Istanbul Excursions

Ottoman Istanbul (5¾ hr.; $65): This tour bundles visits to the two most important sites dating from Istanbul's time as capital of the Ottoman Empire (A.D. 1453-1922): the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. The tour also includes a short visit to the Grand Bazaar.

Byzantine Istanbul (5½ hr.; $65): Visits the three most important sites remaining from Istanbul's time as capital of the Byzantine Empire (A.D. 395-1453), when the city was known as Constantinople: the Hippodrome, the Saint Sophia Museum, and the Chora Museum, the latter known for its mosaics and frescoes. The tour also includes a short visit to the Grand Bazaar.

Jewish Heritage of Istanbul (5 hr.; $35): This tour includes drive-by visits to the Synagogue of Ahrida, the city's oldest existing synagogue (dating to the late 1400s), and the Or-Ahayim Hospital, a Jewish hospital built in 1897. Heading to the Galata district, you'll make a quick exterior visit to Neva Shalom Synagogue (the largest Sephardic synagogue in Istanbul), the Eskenazi Synagogue, Schneider Temple, and the Turkish Jews Museum. The tour also includes a short visit to the Grand Bazaar.