Organic Reviews
Oğulcan ÖZDİL
Company CEO
Some Love From Our Guests
“ I liked our guide very much. He is easy to understand and knowledgeable. I tried all of the desserts he shared with me. He knows the city well and has a good command of the subjects. Au revoir CAN. ”
Joëlle
“ I and my family attended Can’s lectures. He is a good speaker and very young. We did not feel his absence during our trip. He was always calling and liaising. 10/10 ”
Oliver and Sarah
“ He’s very systematic and organised. Generous and sharing. Sincere with his sympathetic humour and smile. He took care to explain his teachings in a way that everyone in our group could understand. The only guide I would call if I come again. ”
Lina
“ I came with my nieces and nephews. He’s good with children. He never bored them. He even bought them ice-cream. We had the most beautiful moments with Istanbul that I will never forget. Thank you and see you in New York, Can! ”
Charlotte
“ Decidimos hacer una visita guiada a Santa Sofia con un experto local para conocer más en detalle sobre la historia de este iconico lugar; y realmente la atención, información y trato recibido por parte de Oĝulcan superó nuestras expectativas. Desde el primer momento mantuvo comunicación, lo que hizo que el encuentro y la entrada al lugar fuera muy fácil. Nos brindo información detallada sobre toda la historia de Santa Sofia de manera amena, dinámica y para nada aburrida. Si quieres que tu visita a este maravilloso lugar sea algo verdaderamente para nunca olvidar te aconsejo que cuentes con Oĝulcan, no te vas a arrepentir. ”
Ivon
“ We had a nice trip to Istanbul. We are planning to come again next year and you have a share in that. Mulțumesc foarte mult, rămâi sănătos ghid maestru! ”
Ludovic
“Can was an exceptional guide, even despite a large hiccup that occurred on location. He was very accommodating and well prepared and even though the experience ended up being different than I had thought, it was still top notch. Under normal circumstances I bet the tour would be even better. Even with the limitations of the day, I can still wholeheartedly recommend this tour. Can is very knowledgeable and goes through the history and does his best to take you back in time to set the scene. Fantastic. ”
Emi
“ The Basilica Cistern was spectacular and magical with our host @atourguideinconstantinople. Can (Guide) is very professional and knowledgeable. He managed to create the personality of Medusa and did his part to introduce the Basilica Cistern in the most efficient way. We did not wait at the entrance, it was smooth and easy. The cistern is very beautiful and we are glad we did it with Can. Many thanks to the ‘best guide in the world’ ”
Mary
“ The experience was really great. Our guide Can is very knowledgeable and has the ability to analyze extremely accurately. He welcomed us very well with his fluent English and friendliness. (Especially the posts he prepared for us with special information from Istanbul were very useful for us.) We would definitely recommend him. ”
Sarah
“ I liked our guide very much. He is easy to understand and knowledgeable. I tried all of the desserts he shared with me. He knows the city well and has a good command of the subjects. Au revoir CAN. ”
Kathrine
“ John was fantastic! His creative story telling mixed with historical knowledge made for a memorable experience. My husband and I left the tour feeling like we learned something new. A++ ”
Sara
“ The guide Ogulçan (short Çan) has made my visit to the Basilika Cistern a tremendous experience. Çan is a historian both by profession and by heart, he is a storyteller and mixes his profound knowledge with entertaining anecdotes about the place and its surroundings. Instead of just visiting the place, he’s made me experience it. Very many thanks to Çan, you are a great guide, and I appreciate the time spent with you underground! ”
Bastian
“ Très interessant et poétique. Je recommande ainsi que notre guide. ”
MH
“ Exceptional site (Basilica Cistern) and Guide was very knowledgeable and helpful and Patient. ”
Marie Josée
“ Can is a great guide! His enthusiasm learned us a lot about the B. Cisterne. Can makes it visual and he does it in a manner as if you are his first guests. We found it out best tour during our 5 days visit to Istanbul. Highly recommended!! ”
Kees
“ Great tour with Can – very knowledgeable and made everything more interesting with context, commentary, and additional recommendations in Istanbul. Highly recommend this one ”
Michael
“ Brilliant guided tour. Guide was very knowledgeable & definitely worth money to get guided tour to learn history ”
Kat
“ The guide was very nice and competent. We were the only guests. So it was also a private tour. Again any time!!!! ”
Klaus
“ John is a fantastic tour guide with his expertise experience knowledge of history & culture. We really enjoyed his accompanying guide us through the event, thank you John ”
GetYourGuide traveler
“ Fantastic guide in perfect English. Quite obviously an exceptionally talented guy with a real passion for both the building, the City and its’ history. Would highly recommend to anyone travelling to Istanbul. Made my visit to Hagia Sophia even more impressive. ”
Sam
“ the guide Ogulcan is very good and prepared as well as being very nice. He has put together a wonderful tour that not only lets you discover the features of Hagia Sophia but also helps you understand its meaning and beautiful history. Beautiful experience that I highly recommend ”
Alberto
