diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 1d58274beb..64d49a1188 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 import sphinx.ext.autodoc  # noqa: F401
 import sphinx.ext.intersphinx  # noqa: F401
 import urllib3.exceptions  # noqa: F401
+import importlib_metadata  # noqa: F401
+import opentelemetry.sdk.metrics._internal  # noqa: F401
 
 typing.TYPE_CHECKING = True
 
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/api.py b/sentry_sdk/api.py
index 86577cc500..50c12dd636 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/api.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/api.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from sentry_sdk.crons import monitor
 
 # TODO-neel-potel make 2 scope strategies/impls and switch
+from sentry_sdk.scope import Scope as BaseScope
 from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.scope import (
     PotelScope as Scope,
     new_scope,
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ def is_initialized():
 
 @scopemethod
 def get_global_scope():
-    # type: () -> Scope
+    # type: () -> BaseScope
     return Scope.get_global_scope()
 
 
@@ -239,7 +240,7 @@ def flush(
 
 
 def start_span(**kwargs):
-    # type: (type.Any) -> Span
+    # type: (Any) -> Span
     """
     Start and return a span.
 
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/client.py b/sentry_sdk/client.py
index 85623d8056..fefdcaecd8 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/client.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/client.py
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ def _prepare_event(
 
         for key in "release", "environment", "server_name", "dist":
             if event.get(key) is None and self.options[key] is not None:
-                event[key] = str(self.options[key]).strip()  # type: ignore[literal-required]
+                event[key] = str(self.options[key]).strip()
         if event.get("sdk") is None:
             sdk_info = dict(SDK_INFO)
             sdk_info["integrations"] = sorted(self.integrations.keys())
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py
index 8025f26ba8..df818bc399 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/contextvars_context.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import Optional
-    from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.scope import PotelScope
+    import sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.scope as scope
 
 
 class SentryContextVarsRuntimeContext(ContextVarsRuntimeContext):
@@ -29,16 +29,16 @@ def attach(self, context):
 
         should_use_isolation_scope = context.pop(SENTRY_USE_ISOLATION_SCOPE_KEY, None)
         should_use_isolation_scope = cast(
-            "Optional[PotelScope]", should_use_isolation_scope
+            "Optional[scope.PotelScope]", should_use_isolation_scope
         )
 
         should_use_current_scope = context.pop(SENTRY_USE_CURRENT_SCOPE_KEY, None)
         should_use_current_scope = cast(
-            "Optional[PotelScope]", should_use_current_scope
+            "Optional[scope.PotelScope]", should_use_current_scope
         )
 
         if scopes:
-            scopes = cast("tuple[PotelScope, PotelScope]", scopes)
+            scopes = cast("tuple[scope.PotelScope, scope.PotelScope]", scopes)
             (current_scope, isolation_scope) = scopes
         else:
             current_scope = sentry_sdk.get_current_scope()
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/propagator.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/propagator.py
index 37d6362f82..fcc2009849 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/propagator.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/propagator.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from typing import Optional, Set
-    from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.scope import PotelScope
+    import sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.scope as scope
 
 
 class SentryPropagator(TextMapPropagator):
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def inject(self, carrier, context=None, setter=default_setter):
 
         scopes = get_value(SENTRY_SCOPES_KEY, context)
         if scopes:
-            scopes = cast("tuple[PotelScope, PotelScope]", scopes)
+            scopes = cast("tuple[scope.PotelScope, scope.PotelScope]", scopes)
             (current_scope, _) = scopes
 
             # TODO-neel-potel check trace_propagation_targets
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py
index d16215ab20..c60e5eb716 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/scope.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 from sentry_sdk.integrations.opentelemetry.utils import trace_state_from_baggage
 from sentry_sdk.scope import Scope, ScopeType
 from sentry_sdk.tracing import Span
+from sentry_sdk.utils import logger
 from sentry_sdk._types import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -41,15 +42,17 @@
 class PotelScope(Scope):
     @classmethod
     def _get_scopes(cls):
-        # type: () -> Optional[Tuple[Scope, Scope]]
+        # type: () -> Optional[Tuple[PotelScope, PotelScope]]
         """
         Returns the current scopes tuple on the otel context. Internal use only.
         """
-        return cast("Optional[Tuple[Scope, Scope]]", get_value(SENTRY_SCOPES_KEY))
+        return cast(
+            "Optional[Tuple[PotelScope, PotelScope]]", get_value(SENTRY_SCOPES_KEY)
+        )
 
