in such as Cappadocia,Ephesus,Kuşadası,İzmir,Sardes,Antalya,Fethiye,Bodrum etc. (simply all around Turkey & Balkan countries along with Georgia and Northern Cyprus.)
For those tours which requires a remote city visit (and for the ones that we’ll customize together for you) I will need an advance booking (best to book 3-5 weeks prior and earlier)
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2025
About Tour Guide Yağmur B.
I’ve been a professional tour guide for9 years, and let me tell you, I absolutely adore my job. I love showcasing my country, Turkiye, with all its cultural, historical, and modern treasures. Every day, I get to share my enthusiasm and pride for my homeland with visitors. I truly enjoy making everyone feel like a cherished guest, and I take great pleasure in introducing them to the unique wonders of Turkiye with both joy and a touch of humor. For me, every tour is a delightful experience, and it’s all about making memories and having fun along the way!
Reviews
Lucy A.
“Our visit to Istanbul with Yagmur”
Yagmur, thank you so much for spending the day with us and for sharing your beautiful country with us. We truly enjoyed your company, and your knowledge brought the places we visited to life. You made our visit to Istanbul unforgettable, and we are so grateful to have had you as our guide. Thanks for introducing me to the baklava and ice cream dessert it was delicious. We highly recommend Yagmur to anyone visiting Istanbul!
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Yağmur B.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It was such a pleasure spending the day with you and sharing Istanbul’s history, culture, and little hidden gems. I’m so happy you enjoyed our time together, and especially that you loved the baklava and ice cream! Thank you for your kind words and recommendation. I hope our paths cross again someday, whether in Istanbul or somewhere else in the world. Sending you my warmest wishes!
Mary K.
“Istanbul when you have visited all the famous tourist spots”
The full day tour we did with was so good. It was our second visit to Istanbul and we were keen to see other places in the city. Yağmur was really fabulous. She was professional and friendly and with her we saw another side of Istanbul. We visited neighborhoods we would never have found without her and also saw some wonderful frescoes and mosques in those areas. She was quick to understand what we were interested in. I would highly recommend her tour. It was just a lovely day.
Yağmur B.
Thank you so much, Mary! It was such a pleasure exploring a different side of Istanbul with you. I’m so happy we got to discover some of the city’s hidden gems together. I truly enjoyed our day and hope our paths cross again someday!
Jane J.
“2 days in Istanbul ”
Our multigenerational family of 7, from a 7 year old to 79 year old spent 2 days with Yagmur. She offered us a wonderful experience in Istanbul and adapted experiences and activities to suit everyone. A wonderful experience.
Yağmur B.
Thank you so much, Jane! It was such a pleasure spending these two days with you and your lovely family. I truly enjoyed every moment with you all and hope to welcome you back to Istanbul someday!
$495/ per person
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