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Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More!

108 Reviews 4.95 out of 5 stars Based on 108 reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and TripAdvisor |
Recommended by 99% of reviewers
99% of reviewers gave this experience a rating of 4 or higher.
|
Badge of Excellence |Badge of Excellence This experience is highly rated by travelers and has met our top quality standards. Istanbul, Turkey
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from $50 per person

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Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More! Image 1
Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More! Image 2
Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More! Image 3
Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More! Image 4
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Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 23 (0) days in advance.
5 to 7 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
and 1 more
Turkish
Instant confirmation

Overview

Learn about the local history and culture with a local and professional tour guide.

See all the highlights of Istanbul in a day. Explore the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, Basilica Cistern and more destinations.

PRIORITY TO BUY TICKETS WITHOUT ANY COMMISSION!

PRIORITY TO SKIP THE LINES!

Suggestion for lunch (3 course mix kebab or vegetarian)

Sweet and spice tasting for FREE

What's Included

  • Tea and coffee Coffee and/or Tea
  • Bottled water
  • Sweet and Spice Tasting for Free
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
  • Tickets
See 3 moreSee 4 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

Binbirdirek
At Meydanı Caddesi, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation, and free, no-hassle cancellations up to 24 hours before your tour begins.
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Safe & secure Easy breezy Hassle‑free

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

It is a mosque and former church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively erected on the site by the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in 537 CE. The site was a Greek Orthodox church from 360 CE to 1453, except for a brief time as a Latin Catholic church between the Fourth Crusade and 1261. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it served as a mosque until 1935, when it became a museum. In 2020, the site once again became a mosque.
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45 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, also known by its official name, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was constructed between 1609 and 1617 during the rule of Ahmed I and remains a functioning mosque today. It also attracts a large number of tourists and is one of the most iconic and popular monuments of Ottoman architecture.
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30 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Hippodrome

It was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square in Istanbul, Turkey, known as Sultanahmet Square.
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20 minutes Admission Ticket Included

German Fountain

It is a gift from German Emperor Wilhelm II to Sultan Abdulhamid II in hippodrome.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Obelisk of Theodosius

The Obelisk of Theodosius is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III, first erected during the 18th dynasty of Egypt. It was re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD.
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15 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Serpent Column

It is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople in what is now Istanbul, Turkey. It is part of an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally in Delphi and relocated to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in 324.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Walled Obelisk

It is a Roman monument in the form of an obelisk in the former Hippodrome of Constantinople, now Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, Turkey.
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5 minutes Admission Ticket Included

TopkapI Palace

Topkapı Palace was built by Sultan Mehmed II (1444-1445 and 1451-1481) during the years 1460-1478, following the conquest of Istanbul. Topkapı Palace is situated in one of the oldest parts of Istanbul; the historic peninsula bounded by the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus Strait and the Golden Horn inlet. It is one of the city’s most iconic buildings.
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1 hour 30 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Basilica Cistern

It is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, Turkey.
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45 minutes Admission Ticket Free

Nuruosmaniye Mosque

The Nuruosmaniye Mosque is an 18th-century Ottoman mosque located in the Çemberlitaş neighbourhood of Fatih district in Istanbul, Turkey, which was inscribed in the Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey in 2016.
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10 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 65 streets and over 4,000 shops.Also, we will taste sweets and spices from one of the shops inside the bazaar for free.
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45 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Cemberlitas Sutunu

The Column of Constantine is a monumental column commemorating the dedication of Constantinople by Roman emperor Constantine the Great on 11 May 330 AD. Completed 328 AD, it is the oldest Constantinian monument to survive in Istanbul.
Read more

10 minutes Admission Ticket Included

Show 11 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More!?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

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Activity code: C-445276P2

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.95
108 reviews

Average 4.95 out of 5 stars based on 108 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars
106
4 stars
1
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
1
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 23 (0) days in advance.
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Frequently Asked Questions (7)

Activity name

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Balloon Tours customers.

Filter by:

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More!?
A:
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.
  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (+03).
Apr 2025
Q: What's included in the price?
A:
The following is included:
  • Tea and coffee. Coffee and/or Tea.
  • Bottled water.
  • Sweet and Spice Tasting for Free.
  • All Taxes.
  • Guidance.
  • Priority to buy tickets (without paying commission).
The following is NOT included:
  • Lunch.
  • Gratuities.
  • Tickets.
Apr 2025
Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?
A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure. This tour requires at least one adult to accompany children..

Apr 2025
Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?
A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025
Q: Is this an accessible tour?
A:

Accessibility information for the Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More! is as follows:

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Apr 2025
Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?
A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Istanbul Guided Tour: Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and More! will be included in your confirmation email from City Balloon Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

 

 

Mar 2024
Q: How long does a refund take to reach my card, and can I get it faster?
A:

Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.

Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.

If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.

Oct 2026

What's Included

Activity name

  • Tea and coffeeCoffee and/or Tea
  • Bottled water
  • Sweet and Spice Tasting for Free
  • All Taxes
  • Guidance
  • Priority to buy tickets (without paying commission)
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
  • Tickets

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Report Product Issue

Activity name