     @classmethod
     def get_current_scope(cls):
-        # type: () -> Scope
+        # type: () -> PotelScope
         """
         Returns the current scope.
         """
@@ -57,7 +60,7 @@ def get_current_scope(cls):
 
     @classmethod
     def _get_current_scope(cls):
-        # type: () -> Optional[Scope]
+        # type: () -> Optional[PotelScope]
         """
         Returns the current scope without creating a new one. Internal use only.
         """
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ def _get_current_scope(cls):
 
     @classmethod
     def get_isolation_scope(cls):
-        # type: () -> Scope
+        # type: () -> PotelScope
         """
         Returns the isolation scope.
         """
@@ -74,7 +77,7 @@ def get_isolation_scope(cls):
 
     @classmethod
     def _get_isolation_scope(cls):
-        # type: () -> Optional[Scope]
+        # type: () -> Optional[PotelScope]
         """
         Returns the isolation scope without creating a new one. Internal use only.
         """
@@ -84,6 +87,11 @@ def _get_isolation_scope(cls):
     @contextmanager
     def continue_trace(self, environ_or_headers):
         # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> Generator[None, None, None]
+        """
+        Sets the propagation context from environment or headers to continue an incoming trace.
+        Any span started within this context manager will use the same trace_id, parent_span_id
+        and inherit the sampling decision from the incoming trace.
+        """
         self.generate_propagation_context(environ_or_headers)
 
         span_context = self._incoming_otel_span_context()
@@ -118,8 +126,8 @@ def _incoming_otel_span_context(self):
             trace_state = trace_state.add(TRACESTATE_SAMPLED_KEY, "deferred")
 
         span_context = SpanContext(
-            trace_id=int(self._propagation_context.trace_id, 16),  # type: ignore
-            span_id=int(self._propagation_context.parent_span_id, 16),  # type: ignore
+            trace_id=int(self._propagation_context.trace_id, 16),
+            span_id=int(self._propagation_context.parent_span_id, 16),
             is_remote=True,
             trace_flags=trace_flags,
             trace_state=trace_state,
@@ -134,18 +142,22 @@ def start_transaction(self, **kwargs):
             This function is deprecated and will be removed in a future release.
             Use :py:meth:`sentry_sdk.start_span` instead.
         """
+        logger.warning(
+            "The `start_transaction` method is deprecated, please use `sentry_sdk.start_span instead.`"
+        )
         return self.start_span(**kwargs)
 
     def start_span(self, **kwargs):
         # type: (Any) -> Span
-        return Span(**kwargs, scope=self)
+        return Span(**kwargs)
 
 
-_INITIAL_CURRENT_SCOPE = None
-_INITIAL_ISOLATION_SCOPE = None
+_INITIAL_CURRENT_SCOPE = PotelScope(ty=ScopeType.CURRENT)
+_INITIAL_ISOLATION_SCOPE = PotelScope(ty=ScopeType.ISOLATION)
 
 
 def setup_initial_scopes():
+    # type: () -> None
     global _INITIAL_CURRENT_SCOPE, _INITIAL_ISOLATION_SCOPE
     _INITIAL_CURRENT_SCOPE = PotelScope(ty=ScopeType.CURRENT)
     _INITIAL_ISOLATION_SCOPE = PotelScope(ty=ScopeType.ISOLATION)
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/utils.py b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/utils.py
index d890849c31..34fea2f46d 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/utils.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/integrations/opentelemetry/utils.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def convert_from_otel_timestamp(time):
 
 
 def convert_to_otel_timestamp(time):
-    # type: (Union[datetime.datetime, float]) -> int
+    # type: (Union[datetime, float]) -> int
     """Convert a datetime to an OTel timestamp (with nanosecond precision)."""
     if isinstance(time, datetime):
         return int(time.timestamp() * 1e9)
@@ -121,9 +121,12 @@ def extract_span_data(span):
     if span.attributes is None:
         return (op, description, status, http_status, origin)
 
