Istanbul might be most famed for its Byzantine churches and striking mosques, but this cultural hub at the crossroads of East and West also has a rich and fascinating Jewish heritage. Explore the city's synagogues and historic Jewish neighborhoods, where Spanish Jews settled as far back as 1492.

After you're picked up from your hotel, start your exploration in the old neighborhood of Galata. Visit the Ashkenazi Synagogue, founded by Jews of Austrian origin in 1900, and the Neve Shalom Synagogue, built in response to the neighborhood's growing Jewish population in the 1930s.

From there, continue on to Balat, the city's oldest Jewish settlement. Spot the Star of David engraved on the facades of centuries-old buildings, and pass by brightly colored edifices wedged along steep and narrow cobbled lanes on your way to one of the neighborhood's architectural treasures—the Ahrida Synagogue. Experience the rare opportunity to step inside this Byzantine gem, built before the Ottoman conquest of the city,

Then head to the Quincentennial Foundation Museum, where you can learn all about the migration of Turkish Jews from Spain to Istanbul in the 15th century and check out artifacts and objects that document the minority group's rich history. Hear how the population prospered under the welcoming reign of the Ottoman Sultan, and visit a traditional Jewish cemetery by the Etz-Ahayim Synagogue near the waters of the Bosphorus before returning to your hotel.