“ I had a private tour, the guide listened to me and took half an hour longer than agreed for the tour. Friendly and well prepared. ”
Adalbert
“ We were lucky to be the only one in the tour – and Ogulcan, our guide, was great, polite and very knowledgeable about Hagia Sophia ”
Ivana
“ Oğulcan is a fantastic person, a knowledgeable historian, specializing in Byzantine period. he can tell you a lot of details than you will not find on the Internet. he also has a good sense of humor! ”
Mikhail
“ Excellent! He is a great guide with a lot of knowledge of the history of Hagia Sophia and Istanbul. He also gave us very good recommendations for the city. Thank you!! ”
Alejandro
“ John was brilliant and a very friendly fellow. His depth of knowledge was extraordinary. ”
Bradford
“ Very knowledgeable guide. Very nice tour. ”
Giannis
“ Extremely knowledgeable and passionate – definitely recommend this experience ”
Riccardo
“ This was ‘the big one’ for me as I have wanted to see Hagia Sophia for years. I was not disappionted. A very good tour. ”
Carl
“ Great experience. The guide was very polite and understanding to our needs. He was funny and very well informed. I recommend doing this tour 100%. ”
Hara
“ Ogulcan is very knowledgeable about the history and passionate about the Hagia Sophia. I enjoyed listening to his insights and being able to ask questions about this dynamic place. The tablet videos he showed to illustrate aspects of the building and the history of Istanbul were a very welcome part of the tour. ”
Riccardo
“ Amazing tour by John (Americanized version of his lovely name that I would not spell correctly)! I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. The timing is key as John’s knowledge of Hagia Sofia allows you to wait in line for the least amount of time and enter in the late afternoon when the crowds are smaller and the temperatures outdoors are kinder. But it’s important to note that your tour starts while you are in line! John will begin by sharing the history of this beautiful building and its place in local and world history, including some amazing personal research and architectural photos / references he’ll show you on his iPad. John’s true passion for history and architecture are what make this tour special. You’ll leave the tour with a new perspective that will bring joy to your heart. Don’t look further — this is the tour you want! ”
Melissa D
“ Fascinating tour! We loved learning and sharing in the passion for the Agia Sophia. Wonderful way to really see the space with a fabulous host! ”
Kara
“ Our guide, Can, was very friendly, knowledgeable and informative. Communication was great. ”
Sharon
“ I loved this tour. The guide was so knowledgeable and told the history very well. I was very happy. the Basilica Cistern is stunning and I highly recommend going to see it! ”
Davina
“ Fascinating tour! We loved learning and sharing in the passion for the Agia Sophia. Wonderful way to really see the space with a fabulous host! ”
Orlin
“ highly recommend a tour for this or you won’t know what you’re looking at. our guide also recommended places to eat and things to do. fast and efficient ”
Thuy Viet
“ I loved this tour. The guide was so knowledgeable and told the history very well. I was very happy. the Basilica Cistern is stunning and I highly recommend going to see it! ”
Diane
“ Our guide, “Can”, explained everything very well in detail but not too much! In addition, he was very friendly. The site was magnificient! ”
Orlin
“ The tour was really good. The guide knows nearly all about it. I can recommend. It was also good not to stand in the long queue 🙂 ”
Stefan
“ despite a full scale protest our tour went on like clockwork and I had a good time talking to the guide ”
Veronica
“ Easy, fast, well organised! The guide very informative and helpful. Would absolutely book again! ”
Brian
“ We got lucky and the group was just me and my partner:)))Wonderful experience! Can was very very very knowledgeable! Highly recommend! ”
Varvara
“ Punctual , clear and very knowledgeable. Went in right away with no waiting . ”
Geraldine
“ The guide is fantastic. Can from the tour of costantinopoli. ”
Rosanna
“ The guide was very passionate and truly knowledgeable about the history. It was definitely more interesting having the guide. ”
Jurgita
“ Dr. Can was an awesome guide — super knowledgeable, highly prepared and generously answered all of our questions. We ended up booking him for 2 more tours because he was excellent. ”
Lindsay
“ The guide is fantastic. Can from the tour of costantinopoli. ”
Andrea
“ Great tour. Our guide was really friendly and knowledgeable and funny too! Thank you ”
Shannon
“ Meeting up point was as described in the joining instructions and we really benefited from skipping the long ticket queue. Fantastic well informed and good quality audio commentary. Guide was a very good English speaker, easy to understand and tour was at a good pace for the entire group with plenty of photo opportunities. Well done and thank you. ”
Clare
“ Ogulcan, our guide, was exceptionally knowledgeable about the history, structure and decorations of the Hagia Sofia, as well as the various religious uses of this amazing historical building. As a non-moslem, I can only access the second floor, so to do so without a guide you would miss all the most imnportant parts of the building. ”
Andrew
“ Can is an awesome guide. Fun tour and very informative”
José Sebastián
“ Can was brilliant. He showed us so many amazing hidden images and guided us through the crowds.”
