My Profile
Jul022012
Tour/Activity
Istanbul in One Day Sightseeing Tour: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar
Istanbul, Turkey
My Rating

Our guide is knowledgeable, friendly, flexible, lucid and to the point with her expositions. I deducted one star only because the hotel pickup turns out to be very time consuming. It took one hour and half, first for us to pick up 2 other parties, and then meet with another van of passengers before the tour began. But our guide deftly orchestrated the 2 vans under heavy traffic conditions and did the best under the circumstances. Overall, we got a lot out of this guided tour.
Jul012012
Tour/Activity
Private Tour: Istanbul by Night with Turkish Dinner and Show
Istanbul, Turkey
My Rating

The dinner is mediocre at best. Beware that small parties have the worst tables, far away from the stage, while large tour groups have the center tables. The performances were uneven. One out of three belly dancers performed with some passion; others went through the motions, quite mechanical. Folk dancing performances were repetitive and boring at times. The restaurant ambiance is totally touristy, lacking even the most minimum cultural character. Nontheless, we have never seen belly dancing in person before so the evening was not entirely a waste of time.


