Istanbul Guided Tour Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Cistern with Tickets
Overview
Available languages
4 hours 15 minutes
Mobile ticket
All tickets are included on this efficiently organized tour.
Benefit from priority admission to museums, allowing you to skip the lines and make the most of your time.
Explore the major highlights of historical Istanbul on a guided tour that takes you to the must-see attractions.
With an expert guide, step inside the magnificent Hagia Sophia and gain insights into its rich history.
Visit the Basilica Cistern where you can marvel at the unique upside-down Medusa heads.
Stroll through the impressive Topkapi Palace and learn about the Ottomans.
Benefit from convenient pickup at Galata Port or meeting point in Sultanahmet.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Topkapi Palace is a vast complex with multiple sections open for visit. During our tour, we’ll visit the most magnificent masterpieces. However, if you wish to explore all sections at your leisure, we recommend allocating the afternoon to explore the rest of the Palace grounds.
Tickets are timed and expire within 5 to 10 minutes.
Please be advised that it is not possible to join the tour after it has commenced.
Women are required to wear a headscarf when entering the mosque.
Both men and women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. Shorts, sleeveless tops, and other revealing attire are not permitted inside.
Do not bring signs, symbols, banners, flags, documents, drawings, or any materials representing political, ideological, or religious beliefs inside the Hagia Sophia.
Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.
Please note that the 'Starting from Galata Port' option is available only for cruise guests.
Please note that children under 7 are not permitted on this tour.
Please note that skip-the-line access is available for adults only. Children under the age of 7 do not benefit from this access.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Sultanahmet District
Meet your expert guide and join your small-group walking tour in the heart of Istanbul's old town Sultanahmet to visit the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace.
Basilica Cistern
Make the most of your time in Istanbul with a skip-the-line entry to the Basilica Cistern. Explore the famous Basilica Cistern and travel back in time on a tour led by a local guide. See the underground pillars and learn about Byzantine architecture. Walk on the wooden walkways over the water until the famous upside-down Medusa head.
What‘s Included
Headsets to hear the guide better
Professional expert guide for insider's knowledge
Small group tour for 4 hours at a relaxed pace
Pre-reserved tickets for the Harem
Pre-reserved ticket for Hagia Sophia
Pre-reserved tickets for the Basilica Cistern
Pre-reserved tickets for Topkapi Palace
Guided tour of the Harem inside Topkapi Palace
Options
German Tour from Galataport
Meeting point at Galataport: Choose this option if you are on a cruise ship and will meet your guide at Galataport Clock Tower Square
Small group tour
Language of the tour: German
Starting point:
Galataport Clock Tower Square, Kılıçali Paşa, Gümrük Muhafaza Kısım Amirliği No:5, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Larger Group up to 24 People
Shared group: Choose this option for an affordable price, offering a larger group capacity of up to 24 people.
Meeting point is Sultanahmet: You will meet your guide at Ersoy Bufe kiosk in Sultanahmet Square
Language of the tour: English
Starting point:
Ersoy Bufe, Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:40, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
English Tour from Galataport
Meeting point is Galataport: If you are on a cruise ship, choose this option to meet your guide at Galataport Clock Tower Square
Small group tour
Language of the tour: English
Starting point:
Galataport Clock Tower Square, Kılıçali Paşa, Gümrük Muhafaza Kısım Amirliği No:5, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
English Tour from Sultanahmet
Meeting point is Sultanahmet: Choose this option to meet your guide at Ersoy Bufe kiosk in Sultanahmet Square (Old Town)
Small group tour
Language of the tour: English
Starting point:
Ersoy Bufe, Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:40, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
German Tour from Sultanahmet
Meeting point is Sultanahmet: Choose this option to meet your guide at Ersoy Bufe kiosk in Sultanahmet Square (Old Town)
Small group tour
Language of the tour: German
Starting point:
Ersoy Bufe, Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:40, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Reviews
206 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highly recommended Tour
Sugianto O,,Dec 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a wonderful walking tour, made truly exceptional by our guide, Ismail Mert. He is extremely knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about the history and culture of the city. His explanations were clear and insightful, and he made the tour enjoyable for both adults and children. Highly recommended—Ismail is a very, very good guide and made our experience memorable.
A tour well worth taking.
LINDY M,,Nov 22, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Although a bit pricier than other tours, this was definitely worth it. Emre, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and entertaining in his leadership and discussion about the many places we visited. We never had to wait in a line to obtain entrance into the sites, and at the last site (Topkapi Palace) he took us to several of the places inside and then left us to explore for as much time as we wanted on our own. (He spent an extra hour with us and was a fantastic guide.) I highly recommend this tour, especially if you are only in Istanbul for a few days.
Great highlight of Istanbul’s must-see locations
Billy S,,Nov 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour provides easy access to three of the marquee sites in Istanbul’s Old City. Our guide was very knowledgeable and really helped us appreciate everything we toured, while giving us both enough time to explore and managing the tour’s time well. Please note that you will want to reserve a few hours of your time after the tour to continue to explore Topkapi Palace. The guide gives you an overview of the history and all the exhibits in the Palace, but to walk through them all you will need additional time.
Walking and learning
MARY C,,Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Covers a lot of ground physically and a lot of information historically. Our guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subjects we covered.
So worth it!!!
Erin J,,Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide was so knowledgeable and friendly! So great to bypass the lines!!!!Found all the information about Hagia Sophia to be so interesting. The Basilica Cistern was beautiful- used to be boat rides there when tour guide was a child! Topkapi Palace was a dream- so many exhibits besides the Palace! So glad I booked this tour-to do it on my own would have taken so much time and I would not have learned so much.
Avoid like the plague
David G,,Nov 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00Don’t take it!!! Operator cancelled the last minute with no explanation. Poor communications never even answered our last question Had to try and arrange last minute tour once we got to hotel
Amazing day with Turkish history!
Mary L,,Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Murat was a personable and very knowledgeable guide- he made the history come alive. We saw Hagia Sophia first, the Basilica Cistern and finally Topkapi Palace. We did not feel rushed and felt like we saw everything.
Wonderful
919marinau,,Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour and pleasant guide with lots of knowledge of Turkish history. Highly recommend this tour for everyone coming to visit Istanbul
Small group tour of the Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia
Jameel A,,Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour consisted of 3 of us and our guide. So it moved at the pace we wanted and we had ample time to stop at whatever was especially interesting and ask questions about what we were seeing or to get more background information. Our guide, Murat, is very personable, professional and well spoken. Amazing how this young man has such a breadth and depth of knowledge in history, archeology, sociology and geography: probably in other areas we didn't touch on. We didn't manage to ask him a question he couldn't answer. I would definitely look for him in future tours in Instanbul
Great tour for visitors...
Svetlana G,,Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Great tour for visitors with limited time in Istanbul, covering 3 of the main attractions in a morning. Our guide Emre was very knowledgeable, paced the tour according to the group's interests/ physical abilities.
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