Deb
“ It was good, he explained really well and clear and answered questions ”
Marissa
“ It was great, full explanation of Aya Sofya and history ”
Andrija
“ Thanks Jan( hope the spelling is right) many interesting facts been disclosed. ”
Nataly
“ It was good, he explained really well and clear and answered questions ”
Cleopatra
“ The tour was really interesting and the guide has a lot of Material, interesting arguments and hidden gems that you can only discover in this tour, he is really prepared and knows every spot and stone of the Hagia Sophia ”
Gabriel
“ We had an amazing experience during the guided tour of Hagia Sophia! The visit was incredibly interesting, and our guide shared fascinating details about the history and significance of it. From the transformation from a church to a mosque to its architectural marvels, it was awesome. The best part was that the group was small, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about this incredible site! ”
María Montero
“ We were that lucky to be just the 2 of us as group and the guide contacted me after booking to share meeting point information. The meeting point was easy to be found away from all other guides and the crowd. The tour itself was great as he was highlighting details and information beyond what you could look up at Wikipedia & Co. Especially these details made it so special; also the guide brought a tablet to show some more historical backgrounds of e.g. how it was in the past. You could feel how passionate and well knowledged the guide was and for this, I only recommend to book tours with him. ”
Doreen
“ Can was an outstanding guide in many respects with far-reaching knowledge concerning not only the Hagia Sophia and its historical origin but also the rich history of Istanbul. His enthusiasm for the subject is evident and he was able to pass it on to us. I definitely recommend this tour! ”
Gabriel
“ Guide was excellent, knowledgeable beyond what one would expect. His pictures on his tablet, and his audio equipment were also top class. ”
John
“ the guide had some “insider” information that was really interesting ”
Sonja
“ Excellent! The guide was excellent, funny and very informative ”
Diego
“ The tour itself is excellent. The tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. The devices used had good sound quality. The Basilica cistern was one of my most favorite things to do in Istanbul! ”
Ruweni
“ informative and helpful guide. will refer him to anyone ”
Gerda
“ Excellent and professional tour guide! He had a knowledge in history, so great for adults and he used a video while he talked which kept the child engaged. Excellent! ”
Lelanya
“ Really enjoyed this tour. our guide was very knowledgeable and thorough. He gave us a lot of background and history of the cisterns in istanbul. ”
Deshni
“ “Can” was an amazing guide. Knowledgeable and kind. Took us, a group of 16, through 30’ visiting the amazing Cistern of Justinian I. Would definitely recommend the agency and guide. ”
Felipe
“ Beautiful! A must-see! The tour of the harem was also very interesting! ”
Elisabetta
“ professional guide, efficient service, quick contact, cool app, good price ”
X
“ Great tour guide, he was very passionate about the subject and was very knowledgeable about the Hagia Sophia ”
Imran
“ We had few diffent guides during the trip and him twice. He was so good compared to others. great stories and details while being entertaining. ”
Janne
“ Our guide was amazing – he is so well educated and knowing, and also with a good sense of humor. It was a pleasure to spend time with him exploring Hagia Sophia. Highly recommend! Thank you! ”
Kristina
“ We had a good guide and he explained highlights of the history of the mosque. We enjoyed it very much. would definitely recommend. ”
Deshni
“ Ogulcan, the guide, has really interesting things to share during the visit and he is really passionate about his work. We had a little problem with the second part of the tour and he managed to solve it in the best way, so we’re happy to give him 5 stars and we really suggest to take a tour with him. Thank you Ogulcan! ”
Anna Lila
“ Awesome tour covering a lot of details. It was very interesting and I’ve learned a lot about Hagia Sophia and Istanbul. 100% recommendable! ”
Micha
“ This was hands down the best tour i’ve taken so far in Istanbul!! Our guide can was so charismatic and beyond knowledgeable. There was so much about the mosque and cistern that I would not have been able to appreciate without a tour guide explaining the context. ”
Nika
“ We are very happy that we could skip the lines and have flexibility due to the unexpected holiday operating hours changes. Our tour guide was very friendly, informative and made this tour very interesting even for our teenage boys. ”
