Today you will criss-cross the Sultanahmet district with your guide, taking in its modern & ancient history on foot. First visiting the spectacular Blue Mosque with its six minarets, a great cascade of domes & a striking blue Iznik tiled interior. Then stroll around the historical Hippodrome where chariot races were once held during the Roman era. Continue with the Hagia Sophia museum, built in 537 A.D by emperor Justinian, it was considered the greatest church in Christendom until St. Peter's Basilica was built in Rome a thousand years later. Converted into a mosque by the Ottomans in 1453, it is a rare sight of two of the world's biggest belief systems coming together under one roof. From here, walk to Topkapi Palace, the official & primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 of their 624 year reign. The rooms & chambers of this 175 acre complex exhibit large collections of porcelain, weapons, costumes & priceless treasures, it is also home to the most holy relics of the Muslim world. We’ll also visit the ‘Harem’ (private quarters of the Sultans) which has been the source of legend & has intrigued the world for centuries.