Basilica Cistern Guided Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets
Istanbul
4.0(2013)
Istanbul
Tickets for this activity are non-refundable. If you are not satisfied with your experience, please contact us to cancel your booking.
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Enjoy fast-track entry to the Basilica Cistern and explore with either an expert guide or a multilingual audio guide, with the option to add tours of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
Arrive at the meeting point 10 to 15 minutes early and keep your mobile ticket and a valid photo ID ready. Skip the ticket lines with your pre-booked entry, but note that security checks are required for all visitors.
Step into a 6th-century underground reservoir filled with marble columns, soft lighting, and the mysterious Medusa heads. With your guide or audio tour, you’ll learn how it was built, the Roman engineering behind it, and the legends hidden in its shadows. Don’t leave before walking to the far end—many visitors miss the Medusa heads tucked in the back corner.
One of the world’s most iconic landmarks, Hagia Sophia is known for its massive dome, golden mosaics, and layered history as both a church and a mosque. A guided tour brings the space to life, offering a closer look at how it changed from a church to a mosque, then a museum, and now a mosque again. Look out for the Deësis mosaic in the gallery, a striking example of late Byzantine art showing Christ flanked by Mary and John the Baptist.
Still an active mosque, the Blue Mosque is known for its six minarets, grand prayer hall, and over 20,000 Iznik tiles. A guided visit explains key features like the mihrab facing Mecca and the domes designed to draw the eye upward, all while also helping you plan around prayer times.