-    op = span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP) or op
-    description = span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.DESCRIPTION) or description
-    origin = span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.ORIGIN)
+    attribute_op = cast("Optional[str]", span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP))
+    op = attribute_op or op
+    description = cast(
+        "str", span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.DESCRIPTION) or description
+    )
+    origin = cast("Optional[str]", span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.ORIGIN))
 
     http_method = span.attributes.get(SpanAttributes.HTTP_METHOD)
     http_method = cast("Optional[str]", http_method)
@@ -137,7 +140,7 @@ def extract_span_data(span):
     rpc_service = span.attributes.get(SpanAttributes.RPC_SERVICE)
     if rpc_service:
         return (
-            span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP) or "rpc",
+            attribute_op or "rpc",
             description,
             status,
             http_status,
@@ -147,7 +150,7 @@ def extract_span_data(span):
     messaging_system = span.attributes.get(SpanAttributes.MESSAGING_SYSTEM)
     if messaging_system:
         return (
-            span.attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP) or "message",
+            attribute_op or "message",
             description,
             status,
             http_status,
@@ -165,7 +168,7 @@ def span_data_for_http_method(span):
     # type: (ReadableSpan) -> OtelExtractedSpanData
     span_attributes = span.attributes or {}
 
-    op = span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP)
+    op = cast("Optional[str]", span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP))
     if op is None:
         op = "http"
 
@@ -183,6 +186,7 @@ def span_data_for_http_method(span):
     description = span_attributes.get(
         SentrySpanAttribute.DESCRIPTION
     ) or span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.NAME)
+    description = cast("Optional[str]", description)
     if description is None:
         description = f"{http_method}"
 
@@ -205,7 +209,7 @@ def span_data_for_http_method(span):
 
     status, http_status = extract_span_status(span)
 
-    origin = span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.ORIGIN)
+    origin = cast("Optional[str]", span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.ORIGIN))
 
     return (op, description, status, http_status, origin)
 
@@ -214,13 +218,13 @@ def span_data_for_db_query(span):
     # type: (ReadableSpan) -> OtelExtractedSpanData
     span_attributes = span.attributes or {}
 
-    op = span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP, OP.DB)
+    op = cast("str", span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.OP, OP.DB))
 
     statement = span_attributes.get(SpanAttributes.DB_STATEMENT, None)
     statement = cast("Optional[str]", statement)
 
     description = statement or span.name
-    origin = span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.ORIGIN)
+    origin = cast("Optional[str]", span_attributes.get(SentrySpanAttribute.ORIGIN))
 
     return (op, description, None, None, origin)
 
@@ -293,19 +297,20 @@ def extract_span_attributes(span, namespace):
     """
     Extract Sentry-specific span attributes and make them look the way Sentry expects.
     """
-    extracted_attrs = {}
+    extracted_attrs = {}  # type: dict[str, Any]
 
     for attr, value in (span.attributes or {}).items():
         if attr.startswith(namespace):
             key = attr[len(namespace) + 1 :]
 
             if namespace == SentrySpanAttribute.MEASUREMENT:
-                value = {
+                value = cast("tuple[str, str]", value)
+                extracted_attrs[key] = {
                     "value": float(value[0]),
                     "unit": value[1],
                 }
-
-            extracted_attrs[key] = value
+            else:
+                extracted_attrs[key] = value
 
     return extracted_attrs
 
@@ -457,7 +462,7 @@ def set_sentry_meta(span, key, value):
     # type: (Union[AbstractSpan, ReadableSpan], str, Any) -> None
     sentry_meta = getattr(span, "_sentry_meta", {})
     sentry_meta[key] = value
-    span._sentry_meta = sentry_meta
+    span._sentry_meta = sentry_meta  # type: ignore[union-attr]
 
