Istanbul:

Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia Tour

Cultural and historical highlight of your visit in Istanbul.

Quick Details

  • Duration: 4 Hours
  • Tour Type: Small Group Guided Tour
  • All tickets are included: Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia.
  • Schedule: This tour runs every day except Tuesdays.
  • Start Time: Summer departures 9:00 / 11:00 / 13:30 (except Tuesdays) - Winter departures 9:00 (except Tuesdays)
  • Languages: We offer small group or private tours in English and German.
  • Meeting point: We meet at Ersoy Bufe. This is a small food kiosk just by the side of the Hippodrome in Sultanahmet Square. It is across the German Fountain. Your guide will be in front of the Ersoy Bufe with a sign that says, “Walks in Europe.”

Here is the Google Maps link

Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia Guided Tour

Explore Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks on a small-group tour through the city’s imperial heart. With priority admission to each site, you will skip the long lines and enjoy captivating stories of empires, sultans, and sacred traditions.

Meet your expert guide in the historic Sultanahmet neighborhood. From here, stroll together toward the atmospheric Basilica Cistern — the “Subterranean Palace” hidden beneath the streets. As you walk along wooden pathways above still waters, you will witness Byzantine engineering at its finest. You will marvel at a forest of marble columns and the mysterious upside-down Medusa heads. Your guide will also explain how the cistern once supplied water to the Great Palace and was rediscovered in modern times.

Next, continue to the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul’s most celebrated monument. With pre-reserved tickets, you will enter seamlessly and stand beneath its colossal dome. This masterpiece of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture beautifully blends Christian mosaics with Islamic calligraphy. Admire the Virgin Mary mosaic, the Imperial Gate, and Roman columns brought from distant lands. Your guide will also share how the building evolved from a basilica to an imperial mosque, and now to a symbol of layered heritage.

Afterward, make your way to Topkapı Palace, the opulent residence of Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Here, explore expansive courtyards, lavish pavilions, and ornate ceremonial halls. You will also see the dazzling Treasury and the Sacred Relics collection. Then, step into the imperial gardens for sweeping views over the Golden Horn and Bosphorus, while learning about state ceremonies and private palace life.

Conclude with a self-paced visit to the Harem using your included ticket. Inside, you will admire İznik tiles, mother-of-pearl inlays, and secluded courtyards. As you walk through these rooms, uncover stories of ambition, romance, and palace intrigue.

This tour effortlessly combines expert guidance, skip-the-line access, and three of Istanbul’s most unforgettable landmarks — perfect for first-time visitors and history lovers alike.

Itinerary
  • Sultanahmet Square
  • Basilica Cistern
  • Hagia Sophia
  • Topkapi Palace
Highlights
  • Discover the major highlights of historical Istanbul in an efficient and informative manner.
  • Visit the world-famous Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and Topkapi Palace with pre-reserved tickets.
  • Choose to visit the Harem with your included tickets.
  • Learn about the Ottomans and the Byzantine Empire.
  • Be inspired by a professional local guide.
  • Enjoy priority museum admission and head in faster.
  • Choose a small group or private tour for a more personalized experience.
Included
  • Pre-reserved admission tickets for Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia
  • Professional and local guide with a license
  • 4 hours guided tour
  • Small-group or private tours for a more intimate experience
  • Tickets also include Harem section of the Palace
Excluded
  • Transport to the meeting spot
  • Guided tour of the Harem at Topkapi Palace ( you can choose to visit the Harem at your own leisure with your included tickets).
Restrictions
  • The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility.
  • This tour is not suitable for strollers.
  • You will have to pass through airport-style security.
  • Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace may be closed unannounced due to high-level state visits.
  • Please note that women are required to wear a headscarf when entering the mosque.
  • Please note that both men and women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees. Shorts, sleeveless tops, and other revealing attire are not permitted inside.
  • Please note that wearing or displaying any specific religious symbols or attire is not permitted.
  • You are not allowed to bring signs, symbols, banners, flags, documents, drawings, or any materials representing political, ideological, or religious beliefs inside the Hagia Sophia.
  • Skip-the-line access is available for adults only. Children under the age of 7 do not benefit from this access.
  • Please note that children under 7 are not permitted on this tour.
Essential Information
  • Expect long lines to enter the Hagia Sophia, especially during local holidays.
  • Basilica Cistern has 50 steps going down and then up. There is no lift.
  • Harem visit is not included in the guided tour but you can choose to visit at your leisure with your included tickets.
  • Topkapi Palace is a vast complex with multiple sections open for visit. During our tour, we’ll visit the most magnificent masterpieces. However, if you wish to explore all sections at your leisure, we recommend allocating the afternoon to explore the rest of the Palace grounds.
  • Clients must arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the tour. This is due to the timed entry of the tickets.
  • Tickets are timed and expire within 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Please be advised that it is not possible to join the tour after it has commenced.
  • Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.
Meeting Point

We meet at Ersoy Bufe. This is a small food kiosk just by the side of the Hippodrome in Sultanahmet Square. It is across the German Fountain.  Your guide will be in front of the Ersoy Bufe with a sign that says, “Walks in Europe.”

Here is the Google Maps link https://goo.gl/maps/XmviCpepuGJtz52L6

  • Adult
    (Ages 15 - 99)
    149€
  • Click on a date to see discounted options.

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