Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi) Tours and Tickets - page 2
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What are people saying about Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi)
Rollie_P, Sep 2026
A very passionate and knowledgeable guide…
Mohammed is a very knowledgeable guide, he is very engaging and the activity is very educational and informative. He has a wealth of experience and passion of history and geography, and much more.
Camilla_B, Sep 2026
We really enjoyed our...
We really enjoyed our experience our Guide was awesome, knowledgable and fun. We had a small group so could get answers to questions easily. My husband and I then had a private tour with our guide at Basilica Cistern. It is worth it. Very well done.
Daniel_R, Sep 2026
The starting point was...
The starting point was hard to find. The address provided was an approximate location within a public area. It wasn't until I called that I found out that the location was at a bus stop sign.
Megan_B, Sep 2026
Absolutely amazing tour!...
Absolutely amazing tour! Lutfi was my guide, and he was very sociable and engaging during our tour. If you want to see all the highlights of the European side of Istanbul, take this tour! Just make sure to wear a good pair of shoes, because it is a LOT of walking.
Daniel_W, Sep 2026
Amazing crash course in the history of Istanbul
In a stroke of good fortune my small group tour became a private one. Lutfi was informative and patient with all my questions. Highlights included the Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace Harem, and the Bosphorous boat tour, all amazing sights with engaging commentary from Lutfi. He points out small details I would never have noticed just wandering around on my own. I was never bored and neither will be anyone who takes this tour. Amazing introduction to the complex history of the city!
Daniel_F, Sep 2026
Meeting location was easy...
Meeting location was easy to find. The entrance line was bypassed and the guide gave a very informative, 15 minute discussion about the history of the cistern before allowing the group to explore on their own. Highly recommend!
Pamela_P, Aug 2026
Excellent Tour
Hassan was an excellent guide on a very interesting tour. He was friendly, kind, and exceedingly knowledgeable! We saw a bit more of the palace than many other tours include. The Basilica Cistern is very interesting! Hassan recommended a wonderful restaurant for our lunch afterwards and showed us how to get there and where we were going afterwards.
Ingrid_S, Aug 2026
A Fantastic Private Tour
At first, my husband and I weren't sure about doing a private tour, but we are delighted that we did. Muhammad at Septillion Travel Agency is so knowledgeable. He has a real passion for history, and is warm, engaging, and enthusiastic. He also speaks excellent English. He filled the tour with fascinating facts, and really enabled us to appreciate the spiritual wonder of the Basilica Cistern. Highly recommended.
Tommy_M, Sep 2026
It is just a cool place to take pictures
Booking through Viator was seamless. Once we arrived, our guide gave a solid 15-minute explanation of the history and details of the cistern, which was the perfect amount of time to get the context. After that, you're free to explore at your own pace. It's an incredibly cool underground space, and most of the visit is just walking around and taking pictures.
Matthew_T, Jun 2026
Turkey
The underground water cistern with its beautiful columns was my favorite part of the tour. Coming from my hotel, I didn’t realize I needed to take a ferry to the meeting point—that was completely my mistake. I arrived about 30 minutes late, but my host was easy to communicate with and went out of their way to meet me after I missed the first stop. I really appreciated their flexibility and excellent customer service.
Gay_A, Jun 2026
Excellent guide for ancient sites
Excellent guide and knowledgeable about tour sites.
Very informative and beautiful!
Provides open conversation during the tours
Faris_A, Aug 2026
Lutfullah is a legend.
Lutfullah is great. Even my flight got cancelled and I couldn’t make it on the same day I contacted him and he was able to move it to a different day. What a legend.
Thank you
Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi)
5.0
(17,066)
Know before you go
Ways to explore
How to get there
When to visit

Wear comfortable, nonslip shoes to traverse the steps and the often-wet ground.
The entrance for wheelchair users and other visitors with mobility challenges is at the cistern’s exit.
As the cistern is underground, the setting is damp and cool. Take a layer if you don’t want to feel the chill.
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