Foodie Tour with Lale, or a senior guide...

In Istanbul, the day before your Rick Steves' "Best of Turkey" tour starts.

This tour designed to complement the Rick Steves Best of Turkey tour. There will be no overlaps but interesting experiences with a look into the everyday life of Istanbulites by taking you beyond the Old Town and carrying you into the life of the residents. During the tour and the lunch, there will be many chances to talk about contemporary life, being a working woman, cost of life, everyday issues and other subjects.


Meet at the tour hotel at 09:30.
Walk to Marmaray, metro station for an intercontinental trip under the Bosphorus.
Arrive in Üsküdar on the Bosphorus at 10:30-ish.
Learn about Üsküdar, (spend 20-30 min.).
Walk to Kızkulesi along the Bosphorus (20 min.).
Sit on theatre-style tiered benches on the Bosphorus, facing the Old Town watching the domes and spires.
Enjoy simit & tea. Nibble on sun-flower seeds (30 min.).
Take dolmuş to Kadıköy, 30 min. Dolmuş is shared taxis that we stop in prompt.
12:00 get off by Haldun Taner Theater on the Bosphrous.
Discover Kadıköy neighborhood, once a village, now fort of liberals.
In Kadıköy's produce market we will be stopping at different shops/delis and taste samples of local delicacies.
Family style lunch in a local restaurant to taste samples of Asia Minor and Mesopotamian cuisines.
Walk through Bahariye Street, see bookstores, coffee shops, hang-outs of locals.
Head back to Old Town at around 16:00 by ferry crossing on the Bosphorus.

• Simit: Turkish sesame bagels
• Tea: The staple beverage for breakfast
• Sunflower seeds: What Turks nibble on
• Stuffed mussels: Turks stuff any food item that we can be physically stuffed, stuffed mussels is a delicacy
• Kokoreç: Turkish style chopped sausage sandwich
• Fried mussels: Yes, calamari is delicious, but fried mussels are as popular
• Liver, A La Albania: Sheep’s liver prepared it the Albanian style
• Paçanga Pastry: Savory phyllo pastries with cheese and pastrami, strangely named after a 60's Cuban music
• Halva: A centuries-old traditional dessert
• Ice cream: Favorite local ice cream made with goat's milk and dusted bulbs of wild orchid flowers
• İçli Kofte: Mesopotamian style bulgur poaches with minced meat and herbs
• Kebabs: Kebab is any meat dish, there will be a couple of samples to try
• Lahmacun: Very thin crust (but not crusty) mini Turkish pizza
• Fruit sherbets: Religion said not to wine, that didn't stop Turks enjoying fruit drinks. Sherbets made by simmering the fruits and herbs are popular
• Ayran: Turks beloved yogurt drink. It is even in the McDonalds menu
• Turkish Coffee: Taste the famous coffee and learn why Turkish word for breakfast is "pre-coffee"

All public transportation (intercontinental sub-Bosphorus metro, dolmush ride, return ferry ride on the Bosphorus, all food tasting, lunch, tips)
All the food and lunch including non-alcoholic beverages
Headsets (if the group is bigger than 13 or more)


Send an e-mail to lale@srmtravel.com, or click "to sign-up".
On the subject line write for “Foodie tour with Lale”, add the date of your tour and number of people.
As an example: Foodie Tour with Lale, March 23, 2 people...
In the body of your email provide your name/s, hotel you will be staying at before the Rick Steves Best of Turkey tour, and the number of the mobile phone/s you will have with you in Turkey so that Lale can contact you if needed.
Lale will personally reply your email.

Payment in cash on the day of the tour.