Guided Tours

Blue Mosque Guided Tour with Options

4.3/5(2,349)

Beatriz D

Group

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Our family visited Istanbul on a cruise ship. I decided to book this tour independently rather than through the cruise. It was easy to get to the meeting point and meet our tour guide Beritan. It was a small group, and it is so much easier than having 50+ cruisers. He was very knowledgeable and guided us with ease to all the important points. If you're in Istanbul, get a guide. you wont regret

María M

Group

Verified booking

Jul 2026

A rip-off. More expensive than any other website . The guide was super rude; you couldn't hear a thing he said, but he didn't care—he just rattled off his spiel at breakneck speed.They gave us a QR code that was supposedly the audio guide, but it didn’t explain anything—just the name of the room. Anyway, Topkapi Palace isn’t worth it—it’s a huge area with very little to see.

Susan M

Couple

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Thank you, Hal, for contextualizing the history of these remarkable sites. We appreciate how much we learned from you and thoroughly enjoyed your tour on June 28. Thank you for an engaging experience!

Marta J

Couple

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Fantastic tour providing insights into two most grand religious buildings in the history. Hal was an excellent guide, smoothly navigating the queues and bringing us to the most interesting spots.

Allison D

Group

Verified booking

Jul 2026

Our guide Husain was lovely, he genuinely seemed excited about what he was showing us, the highlight for me was the basilica cistern, unfortunately the Hagia Sophia was under construction.

Heather B

Solo

Verified booking

Jun 2026

I was lucky enough to be the only visitor on this tour with Abdullah as my guide. Abdullah made everything very interesting and answered all my questions fully. The Hagia Sophia is under renovation at the moment and I feel a bit over priced, when you could queue and enter for free if praying. Maybe other tourists knew this! It doesnt detract from how excellent Abdullah is and how much i enjoyed the excursion

Walk straight into the Blue Mosque with a licensed guide who reveals why its minarets caused a stir and how its architecture enhances prayers.

Gaze at the vast marble courtyard, elegant cascading domes, colossal columns nicknamed “elephant feet,” and inscriptions hand-drawn by Ottoman calligraphers.

A guide leads the way through the mosque and an Old City walking tour past the Hippodrome, ancient Obelisks, and Byzantine relics.

Enhance your journey with a Bosphorus cruise for unbeatable skyline views, take a Hagia Sophia tour to uncover its hidden frescoes, or explore the Basilica Cistern.

1-hour guided tour of the Blue Mosque

Entry to Blue Mosque

Expert English-speaking licensed guide

Walking tour around Old City

Istanbul Old Town map

1.5-hour Bosphorus cruise ticket (as per option selected)

Audio guide for cruise in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic & Chinese (as per option selected).

Bosphorus cruise map (as per option selected)

1.5-hour guided tour of the Hagia Sophia (as per option selected)

Skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia (as per option selected)

30-min guided tour of the Basilica Cistern (as per option selected)

Skip-the-line entry to Basilica Cistern (as per option selected)

1-hour guided tour of Topkapi Palace (as per option selected)

Skip-the-line entry to Topkapi Palace (as per option selected)

Timeline
Map
Start point
Sultanahmet Square
Get direction
1. Blue Mosque
Free Admission
1 hr
Step into the Blue Mosque to see over 20,000 hand-painted İznik tiles, six towering minarets, and a vast prayer hall lit by hundreds of hanging lamps.
2. Istanbul Old Town
30 min
3. Hagia Sophia
Tickets included (based on selection)
1 hr 30 min
4. Basilica Cistern
Tickets included (based on selection)
30 min
5. Bosphorus Cruise
Tickets included (based on selection)
1 hr 30 min
End point
Depends on the experience selected

