Explore a different side of Istanbul on a 4-hour walking tour that takes in some of the city’s hidden sites. Learn more about the practice of Islam as you stop at mosques with your local guide. Explore street bazaars and taste the local cuisine.

Walk to the Hippodrome of Meydani, where Byzantines enjoyed chariot races. See the Blue Mosque, an Istanbul landmark, before walking along Divanyolu, originally mapped out by Emperor Constantine as a road to Rome, more than 950 miles away.

Explore the Grand Bazaar before making your way through local markets to the famous Old Book Bazaar. Visit Beyazit Camii Mosque to see the beautiful stone and wood craftsmanship and masterful stained glass windows. Pass Istanbul University, built by the reforming Ottoman Sultans, and learn about the education system in Turkey today.

Marvel at the beauty of the Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent. Visit the royal tombs of Süleyman and his cohort Roxanna. Enjoy sublime city views and pause for tea in the sunken garden.

Continue on to the hectic trading area of Istanbul, where you’ll find crumbling Byzantine buildings and Ottoman architectural relics. Hear stories of how the merchants of the past lived. See the hidden Rustem Pasha Mosque, acclaimed for its stunning Iznik ceramic tiles.

The tour ends in the Spice Bazaar area, where your leader can direct you to a local lokanta (small restaurant) for lunch, or give you some more great Istanbul tips for you to make the most of the rest of your stay.