Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern

Experience the best of old Istanbul on a guided walking tour. Visit iconic sites like Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and more. Hear fascinating stories of Roman Hippodrome and Constantine’s Column.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Blue Mosque - This 17th-century mosque is still active and is the most visited in Turkey. Its original name is Sultanahmet Mosque. It is called the Blue Mosque due to the blue tiles adorning its interior.
  • It was closed for renovations for the past six years but has been open since April 21st.
  • Hippodrome - This site is the foundation of the…
What's Included
  • Entry ticket to Basilica Cistern and priority to skip line
  • Entry to Blue Mosque
  • Tea and coffee
  • Professional licensed English speaking guide
  • Entry tickets to Hagia Sophia and skip line
What's Not Included
  • Tipping to the guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Lunch. Your guide will suggest you some local restaurants at the end of the tour for lunch.
Additional Information

Skip the long lines to get inside the Hagia Sofia and Basilica Cistern.
Tick most of the top sites of old Istanbul off your travel bucket list with our specialized small group tour.
It is a fully-guided tour inside Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Roman Hippodrome, Gulhane park, Orient express train station and Spice bazaar.
Along…

Location
German Fountain
At Meydanı Caddesi
Travel to the Sultanahmet Tram Station. From the tram station walk down the hill on the right side of the road toward to the little mosque Firuz ağa . Take the first right onto the Hippodrome ( square ). You will see the green domed fountain in front of you.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(67 Ratings)
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Bret_b
Jul 16, 2025
Fantastic Journey with an Experienced Guide - The sites themselves are iconic and need no commentary from me, so I'll instead talk about our guide. The first signal that made us realize our guide Omer knew what he was doing was when quickly he switched the order of things. We started with the site that was apparently unusually uncrowded, allowing us to make our wait times remarkably quick all day. Then within the sites, Omer was not only a font of information but he pointed out the best places to pose for pictures. Everyone must visit these places on their first trip to Istanbul, but Omer offered insight and safe guidance which made it truly special. One side note for summer visitors, though. It was a 90 degree day and there is no respite from the heat in either mosque. When you consider the requirements of long pants for men and head scarves for women, it can get quite uncomfortable. Of course, this is not the tour company's fault so there's no mark against them. It's just an fyi to future summer travelers.
Review provided by Viator
Y4543nlhannahl
Jul 7, 2025
Great tour with Omer - The highlights tour in Istanbul was great! Our experience was made outstanding by Omer who was an extremely friendly knowledgeable guide. He paced our tour extremely well and we learned so much.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pink2017
Jul 2, 2025
Great experience - Burak was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable and friendly. We were a group of 8 and we would definitely recommend!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Companion11020004894
Jun 23, 2025
Don’t miss this tour! - A fun and informative tour with Berk who went above and beyond what was listed. We had a well paced walking tour, circling the city and gleaning fun facts about Istanbul including the best food and restaurants. The best thing about Berk was his love for his city, which was contagious and heart warming. Thank you Berk!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sunshine77211
Jun 16, 2025
An amazing way to see Istanbul - We had the most amazing half day walking tour with Omer. His knowledge and enthusiasm about the rich culture and history in Istanbul was amazing and we went back to our hotel to keep researching and reading as we were enthralled with all that he shared and wanted to know even more. He made sure that we didn’t hit long lines and he timed our visits to the main attractions really well. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
892rus
Jun 11, 2025
Worth it! - Our guide Omer was amazing! We learned so much about the history and he told us so many interesting facts and stories about each place. Definitely recommend visiting these places with a knowledgeable guide like Omer, it expanded our interest in Turkey’s rich history and we got so many books about it after going on this tour. The trip was at a good pace and we had plenty of time to ask questions, take pictures and take it all in. Highly recommended and highly recommend Omer as the guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shinoy_f
Jun 10, 2025
Definitely recommend - Pinar was a very friendly and knowledgeable guide. We got to know the history of Hagia Sophia, Blue mosque and Basilica cistern which wouldn’t have been possible without a knowledgeable guide. We were a small group of 4 with a baby in a pram. Pinar was patient and helpful throughout the tour
Review provided by Viator
Audun
Jun 9, 2025
Recommended tour! - A great experience! Very knowledgeable and helpful guide. Highly recommended this tour. I forgot to ask the female guide's name, but I hope she sees and recognizes this.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tourist54323338313
Jun 7, 2025
Istanbul Highlights - Omer was a terrific guide. His English was excellent and he made the tour really interesting and relevent. We loved seeing the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Cisterns and it was amazing to be able to skip all the lines. Throughly recommend Omer as a guide and this tour for a quick snapshot of Istanbul highlights.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Renes516
May 29, 2025
Great Istanbul Tour - This was an excellent tour and our guide, Omer, was very friendly, approachable and extremely knowledgable. The tour was not rushed but quite relaxing, and Omer navigated the crowds with ease. He is also a great photographer, so don't forgot to ask for a few shots! I would strongly recommend this tour to anyone who is a first time visitor to Istanbul.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $141
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).