Elena
“ Incredible sights & history, of course, with the Hagia Sofia being the very model of so much that came 1000 years later — but what made the difference was the truly expert guidance of our historian guide Can. Not a word too many but deep knowledge beyond the guidebooks, and ready with clear answers to the most difficult questions. Perfect! ”
Gerd
“ Everything was great! Can recommend this tour for anyone interested in history. Perfectly balanced program and very nice and knowledgeable guide. ”
Ekaterina
“ We are very happy that we could skip the lines and have flexibility due to the unexpected holiday operating hours changes. Our tour guide was very friendly, informative and made this tour very interesting even for our teenage boys. ”
Elena
“ Great tour, given by a great tour guide that speaks English very well. We started with the Basilica Cisterne (where we could skip the long queue) and our guide gave a lot of interesting information with explanatory images and videos. After that we went to the Hagia Sophia where we had to wait less then usual because the tour is in the afternoon. Inside the mosque we again received a lot of interesting facts and stories of our guide. Overall would really recommend this tour and tour agency. ”
Laura
“ excellent tour guide with all the information. would happily recommend this tour ”
Russel
“ Very knowledgeable guide. Told great stories and not just facts from Wikipedia. Fast entry. ”
Mikkel
“ Even wasnt our first visit here, we seen in a new light years of history of this amazing place. Our guide îs an amazing story teller.”
Secareanu
“ Hagia sophia marvelous mosque! Amazing tour must visit!! ”
Paula
“ Can was brilliant and a very friendly fellow. His depth of knowledge was extraordinary. ”
Bradford
“ Oğulcan is a fantastic person, a knowledgeable historian, specializing in Byzantine period. he can tell you a lot of details than you will not find on the Internet. he also has a good sense of humor! ”
Mikhail
“ Extremely knowledgeable and passionate – definitely recommend this experience ”
Riccardo
“ Good guide! Had a great understanding of history and archaeology. Also a nice personality with a lot of passion for his profession! ”
X
“ Great and the guide was very flexible when we couldn’t make our original timeslot. ”
Simon
“ the guide was super nice and very prepared. Very nice that he uses an I pad for multimedia content ”
Lorenzo
“ Guide was friendly, knowledgeable and passionated about the Basilica Cistern. Happy to answer any questions. We came away with a lot more knowledge about this amazing piece of history. Definitely a bonus being able to skip the line at the entrance. I would recommend this tour while visiting Istanbul. ”
X
“ Ogulcan was a very knowledgeable historian who gained his degree with specialization in Eastern Roman history. He came well prepared with a pad to give more visual background information. we were only 2 people and he conducted the tour attentively. For whose who join his tour, there is no need to purchase the entry tickets separately beforehand, he will help you get them on the spot through fast line. At the end of the tour he took us to the starting point so that we could roam around and take more photos. we highly recommend him. ”
X
“ Great explanation ”
Charisma
“ Can was an incredibly informative guide. Couldn’t have asked for anyone better ”
Mel
“ Had a lovely afternoon with Can who taught me a lesser known side of the Cisterns and about Medusa. He was very friendly and professional, and even took my photos as I was travelling alone. Would definitely recommend for an alternative tour to the Cisterns. ”
Marie
“ The guide was very friendly and knowledgable. Would recommend to anyone new to Istanbul looking to learn a bit of history. ”
Joel
“ The best tour we had in Istanbul. The guide presented the history very informative and his knowledge was great. ”
Charlotte
“ The guide Ogulcan (short Can) has made my visit to the Basilika Cistern a tremendous experience. Can is a historian both by profession and by heart, he is a storyteller and mixes his profound knowledge with entertaining anecdotes about the place and its surroundings. Instead of just visiting the place, he’s made me experience it. Very many thanks to Can, you are a great guide, and I appreciate the time spent with you underground! ”
Bastian
“ Very interesting and poetic. I recommend as well as our guide. ”
Mh
Ready to have your voice heard?
Share your thoughts with fellow enthusiasts by leaving a review! Book your tour today from our store and let’s create unforgettable memories together.