Private Tour: Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace Exploration with Fast-Track Entry

Embark on a private tour of Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace. Explore the underground marvel of the cistern and delve into the opulent world of Ottoman sultans at the palace. Fast-track entry included!

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Basilica Cistern - After you meet your tour guide at the entrance of Basilica Cistern where Privileged Entry. Start to explore the ancient underground world of the Basilica Cistern on this private guided tour. Built in the 6th century, this mysterious subterranean chamber once held water for the city’s palaces and gardens. Now, you can wander…
What's Included
  • Guided tour of the Basilica Cistern
  • Services of a professional licensed tour guide
  • Topkapi Palace guided tour
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup
  • Entrance fees
  • Entrance fees
Additional Information

Discover the captivating history and architectural wonders of Istanbul with our tour that takes you on a journey through the mysterious Basilica Cistern and the opulent Topkapi Palace. Our tour begins at the breathtaking Basilica Cistern, an underground marvel that dates back to the 6th century. Discover the ingenuity of Byzantine engineers who…

Location
Basilica Cistern
Yerebatan Caddesi
Meet your tour guide at the entrance of Basilica Cistern ( We will contact to you before your starts for more information )
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(149 Ratings)
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Diana_i
Jul 26, 2025
Guided Basilica cistern and Topkapi palace - Having a guide for the basilica cistern and Topkapi palace was great! Both are must see sights in Istanbul. My only complaint is that although the guide helped navigate through the crowds for most sights the Topkapi palace treasury was too crowded to be able to enjoy this fantastic collection.
Review provided by Viator
Meighan_g
Jul 19, 2025
The tour with Murat was... - The tour with Murat was excellent ! Made the visits so much more interesting. He’s so knowledgeable! And skipping the lines was a huge win. I would recommend this tour any day.
Review provided by Viator
Stacy
Jul 14, 2025
History with an expert - Huseyin gave us an absolutely thoughtful tour through the cistern and the palace. We wouldn’t have had the context of the history to enjoy the experience and he answered every question I asked…and more! He also gave us local recommendations and helped us ride the tram. Our ATM card wouldn’t work and he was patient with us in the heat. Don’t miss this tour! Thank you Huseyin!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Travel546902
Jul 2, 2025
Best tour guide - Huseyin is amazing!! He was waiting for us at the exact spot, it was simple and easy to find. Huseyin’s knowledge of the Cistern and Topkapi Palace was incredible. We went with our two teenage boys who absolutely loved it. I could not recommend Huseyin more, he is the best guide we have had in all our tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maria
Jun 30, 2025
Amazing and unique - Amazing and unique place. Murat was right at the entrance to make our entry easier and his explanations made a great difference in understanding the context and making the most of our visit. Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X2419jpmattm
Jun 23, 2025
Engaging, Educational, Entertaining - Very well-crafted and educational tour! Murat was my guide and he did an excellent job of providing a lot of dense historical information in a way that was engaging and entertaining, especially for folks less familiar with the history of these sites. He was also good about allowing time for photos and answered every question I had. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
282vinitas
Jun 23, 2025
Huseyin was great! - Huseyin was an awesome guide! He was very informative and answered all of our questions. He also pointed out the best spots to snap pictures (and even helped us take them)!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sallyk795
Jun 23, 2025
Great guided tour of Basilica and Top Kapu palace - Great visit to Basilica and Topkapi Palace with Hussain. Informative guide and a very interesting morning. Thanks too for the transport tip! Very helpful. Would recommend this tour and guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurahu5266vy
Jun 22, 2025
Highly recommend!! - Murat was an excellent guide, and this tour was definitely the highlight of our stay in Istanbul. Murat was extremely knowledgeable and it was fascinating to hear the history of the Cistern and the Palace. I would highly recommend this tour. Again, it was our favorite part of our stay.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carlieb519
Jun 22, 2025
Fabulous tour with Murat - Murat was such a great guide. We felt very lucky to have his knowledge, he was kind, considerate and we loved hearing his stories and the history of each place. He was also very patient with our girls who kept wandering in different directions!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $26
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).