Istanbul is a city that spans two continents and the Bosphorus, the narrow straits separating Europe from Asia can be said to be the city's main artery and lifeline to the rest of the world. On this guided morning tour, you will learn all the roles of this waterway in this magical city's rich history, visiting the city's main sights before boarding a river cruiser for an exhilarating cruise on the Bosphorus. After being picked up from your hotel, we'll head straight for the impressive Byzantine City Walls, finally breached by the powerful cannon of Sultan Mehmet II the Conqueror during the siege of Constantinople in 1453. Next, we'll head for the Golden Horn. This natural and extremely secure harbor was vital for the development of Istanbul. Then we'll pay a visit to the 17th Century Egyptian Bazaar where the air is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. Now it's time to board a river cruiser along the Bosphorus, gliding past the Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi Palaces, the wooden villas and mansions of the rich and powerful as far as the Rumeli Fortress, built by Mehmet the Conqueror before returning to the hotel.