Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Ticket with Guided Tour
4.1
237 Ratings
Fatih

Embark on a captivating journey through history and architecture with a skip-the-line tour of the Basilica Cistern. Discover the intriguing stories behind this ancient marvel and marvel at its unique features, including the medusa-head column bases. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the essence of historical architecture and capture stunning photographs!

Duration: 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Basilica Cistern - You will meet with our guide at the meeting point and continue to the museum. The guide will explain the history of the place and the tour will end at the museum.
What's Included
  • Admission to Basilica Cistern
  • Professional licensed guide
What's Not Included
  • Transportation
  • Meal
Additional Information

Discover the ancient cistern escorted by an expert guide with priority access to bypass long queue lines. Its unique history pulls adventurers from around the world to witness its majesty firsthand. Walking on elevated wooden walkways with water droplets falling from the vaulted ceilings adds to the captivating allure of this historical marvel. If…

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Location
At Meydanı Cd No:3
At Meydanı Caddesi
At the Busforus (Red Double-decker Bus) Stop across the Hagia Sophia in Sultanahmet Square. D marked bus stop sign.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.1
(237 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Carleen_v
Jun 3, 2025
Guided with independent time to enjoy - You will have plenty of free time to walk around the cistern independently. The lighting is dim, so be careful where you are walking.
Review provided by Viator
Shakun
May 27, 2025
Price is worth it for no queueing for entry! - The entrance to the basilica was made so much easier with the tickets. We skipped the line ticket queue and literally walked straight in. The basilica itself is magnificent and worth visiting. The guided tour was a quick 10 minutes introduction as soon as you entered the basilica and that was it. It wasn’t a tour where the guide walks with you telling you about different things of a place. This is mentioned when you buy the tickets so was expected. The slightly higher price for a guided tour is worth it as the entry to the basilica meant no queueing. Once in the basilica you can stay as long as you like.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
621howardg
May 26, 2025
The Under-Usage Guarantee makes buying this a no-brainer - We ended up not using the pass as much as we had originally planned when we purchased it. After it expired, I sent an email to the office asking about the under-usage guarantee. Several hours later I received a usage report, detailing exactly what we had done and a promise to send a refund for the difference between the value of our activities and the cost of the pass in a couple of days. That refund hit my account exactly as promised.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G3935asmartinap
May 20, 2025
Best customer support experience - Karim Karimli - We scheduled to see Basilica Cistern on May 17th but that day was pouring rain non-stop! We were traveling by motorcycle and had no internet connection so we missed the tour and weren't able to cancel. I explained what happened to their customer support and they approved full refund. First they offered to us another tour in the afternoon the next day, but we were leaving Istanbul in the morning. I am very gratefull for their understanding of our situation!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Garylc1912vi
May 15, 2025
Bascilica - Great short trip, amazing place! Guide was punctual and informative. Great to officially skip the line, so worth the ticket price
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_w
May 11, 2025
Short 20 minute guided... - Short 20 minute guided tour with plenty of time to explore the beautiful Cistern. Would highly recommend this tour if that's all you wanted to see. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
Review provided by Viator
Nobuyuki
May 8, 2025
For a smooth tour - The tour was extremely smooth. Assemble, confirm, enter! - Welcome! There was an explanation at the beginning and then you could freely observe it. It was a smooth tour of the extremely moving and majestic facility.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine_s
May 6, 2025
Very interesting... - Very interesting historical site and the guide was very good in responding to questions. He offered many facts and contextual explanations.
Review provided by Viator
Ador_k
May 5, 2025
James Bond feeling in the Basilica Cistern - Our tour of the Basilica Cistern with Ibrahim was absolutely amazing. From the moment we met him he was so friendly and made everyone feel comfortable right away. Ibrahim has such a great sense of humor and kept us entertained the whole time while also sharing fascinating facts and stories about the history of the cistern. You can tell he truly loves what he does and that passion makes all the difference. He was kind attentive and incredibly knowledgeable making the whole experience both fun and unforgettable. If you're visiting Istanbul and want to really enjoy and understand what you're seeing make sure you go with Ibrahim.
Review provided by Viator
Mary_m
May 21, 2025
Good tour - Good information on the Cisterns. There was about 20 minutes of description and then we could explore. It’s a very cool site.
Review provided by Viator
Check Availability
From $43
From $43
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
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