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

2,349 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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Guests from United States, United Kingdom, Spain and over 48 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Christina S
Couple
Verified booking
Last week
From start to finish our tour was a pleasure. Furkan our guide was outstanding. So much knowledge of history. Thanks for a wonderful experience.
Jiri B
Solo
Verified booking
3 days ago
Very informative tour and detailed knowledge of the guide.
Martin A
Couple
Verified booking
4 days ago
Tour guide Jack was fun. We enjoyed the tours.
Marta J
Couple
Verified booking
Jul 2026
Fantastic tour providing insights into two most grand religious buildings in the history. Hal was an excellent guide, smoothly navigating the queues and bringing us to the most interesting spots.
Allison D
Group
Verified booking
Jul 2026
Our guide Husain was lovely, he genuinely seemed excited about what he was showing us, the highlight for me was the basilica cistern, unfortunately the Hagia Sophia was under construction.

A guided walk through Istanbul's most iconic landmarks, starting inside the Blue Mosque and extending across the Old City — with optional add-ons that take you further into the city's history.

Getting started

Meet your licensed English-speaking guide at the designated meeting point. Tickets are validated before entry, and your guide handles dress code requirements at the mosque, scarves are available to borrow.

Blue Mosque

What to expect

Step inside one of Istanbul's most recognisable landmarks on a 1-hour guided tour that traces its architectural and religious significance from the moment you enter.

Features

Expert commentary on the mosque's history, design, and place in Ottoman Istanbul.

Guided navigation of the interior, covering domes, tiles, and the prayer hall.

Dress code assistance is managed by your guide throughout.

Hagia Sophia (if selected as part of the tour)

What to expect

Enjoy a 1.5-hour guided tour of one of the world's most visited landmarks, entered without queuing.

Features

Skip-the-line entry managed by your guide.

Guided tour covering the building's evolution from cathedral to mosque.

Expert commentary on mosaics, architecture, and structural history.

Basilica Cistern (if selected as part of the tour)

What to expect

A 30-minute guided visit to the vast underground cistern beneath the city, built by the Byzantines in the 6th century.

Features

Skip-the-line entry

Guided walk through the columns and waterways with historical context

Topkapi Palace (if selected as part of the tour)

What to expect

A 1-hour guided tour through the seat of the Ottoman Empire, covering the palace's courtyards, collections, and imperial quarters.

Features

Skip-the-line entry

Guided access to key sections of the palace complex

Commentary on Ottoman history, court life, and the palace's centuries of use

Bosphorus Cruise (if selected as part of the tour)

What to expect

Board a 1.5-hour cruise along the strait that divides Europe and Asia, with an audio guide available in ten languages — English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese. A cruise map is included.

What to bring

Bring your walking shoes, water bottle, hat, sunglasses, and snacks for comfortable exploration.

Bring local currency or your preferred payment method for meals, souvenirs, and extra delights not covered by the ticket.

Stay ahead of the game; download the audio app beforehand to dodge any network glitches at the location.

Don’t forget your trusty earphones for an immersive audio guide experience.

What's not allowed

Hagia Sophia

The prayer area on the first floor can only be entered by Turkish citizens.

Strict dress code: Women should not wear knee-length shorts, skirts, or clothing with exposed shoulders or chests. Hair should be partially covered with a scarf. Men should not wear knee-length shorts or clothing with exposed shoulders.

Accessibility

Basilica Cistern

This experience is wheelchair accessible.

Hagia Sophia

This tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Additional information

If you do not have a scarf or body cover, you can buy them at the entrance (a scarf is 1€ and a body cover is 3€).

You can choose to take the Bosphorus cruise on the same day or the next day. In addition to midday and afternoon departures, enjoy a special evening cruise at 6pm, available from April to October.

While you can breeze through the ticket lines, security screening is standard for all guests. Be prepared for wait times of up to 60 minutes during peak travel periods.

Hagia Sophia is under renovation, therefore, not all parts of the building are open to the public.

Due to the Friday prayer, the Mosque will be closed to tourists from 12pm to 2pm. For a smoother experience, it's recommended to visit after 4pm to avoid the lengthy security line anticipated between 2pm and 4pm.