Topkapi, Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern Tour

Tour Highlights

• Visit the highlights of Istanbul on a shared group or a private guided tour
• Benefit from priority admission and skip-the-line entry with an expert guide
• Explore the world-famous Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern with tickets
• Learn about the Ottomans on a guided tour through the Topkapi Palace
• All admission tickets are included

Tour Details

Join a guided tour to discover Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul. Benefit from priority admission at the museum ticket offices to skip the long lines and head in faster.

Meet your guide in the Sultanahmet neighborhood at an easy spot and check out Istanbul's greatest monuments on a walking tour. Start with the Basilica Cistern, wander around the “Subterranean Palace” and learn about its history. See the underground pillars and learn about Byzantine architecture. Walk on the wooden walkways over the water until the famous upside-down Medusa heads.

Next, visit the Hagia Sophia with pre-reserved tickets and witness the most significant site of the Greek Orthodox religion in Istanbul and learn how it was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Explore the stunning monument with elements of a mosque and a church standing next to each other. Admire the basilica’s stunning dome, minarets, and countless mosaics, paintings, and Roman columns. Learn how the impressive İznik tiles were added over time in the Mosque, how the stunning Virgin Mary mosaic was made, and why the Ottomans chose to bury their sultans in the courtyard.

Continue to Topkapi Palace to explore the splendor of the Ottoman Empire. Enter the famous palace with priority admission tickets and discover the complex of buildings, pavilions, and courtyards. Explore the outer-terraced gardens and admire the view over the Golden Horn.

Choose to visit the Harem with your included tickets at your leisure. Admire cupboard doors inlaid with mother of pearl and tortoiseshell and stunning Iznik tiles with verses from the Quran. End your with a visit to the holy relics and the imperial kitchens.

Tour Include

• Tour guide
• Shared or private walking tour (depending on the option chosen)
• Skip-the-line ticket for Hagia Sophia
• Skip-the-line ticket for Basilica Cistern
• Skip-the-line ticket for Topkapi Palace
• Skip-the-line ticket for the Harem
• Guided tour of the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace
• Headsets to hear the guide better

Tour Exclude

• Transportation to the meeting point

Important Notes

Not allowed

• Short skirts
• Shorts
• Sleeveless shirts

Meeting point

• Make sure to check your email for instructions and credentials to access the tour 

The tour is not suitable for

• Children under 3s are not allowed.
• The tour is not recommended for individuals aged 60 and above.