Skip the long lines to 2 of the most important religious monuments of Istanbul on a morning tour with a local guide. Look inside the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and discover the other attractions of the historic Sultanahmet district.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund
Covid-19 precautions: Special health and safety measures apply. Learn more
Mobile ticketing: Use your phone or print your voucher
Duration 5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Instant confirmation
Live tour guide: English

Highlights

Skip the long lines to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
Learn the amazing history of Istanbul under the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire
See the ruins of the Hippodrome of Constantinople
Visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world

Full description

Discover the classic monuments of Istanbul on a half-day guided tour of the city center. Benefit from pick-up at your centrally located hotel, and then make your way by air-conditioned vehicle to Sultan Ahmet Square. Skip the long lines to the magnificent Hagia Sophia, built on the site of an earlier church under the orders of the Emperor Justinian I . Learn how it became the largest cathedral in the world and was later converted to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. Continue to the Blue Mosque to see the splendid blue Iznik tiles and minarets of the city's most iconic attraction. Learn more about the former arena of the Byzantine Empire at the ruins of the Hippodrome of Constantinople.

Includes

Skip-the-line entrance fees for the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
All sightseeing as per the itinerary

Optional tips for the guide and driver
Personal expenses

Covid-19 precautions

Safety measures in place

All required protective equipment is provided
All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
You must keep social distance while in vehicles

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Important information

Know before you go

The Blue Mosque is closed on Friday mornings for Friday prayers
The Blue Mosque is being renovated until end of 2020 so some parts of the ceiling might be temporarily covered

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 66 reviews

Review summary

Guide
3.8/5
Transportation
3.5/5
Value for money
4.2/5
Safety
4.8/5

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Excellent service with great tour guide '' Mr. Gokhan '' in a small group of only 5 people. He was well explained and gave us plent time to make photos. We also visited Grand Bazaar which it was not mentioned in the program but we were happy to see there and get şnformation. I highly reccomend this tour to every one.

September 6, 2020

Beautiful day and a beautiful lunch with a small group

This tour was fantastic, I had such a nice time. I was thrilled to find there was only five of us on the tour and it was a great balance between structure and the freedom to explore the mosques. The lunch was delicious and we had plenty of time to explore the Grand Bazaar in the afternoon. Highly recommended.

August 5, 2019

Excellent overall tour

The tour pretty much summed up the main attractions of both Sultan Ahmet and Hagia Sophia well. There was a stop to one of the Baazars which had some very good items for sale. The crew were very organized and the tour guide was professional in handling the crew. It's a go to for a starter in Turkey! Thanks for the awesome experience.

July 29, 2019

Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Small Group Tour

Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Small Group Tour

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Beautiful day and a beautiful lunch with a small group

Excellent overall tour

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