Combos

Combo (Save 8%): Blue Mosque Guided Tour + Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

Name: Combo (Save 8%): Blue Mosque Guided Tour + Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide
Start: 2026-04-12T14:00:00
End: 2026-04-12T15:00:00
Location: Istanbul

Aerial view of the Blue Mosque Sultanahmet with minarets in Istanbul, overlooking the sea.

Blue Mosque courtyard with visitors, Istanbul, part of guided tour and skip-the-line tickets combo.

Medusa head column in Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, part of Blue Mosque & Basilica Cistern tour.

Tourist exploring the ancient columns of the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul.

Open today

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

4.2/5

(3,951)

Melinda H

Couple

Verified booking

2 days ago

The skip the line ticket for the Bascilica Cistern was definitely worth it! We basically walked right in past a long line of people waiting to buy tickets on site. I would recommend taking a screenshot of the ticket barcodes in case your WiFi is iffy. The cistern itself was beautiful and the audio guide gave us plenty of interesting facts about its history.

Sara S

Couple

Verified booking

5 days ago

We really appreciated not having to wait in line at all, and it was very easy to buy the tickets ahead of time! I will definitely use Headout again in the future.

Rommel B

Couple

Verified booking

Last week

Visiting the Basilica Cistern was one of the highlights of our time in Istanbul. The experience was truly impressive from the moment we stepped inside. Walking through the massive underground space, surrounded by beautifully lit columns and reflections in the water, feels almost magical. The atmosphere is unique and very different from anything else in the city. One of the best parts was that we were able to enter without waiting in line, which made the visit even more enjoyable and relaxed. Once inside, you can take your time exploring, appreciating the architecture, and seeing details like the famous Medusa head columns. It’s an incredible historical place and absolutely worth visiting. Highly recommended for anyone coming to Istanbul.

Alberto M

Couple

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

Well, what makes it special is the historic setting, which is quite well-preserved. The downside... there are way too many people, and it’s very noisy, which makes it hard to enjoy the magnificent surroundings—a place that really invites you to unwind. As for the price, to be honest, I think it’s a bit steep: 39 euros for a visit that lasts about 30 minutes.

Davide F

Couple

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

March is generally a slow season, so there wasn't much of a line at the entrance, but with our "skip-the-line" tickets, we got in right away—we just went through security and showed the QR code on our ticket. Highly recommended!!!

Francisco P

Couple

Verified booking

3 weeks ago

I loved it—the cistern has everything you need for a great time. The scenery is beautiful, and the Romans prove once again that they were the best architects. Admission is expensive, like it is for all monuments.

Get 13% off and see Blue Mosque's minarets on a guided tour, then skip the long lines at Basilica Cistern to marvel at its 200+ columns with an audio guide.

No long detours—just a short walk between these two wonders gives you more time to soak in the beauty of Istanbul.

Spend 3–4 hours on the Blue Mosque and Old Town tour, then visit the Basilica Cistern in about 1 hour on the same day or any other day you prefer.

Blue Mosque

1-hour guided tour of the Blue Mosque

Entry to Blue Mosque

Expert English-speaking licensed guide

Walking tour around Old Town

Istanbul Old Town map

Basilica Cistern

Skip-the-line entry to Basilica Cistern

Audio guide in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish & Turkish

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

3,951 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.
2K
1.1K
332
180
219
Guests from Spain, Italy, United States and over 78 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
María D
Couple
Verified booking
2 days ago
Headout's customer service is absolutely terrible. There's no way to contact them after they mistakenly sent us tickets that didn't work. The claim that you can skip the line at Galata Tower is a lie. There's only one line! So in that regard, the benefits they advertise aren't even true. As for the palace, the Harem is the only part worth visiting to gain access, but they don’t explain how to do it very well either. They just send you to a location and that’s it. My review of this company is very negative, and I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.
Irmgard S
Solo
Verified booking
Last week
It wasn’t until after a long wait and thanks to the wonderful assistance of the staff at Hagia Sophia that I received the missing entry code for this remarkable mosque from the support team. I had already booked the combo tickets online two days earlier. Since I only had one day in Istanbul, this was very frustrating. I received the code for the Sunken Palace in time. Both attractions were fantastic, and the visit was worth it despite the delay.
Helene M
Couple
Verified booking
5 days ago
The mosque is very beautiful and interesting. The guide was friendly, but his explanations were just as generic as those found in any guidebook or on any website. He skipped the part about the old city and the hippodrome. Considering that admission to the mosque is free, the advice is clear: you absolutely must visit the mosque, but you can skip the guided tour, which isn't cheap.
Melinda H
Couple
Verified booking
2 days ago
The skip the line ticket for the Bascilica Cistern was definitely worth it! We basically walked right in past a long line of people waiting to buy tickets on site. I would recommend taking a screenshot of the ticket barcodes in case your WiFi is iffy. The cistern itself was beautiful and the audio guide gave us plenty of interesting facts about its history.
Sara S
Couple
Verified booking
5 days ago
We really appreciated not having to wait in line at all, and it was very easy to buy the tickets ahead of time! I will definitely use Headout again in the future.

Blue Mosque

Istanbul's past is brought back to life on this guided tour of the Blue Mosque and the Old Town. Inside the mosque, marvel at over 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles in shades of blue, arranged in floral and geometric patterns. Gaze up at the grand central dome, supported by four towering “elephant foot” pillars, as sunlight streams in through under 260 stained-glass windows. Then, follow your guide through Istanbul Old Town and pass by Sultanahmet Square, once the Hippodrome of Constantinople, where ancient Egyptian obelisks and the Serpent Column still stand. Stroll past Ottoman-era fountains, the German Fountain’s golden mosaics, and lively street vendors selling warm simit and Turkish tea.

Basilica Cistern

Avoid the queues and descend into the beautiful Basilica Cistern, a 1,500-year-old underground water reservoir built by Emperor Justinian I. Walk along wooden pathways over shallow, eerily still water, where the soft glow of orange lights highlights 336 marble columns, each standing 30 feet tall. Listen to your audio guide reveal secrets of this ancient structure, once supplying water to the Great Palace of Constantinople. Seek out the famous Medusa heads—one upside down, the other sideways—mysteriously placed at the base of two columns. The hushed atmosphere, cool air, and gentle sound of dripping water make this an unforgettable experience.

Basilica Cistern

Monday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm
Tuesday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm
Wednesday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm
Thursday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm
Friday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm
Saturday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm
Sunday	9:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 6:30pm

Blue Mosque

Monday	9:00am - 6:00pm
Tuesday	9:00am - 6:00pm
Wednesday	9:00am - 6:00pm
Thursday	9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday	9:00am - 6:00pm
Saturday	9:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday	9:00am - 6:00pm

What to bring

Blue Mosque

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.

Basilica Cistern

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.

Accessibility

Basilica Cistern

This experience is wheelchair accessible.

Additional information

Blue Mosque

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€).

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.

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.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please display the same at each ticket redemption point along with a valid photo ID.

Meeting points

Please check your final voucher for the meeting point details and specific instructions.