Hidden Istanbul

Get the most out of Istanbul with a few hours in the company of an expert local guide. As we go, your local guide will point out places to get the best coffee, pastries and show you the main points of interest along the way. Explore Istanbul’s monumental Aya Sofya (Hagia Sofia), a Byzantine church-turned-mosque-turned-museum. Following this we make our way across to walk Divanyolu, a historical thoroughfare originally mapped out by Emperor Constantine, in the early 300s AD.
For a change of pace, explore the Grand Bazaar, internationally known as the first ever shopping mall, and take a look at the incredible array of goods for sale in any of the 4000 shops. We’ll also stop by the book bazaar, where the first printed book in Turkey was sold in 1729. Just behind the Book Bazaar is Beyazit Mosque, where your local guide will teach you about Islam, the mosque and the roles both play in Turkish society. Then explore the beautifully symmetrical Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent, including time to try Turkish tea in the sunken garden area in the vicinity of the Mosque.
We’ll continue our tour with a visit to the Istanbul University, built by the reforming Ottoman Sultans, and learn about the role of education in the modern republic, and the amazing transformation that was undertaken during the time of Ataturk.
We’ll finish the tour in the Grand Bazaar area, where your leader can direct you to a local ‘lokanta’ (small restaurant) for lunch.