True Story!
It all began with Cenan, Operations Manager of MedHills Travel, after taking his wife Kate (girlfriend back then) to Turkey for the first time.

Both avid travelers, Kate and Cenan quickly realized that this was going to be a whole different kind of trip! Since Cenan used to live in Istanbul, he became their guide, and Kate got to see the city as no other tourist could! Besides the famous sites, they visited all the best spots of the city – unique neighborhoods, hidden sights, authentic restaurants, Turkish homes and best views of the city.

Upon return, they decided that Istanbul deserves a tour that allows more travelers to experience the city as Kate did. To lead the tour, Cenan reached out to his childhood friend, Polat, one of Istanbul’s top professional guides, who said yes to chance of showing travellers the REAL Istanbul. After months of brain storming and lots of hard work, Circle Istanbul came to life! This was back in 2012. Since then Circle Istanbul has done over 500 tours and shared this experience with over 2000 travelers.

Here are the people behind Circle Istanbul.

NEW UPDATE: Inspired by Circle Istanbul, we have recently launched Circle Adventures, offering the same concept in Athens, Paris, Barcelona and soon in Rome! Thank you for your support!

 

polat3Polat / Head Guide

  

ozcan33Ozcan / Guide

  

cenan33Cenan / Founder

Polat is a certified professional guide and has been leading tours in Istanbul and around Turkey for 12 years. Polat’s passion for his country and knowledge of history has led to his excellent reputation, while his outspoken nature has made him a favorite!

Ozcan is a certified professional guide and has been leading tours in Istanbul and around Turkey for 5 years and been with Circle Istanbul over a year. Nobody knows the city like Ozcan. He is creative, open-minded and knowledgeable. He also just got married!

Cenan has worked in every aspect of tourism in Turkey since he was 20 years old. Hotel receptions, kitchens, youth hostels, boat cruises, travel agencies…you name it. He later found MedHills Travel in 2005, offering tailor-made tour options for Turkey and Greece.