 
 def get_profile_context(span):
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/scope.py b/sentry_sdk/scope.py
index af69aca4ee..45f3dfe0a0 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/scope.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/scope.py
@@ -12,13 +12,11 @@
 from sentry_sdk.attachments import Attachment
 from sentry_sdk.consts import DEFAULT_MAX_BREADCRUMBS, FALSE_VALUES
 from sentry_sdk.feature_flags import FlagBuffer, DEFAULT_FLAG_CAPACITY
-from sentry_sdk.profiler.continuous_profiler import try_autostart_continuous_profiler
 from sentry_sdk.profiler.transaction_profiler import Profile
 from sentry_sdk.session import Session
 from sentry_sdk.tracing_utils import (
     Baggage,
     has_tracing_enabled,
-    normalize_incoming_data,
     PropagationContext,
 )
 from sentry_sdk.tracing import (
@@ -55,6 +53,7 @@
     from typing import Tuple
     from typing import TypeVar
     from typing import Union
+    from typing import Self
 
     from typing_extensions import Unpack
 
@@ -67,7 +66,6 @@
         ExcInfo,
         Hint,
         LogLevelStr,
-        SamplingContext,
         Type,
     )
 
@@ -194,12 +192,12 @@ def __init__(self, ty=None, client=None):
         self.generate_propagation_context(incoming_data=incoming_trace_information)
 
     def __copy__(self):
-        # type: () -> Scope
+        # type: () -> Self
         """
         Returns a copy of this scope.
         This also creates a copy of all referenced data structures.
         """
-        rv = object.__new__(self.__class__)  # type: Scope
+        rv = object.__new__(self.__class__)  # type: Self
 
         rv._type = self._type
         rv.client = self.client
@@ -333,7 +331,7 @@ def last_event_id(cls):
         return cls.get_isolation_scope()._last_event_id
 
     def _merge_scopes(self, additional_scope=None, additional_scope_kwargs=None):
-        # type: (Optional[Scope], Optional[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Scope
+        # type: (Optional[Scope], Optional[Dict[str, Any]]) -> Self
         """
         Merges global, isolation and current scope into a new scope and
         adds the given additional scope or additional scope kwargs to it.
@@ -419,7 +417,7 @@ def set_client(self, client=None):
         self.client = client if client is not None else NonRecordingClient()
 
     def fork(self):
-        # type: () -> Scope
+        # type: () -> Self
         """
         .. versionadded:: 2.0.0
 
@@ -949,71 +947,20 @@ def add_breadcrumb(self, crumb=None, hint=None, **kwargs):
         while len(self._breadcrumbs) > max_breadcrumbs:
             self._breadcrumbs.popleft()
 
-    def start_transaction(self, transaction=None, **kwargs):
-        # type: (Optional[Span], Optional[SamplingContext], Unpack[TransactionKwargs]) -> Union[Span, NoOpSpan]
+    def start_transaction(self, **kwargs):
+        # type: (Unpack[TransactionKwargs]) -> Union[NoOpSpan, Span]
         """
-        Start and return a transaction.
-
-        Start an existing transaction if given, otherwise create and start a new
-        transaction with kwargs.
-
-        This is the entry point to manual tracing instrumentation.
-
-        A tree structure can be built by adding child spans to the transaction,
-        and child spans to other spans. To start a new child span within the
-        transaction or any span, call the respective `.start_child()` method.
-
-        Every child span must be finished before the transaction is finished,
-        otherwise the unfinished spans are discarded.
-
-        When used as context managers, spans and transactions are automatically
-        finished at the end of the `with` block. If not using context managers,
-        call the `.finish()` method.
-
-        When the transaction is finished, it will be sent to Sentry with all its
-        finished child spans.
-
-        :param transaction: The transaction to start. If omitted, we create and
-            start a new transaction.
-        :param kwargs: Optional keyword arguments to be passed to the Transaction
-            constructor. See :py:class:`sentry_sdk.tracing.Transaction` for
-            available arguments.
+        .. deprecated:: 3.0.0
+            This function is deprecated and will be removed in a future release.
+            Use :py:meth:`sentry_sdk.start_span` instead.
         """
-        # TODO-neel-potel fix signature and no op
-        kwargs.setdefault("scope", self)
-
-        client = self.get_client()
-
-        try_autostart_continuous_profiler()
-
-        # if we haven't been given a transaction, make one
-        transaction = Span(**kwargs)
-
-        # use traces_sample_rate, traces_sampler, and/or inheritance to make a
-        # sampling decision
-        sampling_context = {
-            "transaction_context": transaction.to_json(),
-            "parent_sampled": transaction.parent_sampled,
-        }
-        transaction._set_initial_sampling_decision(sampling_context=sampling_context)
-
-        if transaction.sampled:
-            profile = Profile(
-                transaction.sampled, transaction._start_timestamp_monotonic_ns
-            )
-            profile._set_initial_sampling_decision(sampling_context=sampling_context)
-
-            transaction._profile = profile
-
-            # we don't bother to keep spans if we already know we're not going to
-            # send the transaction
-            max_spans = (client.options["_experiments"].get("max_spans")) or 1000
-            transaction.init_span_recorder(maxlen=max_spans)
-
-        return transaction
+        logger.warning(
+            "The `start_transaction` method is deprecated, please use `sentry_sdk.start_span instead.`"
+        )
+        return NoOpSpan(**kwargs)
 
