After departing from your hotel, we will take a trip to the historic peninsula of old Istanbul, the place from which the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires once ruled their vast realms. This all-day tour of the ancient city’s relics will show you how deep the history goes. Our first stop will be the Hippodrome, Istanbul’s ancient sports stadium. In Byzantine times, the Hippodrome, which sits next to the Blue Mosque, was a huge open-air arena with banks of seats forming an elongated oval shape. Then it’s on to the 16th-century Blue Mosque. Take a moment to gaze at its majestic domes, peaceful courtyards, and its six slender minarets. Your next stop will be Hagia Sophia, one of the world’s architectural marvels. Afterward there will be a chance to shop at the nearby stores and stands before having lunch at a local restaurant. From there you will visit Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans. Feel the ghosts of the imperial past brushing up against you as you visit the harem, the private quarters of the Sultan’s family and the subject of much western fantasizing. Your last stop of day is Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. Dating back to 1461, this immense covered market is one of the liveliest and most colorful parts of the old city. Istanbul is a complex, ancient history, and this full-day walking tour shows you a history as colorful and complex as the city’s famous market.