Experience the best travel stories for yourself! Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this Lonely Planet Experience.

Take a journey from Byzantium to Constantinople to Sultan Mehmet Fatih city of Islam on this historical tour that stops at some of the most iconic sites in Turkey while also showing you Istanbul’s exciting present.

Start your full-day Istanbul tour with a visit to Justinian the Great’s Hagia Sophia. This masterpiece of Byzantine architecture stands tall and proud in downtown Istanbul, and is the repository of over 1,500 years of Turkish history. The structure has lived its long life as a church, a mosque, and now as a museum.

Head just across the street to the Sultan Ahmet I Blue Mosque, the jewel in Istanbul's crown, and one of the most striking sights of the city. Admire its iconic blue-tiled walls, 260 windows, and 6 minarets.

Next on your itinerary is a visit to the ancient Hippodrome. Today, this charming promenade is a popular meeting point for locals, but it is also an integral part of Turkish history. Chariot races once took place along this strip, which was also the site of the notorious Nika Revolt of 532 A.D.

Take a break for lunch and step back into the present day, as you join locals at a popular café. Enjoy friendly conversation with residents of the neighborhood and learn about daily life in Istanbul.

Topkapi Palace awaits. This opulent complex overlooking the Bosphorus is a true Istanbul treasure, and is the source of many colorful stories about the sultans who lived there from 1453 to 1839.

Lastly, you’ll seek out treasures of a different kind at Istanbul’s famed Grand Bazaar, which offers 3,000 shops to explore along its 61 streets. Meet a few of the local characters, perfect your haggling skills, have a traditional Turkish coffee, and shop ‘til you drop.