Guided Tours

Hagia Sophia Guided Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets

Hagia Sophia with minarets under clear blue sky in Istanbul.

Imperial Gate of Hagia Sophia with interior view, Istanbul, Turkey.

Visitors on a guided tour inside Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.

Tour guide explaining mosaics to visitors inside Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.

Duration

1 hr - 2 hr 30 min

Open today

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience

Book now, pay later

Book now without paying anything. Cancel for free if your plans change.

Guided tour

4.5/5

(2,935)

Simeon

Oct 2025

Verified booking

4/5

Booked this tour online while standing in the very long ticket line for Hagia Sophia, as it was mid-priced between the "ticket only" price and the "experience tour" advertised widely around the monument. Were considerably worried for the next 30 minutes because it was completely ambiguous where to actually meet, and the various local officials are all fairly dismissive (tired and fed up). But, to be fair, I did then receive a Whatsapp message after 30 minutes that was detailed and effective. Once we joined the tour we still had to join the security line, which thankfully was moving quickly by then! Ths guide was great, his english was good, the little extra was definitely worth it for the history and insight provided.

Colin

Oct 2025

Verified booking

4/5

The tour itself was enjoyable. The guide was very knowledgeable and his English was good. However the organisation was poor. As requested, we arrived 15 minutes before the scheduled start time but the tour didn't actually begin until almost an hour later. As the first part of the tour consisted of a rather long section covering the history of Turkey, there was too much standing around. This could be a serious issue on a hot day, or for anyone who is not young & fit. Once we got going the mosque visits were excellent and it was great to miss the queues. The guide had genuine enthusiasm and really brought the history and architecture alive. So on balance a 5 star tour but with only 2 or 3 star organisation.

Cosimo

Oct 2025

Verified booking

4/5

Guided tour of Hagia Sophia was truly an interesting experience. Following the tour accompanied by a local guide who is knowledgeable about the history of the Hagia Sophia and in general, it is essential to contextualize the origin, evolutionary developments and changes over time that this monument has undergone. I certainly could not observe all the details inside the Basilica and learn about its features without the guide. Experience to be had, fascinating.

Do away with long lines and experience Hagia Sophia's rich cultural heritage on a one-hour guided tour led by an English-speaking guide.

Explore the Ottoman-era minbar, bronze entrance doors, and marble ramp to the upper galleries while your guide shares lesser-known stories.

Admire the stunning mosaics, towering dome, intricate calligraphy, and interiors that reflect centuries of Byzantine and Ottoman history.

Upgrade your visit with guided tours of the Blue Mosque for a well-rounded experience of Istanbul's culture and history.

Skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia

Guided tour of Hagia Sophia

Expert licensed English-speaking guide

Skip-the-line entry to Blue Mosque (as per option selected)

Guided tour of Blue Mosque (as per option selected)

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Food and drinks

Gratuities/tips

Souvenir photos

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

4.5
2,935 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, Germany and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Retegan
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
First of all i would like to mention the guide that took us to Sultanahmet Mosque and Hagia Sophia. She was very well prepared with the information that provided us, spoke a very fluent english and was very helpful in all the matters related to the tour. I also appreciated a lot the fact that she gave us ear devices, like head-phones so that we could hear her very well amid the noise of the street. She told us many many things not only about the hystorical background of the places we visited but also information related to Istanbul culture, everyday life etc. Unfortunately i did not understand her name to mention it here. She was opened to jokes and free-talk, very social and open-minded. I liked her a lot, that is the way a toursit guide has to be in related to tourists. Second, the places we visited were absolutely fantastic. I liked Hagia Sophia and its enormous size, but what truly impressed me was the Blue Mosque and the fact that we had to take-off our shoes inside the Mosque gave a sense of equality between all people. It was splendid. Next time i come to Istanbul i want to deepen my visit in the city, since now i spent only a few hours and did not have much time to visit the city itself.
Katharine
Nov 2025
Verified booking
4/5
Finding the meeting point was OK but there are guides for different organisations who hang around but don't engage to help you find your particular tour. Once on the tour it was fine with interesting information and in good English. I wouldn't recommend Headout, as our tour of the Topkapi palace was far more challenging there was no tour at our allocated time and we had to return an hour later which disrupted our day. Once on the tour the guide was very good.
Luca
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
This was a very good tour of the Hagia Sophia. We got to skip the long lines, and since our family of four was the only group, it felt like a private tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and we loved being able to ask as many questions as we wanted.
Guðlaug
Nov 2025
Verified booking
3/5
The guide was very good and told us the story of this beautiful building . His name was Haluk, I think and he is knowledgeable and good story teller. Best regards from me and my husband
Andrew
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Extremely knowledgeable guide with good pace of speaking and walking. Buse was engaged the whole time with the people on the tour and not distracted by other things.

Step inside one of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks with fast-track entry and explore its rich history on a guided tour.

Getting started

Head to the Hagia Sophia entrance to have your tickets checked. If needed, stop to purchase scarves before entering the mosque. Once ready, meet your guide and join your tour group to begin exploring.

What to expect

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia has stood for centuries as a symbol of Istanbul’s cultural and architectural heritage. With its soaring dome, intricate mosaics, and Ottoman-era minbar, it is one of the most revered sites in Turkey.

Features

Architectural marvels: Walk the marble ramps, explore the upper galleries, and see the Weeping Column that has captivated visitors for generations.

Mosaics and interiors: Admire the Iznik tiles, the Deësis mosaic and other artworks that reflect the building’s long and varied history.

Historical layers: Learn how Hagia Sophia evolved from a Byzantine Basilica to a mosque and remains a key cultural landmark today.

Extras

Enhance your visit with guided tours of the Blue Mosque for a deeper insight into Istanbul’s history and culture.

Basilica Cistern

Monday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Tuesday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Wednesday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Thursday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Friday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Saturday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Sunday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm

Hagia Sophia

Monday	09:00am - 07:30pm
Tuesday	09:00am - 07:30pm
Wednesday	09:00am - 07:30pm
Thursday	09:00am - 07:30pm
Friday	09:00am - 07:30pm
Saturday	09:00am - 07:30pm
Sunday	09:00am - 07:30pm

Hagia Sophia History Museum

Monday	09:00am - 07:00pm
Tuesday	09:00am - 07:00pm
Wednesday	09:00am - 07:00pm
Thursday	09:00am - 07:00pm
Friday	09:00am - 07:00pm
Saturday	09:00am - 07:00pm
Sunday	09:00am - 07:00pm

What to bring

Dress modestly and bring scarves or cover-ups to use before entering the mosque.

What's not allowed

Large bags, backpacks, and tripods are not permitted.

Food and drinks are not allowed inside.

Flash photography and tripods are not allowed.

Accessibility

Hagia Sophia is partially wheelchair accessible with ramps and special access to the ground floor only. The upper floor is not accessible.

Additional information

Women must cover their hair, shoulders, and knees, while men must cover their shoulders and knees. Scarves and cover-ups are available at the entrance.

You can bypass the ticket lines, but security checks are mandatory. Security lines may take up to 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes during peak season (June to August).

The ground floor is designated for prayers, while the second floor is open to visitors.

During the five daily prayers, certain areas are restricted to tourists. Hagia Sophia is closed on Fridays from noon to 2:30 pm for the Friday prayer.

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled time of your tour to avoid any delays.

Meeting point

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