Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia & opt. Cistern Tour
Description
Visit Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and 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.
Tour Options
Itinerary
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.
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.
The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is Istanbul’s most famous mosque, built in the 17th century. It’s renowned for its six minarets, grand dome, and stunning blue İznik tiles.
Hagia Sophia is Istanbul’s most iconic monument, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral in 537. It later became an Ottoman mosque, then a museum, and is today a functioning mosque, admired for its massive dome and stunning mosaics.
The Basilica Cistern is an underground wonder in Istanbul, built in the 6th century to store water for the Byzantine Empire. It’s famous for its forest of marble columns, atmospheric lighting, and the mysterious Medusa head bases.
Step beneath Istanbul's streets and discover the ancient Cistern of Theodosius, a hidden Byzantine masterpiece brought to life through immersive lighting and history.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- 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!
Reviews(451)
Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable on this tour which included the cistern. We learned so much from her!
Dear Guest, thank you for the lovely feedback! 😊 We're so glad our guide's knowledge and warm personality made the experience so enriching. The cistern is always a fascinating highlight and we're glad it delivered! Hope to welcome you back to Istanbul very soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
The tour was informative and entertaining. Our guide was very patient answering all our questions and was very knowledgeable. He used good humour helping us to tolerate the oppressive heat !
Dear Guest, thank you for the great review! 😊 A knowledgeable guide with a sense of humor in the Antalya heat, that's exactly the winning combination! We're so glad the patience and good spirits made the experience so enjoyable. Hope to welcome you back very soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Ali Cem was a wonderful guide. The pacing was perfect and he was very informative. We had a lovely experience! Highly recommended!
Dear Guest, thank you for the lovely review! 😊 Ali Cem's perfect pacing and depth of knowledge really do make all the difference. We're so glad the experience left such a positive impression and we'll be sure to pass on your kind words to him. Hope to welcome you back soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Egemen was a fantastic tour guide. Had a wonderful time! The Cistern is a must - don't skip out on that!
Dear Guest, thank you for the great review! 😊 We're so glad Egemen made the experience so wonderful and that the Cistern left such a strong impression. A must-see indeed! We'll pass on your kind words to him. Hope to welcome you back to Istanbul very soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Really disappointed with this tour. The guide was absolutely amazing—friendly, knowledgeable, and the highlight of the experience—but the tour itself was definitely not worth the money. We paid extra for the cistern add-on. While we didn’t read the fine print closely enough, it’s worth noting that this is not the famous Basilica Cistern in Istanbul. Instead, it’s a much smaller cistern, around 1/15 of the size, with an entrance fee of only about 900 Turkish Lira. The additional cost for this add-on felt very poor value for what was included. I wouldn’t recommend booking this tour with the cistern extension. The guide deserves five stars, but the overall experience and value for money were disappointing.
Dear Guest, thank you for the honest feedback and we're so glad the guide made such a strong impression! We'd like to clarify that our tour description clearly states the visit is to the Cistern of Theodosius, not the Basilica Cistern. The tour operated exactly as described and we encourage guests to review the full description before booking. We hope to welcome you back soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Behul was a great tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed learning about the beautiful historical sites in this amazing city.
Dear Guest, thank you for the lovely review! 😊 We're so glad Behlül's knowledge and warmth made exploring Istanbul's historical sites such an enjoyable experience. We'll be sure to pass on your kind words to him. Hope to welcome you back to this amazing city very soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Very good tour, well paced and clearly explained.
Dear Guest, thank you for the kind words! 😊 Well paced and clearly explained, that's exactly what we aim for on every tour. Hope to welcome you back for another great experience very soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Egemen was fantastic!! Very knowledgeable, patient, and kind. Wonderful tour guide and the historic sites were beautiful! 5 ⭐
Dear Guest, thank you for the five stars! ⭐ Egemen's patience and kindness really do set him apart and we're so glad the historic sites left such a beautiful impression. We'll make sure he knows how much you appreciated him. Hope to welcome you back to Istanbul soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Tolga is a friendly, knowledgeable guide who speaks really good English. He gave a great tour of the Blue Mosque, Haggia Sofia and the Cistern. He was really willing to answer questions and share the history of Istanbul.
Dear Guest, thank you for the wonderful review! 😊 Tolga's passion for Istanbul's history and his willingness to go the extra mile with questions really does make every tour special. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia and the Cistern in one day is quite the experience! We'll pass on your kind words to him. Hope to see you back soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
Very knowledgeable guide ! Excellent communication skills
Dear Guest, thank you for the kind words! 😊 Knowledge and communication are at the heart of a great tour experience and we're glad both shone through. Hope to welcome you back very soon! Kind regards 🧿 Tourmania Team
