We arrived in Istanbul last night and jumped off to explore the area around the port. Lots and lots of people everywhere. Today we are on a tour to explore all the highlights Istanbul has to offer. 

An amazing day in Istanbul! We had a tour with a very enthusiastic tour guide. We visited the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome (once the largest chariot racetrack of the Byzantine Empire), the Museum of St Sofia, the Church of Divine Wisdom was originally built in the 6th century, Topkapi Palace -- official residence of the Ottoman Sultans. As it was Sunday, the grand bazaar was closed, but we had a great visit to the Istanbul spice market, which was fantastic.