     def start_span(self, **kwargs):
-        # type: (Optional[Span], Any) -> Span
+        # type: (Any) -> Union[NoOpSpan, Span]
         """
         Start a span whose parent is the currently active span, if any.
 
@@ -1023,53 +970,16 @@ def start_span(self, **kwargs):
 
         For supported `**kwargs` see :py:class:`sentry_sdk.tracing.Span`.
         """
-        # TODO-neel-potel fix signature and no op
-        if kwargs.get("description") is not None:
-            warnings.warn(
-                "The `description` parameter is deprecated. Please use `name` instead.",
-                DeprecationWarning,
-                stacklevel=2,
-            )
-
-        with new_scope():
-            kwargs.setdefault("scope", self)
-
-            # get current span or transaction
-            span = self.span or self.get_isolation_scope().span
+        return NoOpSpan(**kwargs)
 
-            if span is None:
-                # New spans get the `trace_id` from the scope
-                if "trace_id" not in kwargs:
-                    propagation_context = self.get_active_propagation_context()
-                    if propagation_context is not None:
-                        kwargs["trace_id"] = propagation_context.trace_id
-
-                span = Span(**kwargs)
-            else:
-                # Children take `trace_id`` from the parent span.
-                span = span.start_child(**kwargs)
-
-            return span
-
-    def continue_trace(
-        self, environ_or_headers, op=None, name=None, source=None, origin=None
-    ):
-        # TODO-neel-potel fix signature and no op
-        # type: (Dict[str, Any], Optional[str], Optional[str], Optional[str], Optional[str]) -> Span
+    @contextmanager
+    def continue_trace(self, environ_or_headers):
+        # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> Generator[None, None, None]
         """
-        Sets the propagation context from environment or headers and returns a transaction.
+        Sets the propagation context from environment or headers to continue an incoming trace.
         """
         self.generate_propagation_context(environ_or_headers)
-
-        transaction = Span.continue_from_headers(
-            normalize_incoming_data(environ_or_headers),
-            op=op,
-            origin=origin,
-            name=name,
-            source=source,
-        )
-
-        return transaction
+        yield
 
     def capture_event(self, event, hint=None, scope=None, **scope_kwargs):
         # type: (Event, Optional[Hint], Optional[Scope], Any) -> Optional[str]
@@ -1382,7 +1292,7 @@ def run_event_processors(self, event, hint):
             )
 
             for event_processor in event_processors:
-                new_event = event
+                new_event = event  # type: Optional[Event]
                 with capture_internal_exceptions():
                     new_event = event_processor(event, hint)
                 if new_event is None:
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/tracing.py b/sentry_sdk/tracing.py
index 7b534d7efd..9d0ee6404d 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/tracing.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/tracing.py
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@ def get_span_status_from_http_code(http_status_code):
 
 
 class NoOpSpan:
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        # type: (Any) -> None
+        pass
+
     def __repr__(self):
         # type: () -> str
         return "<%s>" % self.__class__.__name__
@@ -263,7 +267,6 @@ def get_profile_context(self):
 
     def finish(
         self,
-        scope=None,  # type: Optional[sentry_sdk.Scope]
         end_timestamp=None,  # type: Optional[Union[float, datetime]]
     ):
         # type: (...) -> None