(Note: professional guides provide their services for a fee. Although they welcome inquiries about scheduling and availability of their services, they expect to be paid when they provide tourism information. You may be asked to arrange payment before questions are answered. Also, if you reserve a guide’s time in advance, you may be asked to arrange credit card payment at the time of reservation, just as for a hotel room, rental car, or flight. Please note that guides are not travel agents, and are not licensed to make reservations or other travel agency services.—Tom Brosnahan)
“Greetings from Yavuz Özdeniz! Helping you create your perfect holiday is my number one aim. Making the unique Istanbul / Turkey experience accessible to people like you has been my privilege for 23 years.
“I started guiding in 1983 whilst studying for a BA in education, and became a certified nationwide tour guide in 1990. My touring experience ranges from being a driver-guide for small private tours, through driver-guiding in minibuses, up to guiding large 42-seater luxury coach tours.
“My client profile is as extensive as the wonders of your destination—from students to celebrities, toddlers to octogenarians, all faiths, all nationalities.
“I read widely and am very interested in current affairs. My guiding has stood the test of politicians, travel writers and journalists. I have appeared on a BBC radio travel show and in Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine.
“My great love of history, knowledge of Turkey and my experience of visiting locations, both at home and abroad, means I will do everything I can to guarantee you a really superb visit. More importantly, I am adaptable and adept at managing your day-to-day wishes along with more formal itineraries. With me you will experience Turkey as if you were a local, from whatever angle you wish. However, I specialize in Jewish heritage tours, Byzantine sites, World War I battlefields, and bird watching.
Note that professional guides provide their services for a fee. Although they welcome inquiries about scheduling and availability of their services, they expect to be paid when they provide tourism information. If you contact them for information and trip-planning help, you may be asked to arrange payment by credit card before questions are answered or a tour is scheduled.