Step back into the lives of the Ottoman sultans when you visit Topkapi Palace. Try to imagine what it was like to live here as you explore the Council Chamber, the Imperial Kitchens and the Harem. Then, enter another world in the Grand Bazaar, the largest covered market in the world, a maze of lanes and alleys in which shoppers can find virtually anything they might be looking for at the over 4,000 shops. Board a boat and cruise across the Bosporus for a visit to Asia. Walk through the Hippodrome and into history. Visit Hagia Sophia, famous for its massive dome and considered by many to be the epitome of Byzantine architecture. Look in wonder at the Blue Mosque, built in 1609 and regarded as a prime example of Turkish Islamic architecture with its six slender minarets and cascading domes that dominate the city skyline. Remove your shoes before entering to look up and discover the tens-of-thousands of blue tiles from which it gets its name.
