Begin your small-group tour with a pickup from your central Istanbul hotel. Relax in your air-conditioned minivan with your guide and get an introduction to the history of Istanbul’s Jewish community as you set off.
Hear how, after the 1453 Ottoman conquest, Istanbul welcomed Jewish immigrants from across Europe, most of them settling in the Galata quarter north of the Golden Horn, the inlet that divides European Istanbul.
Head into historic Karaky, the modern name for ancient Galata, and explore the Jewish Museum in the Z□lfaris synagogue. View the interesting artifacts and then visit the Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue, Istanbul’s only working synagogue for Ashkenazi Jewish worshippers.
After admiring the interior, continue your strolls around the colorful streets. View the exteriors of other notable synagogues and see the Camondo Building, commissioned by the Ottoman-Venetian-Jewish Camondo family who became bankers to the Ottoman sultans in the 1800s.
Stop at a restaurant for a 3-course Turkish lunch, perhaps savoring staples such as succulent kebabs, and afterward, ride the cable car to the top of Pierre Loti Hill.
Soak up the unbroken views of the Golden Horn from here and then hop aboard your minivan for a panoramic tour around the inlet. Tick through the stately buildings and churches along the shores as your guide tells you their stories and secrets.
Finish with a relaxing 1.5-hour cruise on the Bosphorus, the waterway that splits Europe and Asia. Glide under the Bosphorus bridges between the two continents and admire the Ottoman mansions, mosques and landmarks such as the Rumeli Fortress as you sail.
During the afternoon, you'll also call at the Dolmabahe Palace to tour this extravagant residence, once home to six Ottoman emperors. With a guide, stroll around the lavish rooms and ogle the astonishing Crystal Staircase, whose banister posts are carved from pure crystal.
After your day’s exploring, your tour ends with a drop-off back at your hotel.