Highlights / General details
Join this Istanbul tour to be treated to a feast at a local family's home, as well as other oh so Turkish pursuits: drinking tea, playing backgammon, and hitting the water pipe!
Enjoy a meal with a local family in Istanbul and learn about the cultural customs.
Take a stroll through Sultanahmet.
Learn the secrets of the locals' favorite games and pastimes.
Enjoy the national beverage in a teahouse.
Try a Turkish waterpipe.
Chat informally with a locals and learn what its like to live in modern day Turkey.

Inclusion
Local English-speaking guide; Dinner and drinks with a local family, tea, Narglie waterpipe.

Exclusion
Hotel pick-up and drop-off; Souvenirs and items of a personal nature; Gratuities for your local guide.

Hours of operation
Available Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday departing at 6:00pm; Available Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday departing at 6:00pm from January to December 2019.

Duration
Approximately 3.5 hours.

Location
Meeting Point: Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant, Divanyolu Caddesi No.6 34400, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. For further explanation perhaps use the Sultanahmet tram stop as reference. The restaurant is located on the street where the tram lines runs through Sultanahmet, approximately a three minute walk from the Sultanahmet tram stop.
Ending Point: Sultanahmet. Your local guide can provide instructions on how to get back to your hotel or you are free to continue your own personal exploration.

Itinerary
Try Turkish life with a family meal and an evening mingling with locals at some of their favorite haunts on this Istanbul food tour. An expert local guide will meet you at the meeting point, from which you'll wander through the streets of historical Sultanahmet en route to meet a local family.
Turkish people’s sense of hospitality is world famous and on this Istanbul tour you'll have the opportunity to experience it first hand. Meet the family and settle in for typical Turkish meal. There is a little English spoken in the household but your bilingual guide will be there to help translate - all part of the authentic local experience!
Chat informally with all members of the family and hear what its like to live in Turkey today. Sharing a meal with a local family is a great privilege and an opportunity to get real insight into local family life.
After feasting on delicious Istanbul food, it’s time to take a stroll through the backstreets. Get your camera ready on this Istanbul walking tour for the picturesque wooden houses that line the streets in various states of repair. Get a sense of the communal style of life in Istanbul and learn about the various socio-economic groups that live here.
Afterwards, head to a popular local hangout to enjoy fabulous views of the Marmara Sea. Find a comfortable spot to watch games of football pop-up, or strike up conversation with the locals. There will definitely be many games of backgammon being played and if you don’t know the rules or how to play our local guide will give you the lowdown.
After this oh-so-local part of this Istanbul tour, there’s a chance to try two of Turkey’s favorite pastimes - tea drinking and Narglie (water pipe) smoking. Sit back, relax and enjoy. At the end of the adventure you are free to return to your hotel or continue your own personal exploration of Istanbul. Your guide will be able to suggest some more local hidden gems for you to explore!

Additional Information
Please be aware that the standard of dress throughout Turkey is conservative. To respect this and for your own comfort we recommend modest clothing. This means clothing that covers your shoulders and knees for both women and men. Turkish people do not wear shoes within the home so we suggest easy slip on shoes be worn. The weather in Istanbul is highly variable depending on the time of year. Winters range from freezing cold to extremely hot and humid in summer (June, July and August).

Participant restrictions
Children younger than 6 are permitted at no extra cost, but please make sure you inform our guides of this before you take the tour.

Policies
Cancellation: 2 days prior 100% penalty. No show 100% penalty.
Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.

**All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation**