Where to see the layers of Byzantine and Ottoman history

It's convenient to start your walk from Sirkeci or the tram stop at Sultanahmet: through the pleasant shade of Gulhane Park you will emerge at the Sultan's palace, and from the square with obelisks - to the mosques and old neighborhoods. Further on, the path leads up to university buildings and domes on the hills, from where views of the Golden Horn bay and the Bosphorus Strait open up. In the palace complex's museums, a separate entrance is organized for the harem, and updated tour routes operate in the underground water reservoirs after restoration.

Fatih is known for its markets: covered rows in Beyazit stretch across neighborhoods with jewelry shops, fabrics, and ceramics, while on the Egyptian Bazaar in the Eminonu area, spices, tea, and oriental sweets are sold. Around the waterfront, fish cafes and snack bars operate, and near the bazaars, workshops and small craft shops. Bargaining is appropriate, but prices and conditions are best clarified in advance.

Stepping beyond the most frequented streets, you can see the Valens Aqueduct over Ataturk Boulevard, the Yedikule Fortress at the Theodosian Walls, and the Chora (Kariye) Mosque, famous for its Byzantine mosaics and frescoes (some interiors may be temporarily unavailable due to restoration or services). Along the shore of the Golden Horn are the incredibly colorful neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, known for their colorful buildings, narrow streets, and multicultural heritage. They starkly contrast with the grand squares near the palace. Additionally, the residence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (the Church of Constantinople) is located here.

Queues at major monuments are noticeable during peak hours, and access to some mosques is restricted on Friday afternoons; security checks and dress code rules apply at entrances. The easiest way to reach is by tram T1 to the stops at Sultanahmet, Gulhane, or Beyazit, by Marmaray to Sirkeci or Yenikapi, or by ferries to Eminonu.