The guide will take you from your hotel, and a tour of all the main attractions including Istiklal Street, which is one of the most popular streets in the city for locals and tourists. It is full of small boutique shops, big international stores, embassies, luxury hotels, apartment buildings, churches, museums, and more, so it will be an interesting walk with lots to see! There are also many restaurants, cafes, bars, and clubs. At night, Istiklal Street is one of the busiest spots in the city.

You will head to the area of Galata, at the end of Istiklal street. It is one of the most historic areas in Istanbul. Its best-known attraction is Galata Tower which was built in 1348 by the Genoese colony who lived there and called the " Tower of Christ" From that time to 1453, when Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans, Galata was mostly inhabited by Genoese and Venetian Catholics, as well as some Greek, Armenian and Jewish families.

Your guide will take you around Galata to see the churches, synagogues, hospitals, bank buildings, and ancient walls that have stood there for hundreds of years. There are lots of fascinating stories, myths and legends told about the area as well but you´ll have to join a tour to find out more!

We then pass onto Balat, walking through the splashes of color and the vibrancy of its street life, the crisscross of washing lines on the crumbling buildings, the synagogues, the churches, and the labyrinth of cobblestone streets teeming with kids playing football and women in headscarves beating rugs.

Starting in 1492, Balat grew to become a thriving cultural melting pot of Sephardic Jews from Spain, Greek and Armenian Christians, and Muslims. During our walking tour, we take a break in this vibrant neighborhood and enjoy watching people in their everyday activities.

Our walk ends in Fener, where we see the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate housing a column that is believed to have been used for the binding and flogging of Jesus in Jerusalem. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchal Church is an essential part of this tour because it’s the most sacred site for all of the 300 million Orthodox people in the world. We talk about why Mehmet II, who conquered Constantinople, let the site stay in Istanbul. What is its importance in the Christian world? How are they equal to the Catholic church? We learn this and much more.