Starting with a drive around the Golden Horn and the great walls of Constantinople, we pass Dolmabahce Palace, then cross the Galata Bridge before arriving in Sultanahmet Square, where we visit.

Hagia Sophia*: The former spiritual heart of the Byzantine Empire, considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World, Hagia Sophia is now a museum.

* Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays, so on that day we visit the Kariye (Chora) Museum, a former church which houses the most important surviving Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the world.

The Blue Mosque: Dating from the 17th century, an architectural masterpiece famed for its exquisite blue tiles and six elegant minarets.

The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts: The former palace of Ibrahim Pasha, it now exhibits an extensive collection of nomadic art and ethnography, providing a rich glimpse into the traditional Turkish lifestyle.

The Hippodrome: Once the site of Roman chariot racing and Janissary uprisings, this historic square also contains an Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpentine Column from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi and ornamental fountain presented to the Sultan by German Emperor Wilhelm II.

The Grand Bazaar: An exotic maze of narrow alleys, stunning architectural details and hundreds of shops selling a rich assortment of handmade carpets, gold, silver, leather and other precious goods.

Topkapi Palace: The seat of Ottoman power for three centuries and imperial residence of the Sultans, the Palace also houses one of the world's most extensive collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain, religious artifacts, and other priceless relics.

The Treasury Section of Topkapi Palace: An exhibition of the precious personal belongings of members of the Ottoman dynasty.

Suleymaniye Mosque: Overlooking the Golden Horn a short distance from Sultanahmet, this mosque complex once included a soup kitchen, hammam, caravanserai and primary school.

The Golden Horn: A drive along the Golden Horn past Roman land walls and Byzantine churches.

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