Why would you waste your layover in the airport when there are mosaic-encrusted Byzantian basilicas to discover, midye dolma (mussels stuffed with fragrant rice) to feast on, and the labyrinthine lanes of the Grand Bazaar to explore? With a local insider to help you make the most of whatever time you have in Istanbul, explore a pocket of the city and immerse yourself in its charms - even if it’s just for a moment!

Whether you’d like to drift away on a cloud of spices and jewel-colored fruits at the Eminönü Egyptian Spice Bazaar, soak away your jet-lag in an authentic hamam or feast on a Turkish mezze platter fit for a sultan on the glittering banks of the Bosphorus Strait, your host will make sure not a second of your layover goes to waste. 

You could explore Sultanahmet, the historic quarter of the city which was the heart of countless empires, and home to its most iconic landmarks from the Blue Mosque to Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace to the Grand Bazaar.

Just across the waters of the Golden Horn is the vibrant Galata district with its 14th-century Galata Tower, revealing all-embracing views of the Bosphorus from the balcony. Beneath, pinched streets are home to chic bars, family-run restaurants, and small shops.

Or perhaps you’d like to explore a lesser-visited neighborhood on Istanbul’s Asian shores like Kadıkoy, a bohemian district known for its quirky cafes where aromatic Turkish coffee wafts into the laid-back streets that are lined with independent shops and galleries.