Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Basilica Cistern tour

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Istanbul, Turkey

Popular pick

Booked 5+ times last week!

2 to 3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Explore the iconic sights of Istanbul on this half-day walking tour with a local guide. Stroll through Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet neighborhood and admire the gleaming mosaics of the Hagia Sophia. Learn about the Ottoman Empire and its mysterious Harem in Topkapı Palace and immerse yourself in the antiquity era at the Roman Cistern.

Cover the highlights of Istanbul in just a few hours
Admire the iconic Hagia Sophia Mosque
A morning tour leaves the rest of the day free to explore
Uncover centuries of Turkish history with your guide

What's Included

Guiding

Entrance Tickets for Basilica Cistern(cash)

€30.00 per person
Gratitutes for tour guides
Hagia Sophia Entrance Tickets(cash)

€30.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant
Alemdar, Divan Yolu Cd. No:6, 34400 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Pudding shop is located very close to Sultanahmet tramstop.It will take just 45 seconds to arrive our meeting.Number of restaurant is 6

End point

Basilica Cistern
Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
We are going to finish tour in Basilica Cistern

Operating hours
.9:00 am

Itinerary

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Basilica Cistern

35 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Blue Mosque

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.8

based on 69 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Tour guide never arrived

bejanaekareem, Mar 2026

My friend and I were excited to spend a half day viewing the historic monuments in Instanbul after weeks of planning. We woke up early, navigated the Tram line, and made it to our meeting point as advised early. 20 minutes later we are still waiting. The tour guide never arrived. We chatted with Viator via the app and finally got a hold of the tour guide who indicated the thought the tour was the next day. Huh?! The app provides reminder notifications. Luckily, we were refunded our money but it was a waste of time and excitement.

Great Comprehensive Tour

Michael_D, Oct 2025

Great experience. Guide was very knowledgeable and was able to navigate the crowds well. Highly recommend.

Great tour 🧿🧿🧿

Pat_D, Mar 2025

I recently joined the small group tour of Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, and it was absolutely worth every penny! Our guide was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also had a great sense of humor, which made the experience both educational and entertaining.

Disappointed

Jasmine_C, Oct 2024

Had difficulty contacting the guide. Sent messages.. replied late. Felt so bad with very late reply. Said he will asked viator to refund us because of this. Never received.

Very disappointed

Kevin_H, Apr 2024

Not impressed, guide did not turn up and did not contact to advise it was cancelled. We waited at the meeting place, noone turned up. Other guide phoned for us to be told refund was being made.

Our tour of Istanbul with...

Michael_N, Mar 2024

Our tour of Istanbul with our guide was fantastic! he showed us all the must-see sights and shared interesting stories about each place. Highly recommend!

Our tour guide in...

Maria_K, Mar 2024

Our tour guide in Istanbul was exceptional—knowledgeable, personable, and adept at weaving history into a captivating narrative. A delightful experience that added immense value to our exploration of this vibrant city. Highly recommend!

History tour in istanbul

Gertrude_W, Feb 2024

Our Istanbul tour guide showcased the city's charm with passion and professionalism. From the awe-inspiring Blue Mosque to the mystical Basilica Cistern, each stop was accompanied by insightful commentary. The guide effortlessly balanced historical context with practical tips, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience. Their personalized touch, sharing hidden gems and local secrets, made the tour truly memorable.

Good introduction to Istanbul

William_M, Feb 2024

Exceptional Istanbul Tour with – A Must-Experience! From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, this Tour offers a seamless and insightful journey through the heart of Istanbul. Personalized, friendly, and unforgettable – highly recommended!

Very good tour

mayya_a, Feb 2024

We really enjoyed this tour! Our guide Oz was very helpful and informative, sharing many interesting facts and happily answered any questions our group had.If you are visiting Istanbul for the first time,i would highly recommend this tour.

The Best of Walkıng Tours

Jane_L, Nov 2022

Oguz ıs one of the best guides I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Humorous, incredibly knowledgeable and with magnıficent storytellıng and organiızational skills. He gave Sylvıa, Hans and myself a day of Suleimanye Mosque. Cistern, Bazaar. Spice Market, Golden Horn ferry., tram orientation. special bakeries and a 350-year-old cafe. More unforgettable sites off the usual pathways. extraordinary pacing without rushing, incredibly thoughtful. Now am at ease moving around the city. Recommended for all walkers.

Super interesting tour

Nicola_I, Oct 2022

We learned so much on that tour, Oz explained a lot and everything was very understandable. We also got to see places we would have never seen without him. I can absolutely recommend that tour

Awesome time in Istanbul!

Bradley_S, Aug 2022

I loved this tour and Oguz was a great guide. He showed us all of the major sites and while I usually find that stuff kinda boring, he had a good sense of humor, so I enjoyed it. The kebob place that he took us to was a 10/10. Highly recommend.

Perfect Tour

Leidy_E, Jul 2022

The tour guide was very attentive and made sure we all had a good experience. We have been through the most amazing parts of the historical peninsula and spend a very good amount of time in each one. Yerebatan and Hagia Sofia was mos amazing. And i am still under the spell of the Egyptian Market.

Great Experience

Alice_H, Jul 2022

Great experience and perfect length for the first impression of Istanbul. Highly recommended for everyone passing through the city, or just arriving for a longer stay - after this tour you are ready for more walks to the places of your choice

Wonderful day...

Pat_D, Jul 2022

5 stars! Amazing tour! Very informative. Oguz projects his voice to ensure everyone is able to hear him. He makes direct eye contact, asks if you have questions. Additionally, he recommends places to go and places not to go. I learned so much about the city and even some politics. One of the best tours!

Cool tour

Mayya_S, Jul 2022

Our guide(Oz)is so knowledgeable and such a lovely storyteller,i thorughly enjoyed listening him for 5,5 hours,he covers so much ground that time.,i highly recommend you to book this tour in your first day.

Thoroughly Enjoyable Day

garcesdiane, Nov 2021

What a thoroughly enjoyable day we had with our guide Ous. His choice of stops gave us a great overview of Istanbul- more than we would have discovered on our own. We particularly enjoyed the food samples he exposed us to at various points. We had been to Istanbul before but really felt like we now have more of a true feel for the city after this tour.