Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia & opt. Basilica Cistern Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Visit Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Basilica Cistern on a 3-hour guided tour. Explore in small groups with skip the line tickets included. Learn about Istanbul’s rich Ottoman and Byzantine history.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

A headscarf is required for women when visiting the Hagia Sophia Mosque.

The Blue Mosque is an active place of worship; visitors may need to wait outside during prayer times.

Please arrive at the meeting point on time. If you are more than 5 minutes late, the guide will not be able to wait. For the sake of the tour’s atmosphere and flow, we cannot allow late arrivals to join once the tour has started.

Please be aware that once the tour begins, the guide will be fully focused on leading the group and cannot answer phone calls or assist latecomers.

Thank you for your understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you on the tour!

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Priority admission tickets to Basilica Cistern (if option is selected)

Small-group tour for a more personal experience

Professional licensed tour guide

3 hrs guided tour of Istanbul's most iconic sites

Priority admission tickets to Hagia Sophia

Food and drinks

Hotel pickup and drop-off

What To Expect

German Fountain

The German Fountain in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square is a neo-Byzantine style monument, gifted by Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1901, famed for its golden mosaic dome.

10 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Sultanahmet Square

Sultanahmet Square is the historic heart of Istanbul, once the Hippodrome of Constantinople, today home to iconic landmarks like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the German Fountain.

20 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Tour with Basilica Cistern

This option includes the Basilica Cistern

Tour without Basilica Cistern

Reviews

4.89

198 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

181

a tour with a queen
FjonnaD,
Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We arrived late due to heavy traffic. I immediately alerted the guide. She let the others into the palace and returned for us. I couldn't thank her more. We ended up with a private tour with her, where she told us stories about the history and the cool little details of Topkapi Palace. Our guide was a true queen ;)
Very informative tour;...
Arul F,
Nov 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Very informative tour; was a small group. The guide was patient and handled queries, requests quite well.
Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia and Cistern tour
O337HGseanc,
Nov 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Ece was an amazing guide. She was informative, personable and extremely accommodating for members of our small group that required addition time to navigate the spaces without disrupting the remainder of the group’s experience. We would recommend this tour to any visitor.
Tour with Emre
asiera242,
Nov 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Amazing experience visiting the old town peninsula, our guide Emre simply went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable and culturally enriching :)
Great value for money
709helles,
Nov 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had the Basilica Cistern included and wouldn't have missed it! Ece, our guide, did a good job. We can recommend this tour. Great value for money.
Worth it!
Angela T,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
It was a nice walk and very knowledgeable tour guide. Our guide pointed out things we wouldn’t have known about had we taken our own self guided tour. I highly recommend taking a tour with a guide to get the full experience!
Hagia Sophia
ina s,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was fantastic, our guide Ece could not have been better , she accompanied us great and humorous and dedicated told us all the details
A must in Istanbul
Climber45565733590,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
This is a great tour. We visited the Blue mosque, Hagia Sofia, and Basilica Cistern. The latter is optional but is a must, and you get to skip the queue. Baris was our guide and did an excellent tour. Really informative.
Really cool guide
146ainuraa,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very informative and comfortable tour! Our tour guide was nice and answered all our questions. Definetly recommend this company
Memorable Experience
743mike,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very informative and insightful guided tour of these incredible sites. Our guide was very experienced and knowledgeable and the small group size enhanced the experience.