Basilica Cistern guided tours

• Avail of a great cost benefit with this combo, giving you skip-the-line access to two of Istanbul’s iconic sites: the Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia.
• Marvel at the impressive Byzantine architecture of the Basilica Cistern, a 6th-century subterranean marvel with 336 massive columns.
• Soak in the Basilica Cistern experience with an optional multilingual audio guide providing intriguing insights into the history of this unique site.
• Step into the world-famous Hagia Sophia, once the largest place of worship for over a millennium with skip-the-line tickets and an audio guide.
• Enjoy the liberty to explore the magnificent mosaics and paintings at your own pace at the Hagia Sophia’s 2nd-floor Visitors' Center.

Inclusions

Basilica Cistern

• Skip-the-line entry to the Basilica Cistern
• Multilingual audio guide

Hagia Sophia

• Skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia
• Entry to Hagia Sophia visiting area
• Audio guide in 23 languages

Basilica Cistern

• Tip: Keep an eye out for the ghostly outlines of carp swimming in the water, they make for a great photo backdrop.
• This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.

Hagia Sophia

• Tip: Look for the 'weeping column,' it's believed to have healing powers.
• This tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.
• You skip the ticket lines but you cannot skip the security check.
• The security check can take up to 60 minutes during peak seasons.
• Women should not wear knee-length shorts, skirts, or clothing with exposed shoulders or chests. Hair should be partially covered with a scarf.
• Men should not wear knee-length shorts or clothing with exposed shoulders.
• Clothes and scarves are available for purchase at the entrance of the attraction.
• Due to the Friday prayer, the Mosque will be closed to tourists from 12pm to 2pm. For a smoother experience, it's recommend visiting after 4pm to avoid the lengthy security line anticipated between 2pm and 4pm.

• These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

• Enjoy a guided tour of 3 of Istanbul’s iconic attractions with this one combo ticket that you can use in 1 day or over a span of 2 days.
• Skip the lines and enter the 4th-century Basilica Cistern, an underground reservoir from the Byzantine times, with an expert English-speaking guide.
• Admire the artwork here with raised wooden platforms and aesthetic vaulted ceilings as you to the mystery of Medusa heads from Greek mythology.
• Soak up the architectural charm and beauty of the Blue Mosque as you admire the hand-painted blue tiles that adorn the mosque’s interior walls.
• See the 5 main domes, 6 minarets, and 8 secondary domes and learn about Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, Islam and Istanbul’s rich heritage from your guide.
• Enter Hagia Sophia with skip-the-line access, an important monument both for the Byzantine and the Ottoman Empires and admire its architectural beauty.

Inclusions

Basilica Cistern

• 30-min guided tour of the Basilica Cistern
• Skip-the-line ticket to Basilica Cistern
• Expert English-speaking guide

Blue Mosque

• 60-min guided tour of the Blue Mosque
• Entry to the Blue Mosque
• English-speaking guide

Hagia Sophia

• 60-min guided tour of Hagia Sophia
• Skip-the-line tickets to Hagia Sophia
• English-speaking tour guide
• Audio guide inside Hagia Sophia

Basilica Cistern

• Tip: The underground cistern is dark and damp, which can lead to a drop in temperature. It’s best to carry a light cardigan to keep yourself warm.

Blue Mosque

• Tip: Look out for decorations and items inside the mosque inscribed with the names of the caliphs and verses from the Quran.
• This tour is not available on Tuesdays.
• Please note that the security line can take up to 60 minutes in the high season.
• If you do not have a scarf or body cover, you can buy them at the entrance (a scarf is 1€ and a body cover is 3€).

Hagia Sophia

• Tip: Don’t forget to make a wish at one of Hagia Sophia’s columns, known as the ‘wishing column.’ Legend has it that if you poke your finger through a hole in the column and your finger emerges wet, your wishes will come true and you’ll be cured of any illness. No harm in trying!
• This tour is not available on Tuesdays.
• Please expect a considerable wait time as you enter the attraction, especially during holidays and weekends.
• Security checks at Hagia Sophia take approximately 30 minutes.
• Since it is a religious place, guests are requested to wear clothes that cover their arms and head.
• While photography is allowed, all visitors are requested to refrain from turning on flash and using bulky accessories like tripods.
• Hagia Sophia may be closed during prayer times as it is a place of religious worship.
• These tickets are valid for 2 days from the date of experience.

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.
• These tickets are valid for 2 days from the date of purchase.

• This combo lets you skip the lines for Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and Basilica Cistern all in one go! Perfect for time-conscious travelers and history buffs.
• Explore the Sultan's lavish chambers at the Topkapi Palace, including the Harem, and marvel at the Imperial Treasury's jewels like the Topkapi Dagger.
• Witness the architectural marvel of Hagia Sophia and decipher the cryptic Viking runes etched by ancient visitors, alongside Islamic and Christian art.
• At Basilica Cistern, spot the column shaped like the feathers of a peacock, constructed in memory of the slaves who died building it.
• With multilingual audio guides, unlock the secrets of Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia's hidden murals, and the Basilica Cistern's haunting Medusa.

Inclusions

Topkapi Palace

• Skip-the-line entry to Topkapi Palace
• Access to Harem Museum and Hagia Irene Museum
• Audio guide in Arabic, English, French, German, Russian, and Spanish

Hagia Sophia

• Skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia
• Audio guide in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish

Basilica Cistern

• Skip-the-line entry to Basilica Cistern
• Audio guide in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish

Topkapi Palace

• Tip: In the first courtyard, don't miss Hagia Irene, the oldest church in Istanbul and one of the oldest unreconstructed buildings in the world.
• This experience is wheelchair accessible.

Hagia Sophia

• Tip: Don't miss the Deesis mosaic, a recently uncovered Byzantine treasure depicting Virgin Mary, Jesus, and John the Baptist in a scene of intercession.
• This tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.
• The prayer area on the first floor can only be entered by Turkish citizens.
• Hagia Sophia is under renovation, therefore, not all parts of the building are open to the public.
• Due to the Friday prayer, the Mosque will be closed to tourists from 12pm to 2pm. For a smoother experience, it's recommend visiting after 4pm to avoid the lengthy security line anticipated between 2pm and 4pm.

Basilica Cistern

• Tip: Look out for exhibitions which combine modern art installations with the cistern's ancient architecture, showcasing Istanbul's evolving character.
• This experience is wheelchair and pram/stroller accessible.

• These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

• Save time and money with this combo ticket valid for 3 days, and enjoy hassle-free access to the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cistern.
• Skip the lines at Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern and enter all the 3 museums to start your guided tour.
• Get the most important information and orientation tips from an official tour guide and benefit from an audio guide app available for Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace in 9 languages.
• Following this, feel free to explore the museums at your own pace and listen to the interesting commentary on your audio guides.

Inclusions

• Skip the line entry to Hagia Sophia
• Guided tour of Hagia Sophia
• Skip the line entry to Topkapi Palace (including Harem section) & guided tour (optional)
• Skip the line entry to Basilica Cistern & guided tour (optional)
• Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace audio guide (English, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Turkish)

Exclusions

• Headsets
• Hotel transfers
• Meal inclusions

• Please download the audioguide app in your smartphone prior to your tour.
• The audio guide is available for Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace in the following languages: English, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, and Turkish.
• This ticket is valid for 3 days. You may come at the available times, to the meeting points and visit these with your Istanbul Welcome Card guide. You can visit all 3 museums in 1 day or on different days.

• You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.