Leave the city center and head out on a sightseeing drive around Istanbul's Golden Horn, the name given to the city's horn-shaped peninsula. Cruise through old Jewish neighborhoods, admire the cast iron edifice of the Bulgarian St. Stephen Church, and learn about the city's centuries-old fortifications as you pass by the Walls of Constantinople. Stop off to browse aromatic piles of fresh spices at a local bazaar, and then head to the waterfront to board a spacious cruise boat.

From your water-bound vantage point catch views of the red spans of the Bosphorus Bridge, the Baroque architecture of the Dolmabahçe Palace, and the weathered remains of the 15th-century Rumelian Castle, which once helped protect Constantinople from seafaring invaders.

After returning to shore, recharge with a scrumptious spread of Turkish specialties at a nearby restaurant, explore exhibits, artifacts, and sacred relics of sultans who lived in the Topkapi Palace for over 400 years, and then see where 5 of those rulers were laid to rest at their nearby tombs. Learn about Ottoman burial practices, admire the tombs' opulent domed interiors, and then return to your hotel in the evening.

The Hagia Irene located in the outer courtyard of Topkapi Palace is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine). It was also the second largest church in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia. It’s a typical Byzantine structure with its materials and architecture, was built on the site of an old temple in 330.