Day Tour: Hidden Istanbul, Turkey

Discover Istanbul’s most celebrated sights and visit some hidden gems as a local guide shows you around the city. You'll begin at the famous Aya Sofya, a Byzantine church turned mosque, before heading to the hippodrome, known as At Meydani or Horses Square, the site that once played host to great chariot races. Next we'll head to the wonderful Blue Mosque, perhaps the city's most popular, and spectacular sight: inside it is an oasis of tranquility, with its intricate interior and the exterior has 6 towering minarets. We'll then make our way across to Divanyolu, one of the city's great streets throughout history, originally planned by Emperor Constantine in the early 300s AD.

Your guide will show you some of the spots to grab coffee, pastries and more, as well as showing you all the most interesting sights (including some you wouldn't notice) en route. For a change of pace, you'll explore the Grand bazaar - this internationally faomus monument is the world's first ever shopping mall! You can wander around the 4000 shops and miles of alleyways, taking in the incredible array of goods for sale, before heading next door to the book bazaar - where the first printed book in Turkey was sold in 1729. Just behind the Book bazaar is the lovely Beyazit Camii mosque, where you'll learn about Islam, the mosque and the roles both play in Turkish society. Pay a visit the Istanbul University, which was constructed by the reforming Ottoman Sultans, before discovering the beautifully symmetrical Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent. Plunge into the hectic heart of Istanbul's trading quarter, where you'll find crumbling Byzantine buildings and Ottoman architectural relics as you rub shoulders with local shoppers and explore markets filled with nuts, vegetables, cheeses and much more. Peek at the delights in a local deli and sample cold meats or sit down to sip a traditional Turkish coffee before heading to the Egyptian Spice Market. Here you'll learn about the many spices for sale and try some traditional-style Turkish delight. Your adventure comes to a close at the busy Eminou port, by the Galata Bridge, a great base from which to continue your Istanbul explorations.