I was in Istanbul for one week before I went on this tour and I thought that I had seen it all. I laugh at myself now, but I truly would have been comfortable saying "I KNOW this city". I couldn't have been more wrong! I actually hadn't even began to see Istanbul - I spent, as the vast majority of tourists, all my time in the tourist trap that used to be Constantinople. The experience that Fethi provides his participants with isn't just new and different, but important. We are exposed to all sides of the city (rich and poor) and we end the day with a much better understanding of Turkey, Turks and Istanbul. When you combine all that we see, hear and do (private cruise on Bosphorus, Turkish bath, traditional neighborhoods, local school, delicious food, raki, etc) this tour easily pays for itself.
By the end of the day I not only felt like I myself was a part of this majestic city, but I understood how it came to be where it is today. I had interactions with locals that I will remember for the rest of my life and I made friends that I never would have otherwise. That is another thing that is so special about this tour - it is about the people that join it as much as it is about the city itself.
Like the previous review said, I really do wish that I could find a tour like this in every city. If you are in the least bit hesitant, don't be! TAKE THIS TOUR! You won't regret it =)