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Istanbul Super Combo: Topkapi Palace + Hagia Sophia + Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

Topkapi Palace exterior with tower and arches, Istanbul, Turkey.
Topkapi Palace courtyard with ornate tile walls and arched walkway, Istanbul.
Tourists with backpacks viewing Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, near a fountain.
Interior view of Hagia Sophia's dome and arches in Istanbul, showcasing intricate mosaics and calligraphy.

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

4.1/5

(7,677)

Giulia Tassinari

Giulia

Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Excellent solution for Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern tickets. For the palace, there is an escorted entrance up to the Harem: in our case, everything was handled well, we entered at 9:30 so we did not find too much of a line. The visit to the palace, following the audio guide's description, is very nice. The outside gardens are very impressive. For the Cistern basilica we found a bit of a line to get in (12:30): the visit went well, the light effects in the water and between the columns of the cistern are beautiful. Super recommended activity.
Peter Panec

Peter

Sep 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Buying the tickets was easy and convenient. Unlike other services, the tickets from Headout were delivered electronically right away rather than requiring me to go pick up tickets at a meeting point. The Headout app on my phone worked great to show the digital tickets and download the audio guide. (Be sure to download the guide before actually entering the Cistern as there is poor Internet below ground.) As for the Basilica Cistern itself, it was absolutely amazing--well worth cost of admission.
CHAMBAULT CLAUDE

Chambault

Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Entry to both sites was very easy, thanks to HEADOUT's booking system. In particular, entry to the cathedral cistern was immediate, even though there was a long queue of visitors without tickets. The only criticism is that the explanations for obtaining the audio guides were not clear enough. We thought we'd be given a device, but the application on the phone is simple and doesn't require special headphones. Overall, a good experience
    • Skip the line at three iconic Istanbul landmarks with a single discounted combo ticket.

    • Explore Topkapi Palace’s courtyards, Imperial Harem, and Ottoman treasures at your own pace.

    • Admire Hagia Sophia’s mosaics, minarets, and layered history with an included audio guide in 5 languages.

    • Descend into the eerie, columned world of the Basilica Cistern — the city's ancient underground water system. Catch a glimpse of ancient columns and the large, mysterious Medusa’s head.

    • Fun fact: The Basilica Cistern's Medusa heads are still a mystery — no one knows where they came from or why they’re sideways.

  • Basilica Cistern

    • Skip-the-line entry

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

    Hagia Sophia

    • Skip-the-line entry

    • Access to Hagia Sophia's Upper Gallery visiting area

    • Audio guide downloadable in English, German, French, Italian, & Spanish

    Topkapi Palace

    • Skip-the-line entry

    • Access to Topkapi Palace Harem (Royal Apartments & Imperial Hall)

    • Access to Topkapi Palace Museum (Treasury & Sacred Relics Room)

    • Audio guide downloadable in English, Arabic, French, German, & Spanish

  • These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

  • 4.1
    7,677 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.

    4.2K
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    Guests from Spain, Italy, United States and over 10 countries have loved this experience

    What our guests say

    Céliane Maissen

    Céliane

    Nov 2025
    Verified booking
    3/5
    All three monuments are well worth a visit. However, for the price I paid, I was expecting a much more detailed audio guide, especially for the Topkapi Palace, where there is no audio guide for the harem. What's more, in November, there was no real need for a line-up of tickets, so it would have been better for me to take my tickets on the spot. On the other hand, the guide to Saint Sophia is very comprehensive.
    ARMAND Eric

    Armand

    Nov 2025
    Verified booking
    5/5
    Simple, effective and with no surprises. For St Sophie, enter directly outside TopKapi. No need to queue. Same for the cistern. The queue breaker is very pleasant. For TopKapi, it's very easy to find the place to meet the person who's letting us in. There's nothing to worry about, and it's a stone's throw from the site in a charming alley. I sincerely recommend it.
    Patricia Silvia Novas

    Patricia

    Nov 2025
    Verified booking
    5/5
    Buying tickets in advance avoids a long queue. Although there is one, it is shorter. Santa Sofia impressed me with the antiquity of its construction but it is in pretty bad shape and only the second floor can be visited. I highly recommend the cistern for its history and the work that has been done to make your visit enjoyable!
    Patricia Correa Rodriguez

    Patricia

    Nov 2025
    Verified booking
    4/5
    Very good to be able to enter directly for having bought the ticket online, the only point that should be taken into account is that the cistern does not offer Internet service and then the audio guide with the cell phone did not help me because it did not have data on the phone. Everything else, excellent
    Marjolyn Tipping

    Marjolyn

    Nov 2025
    Verified booking
    4/5
    The process of purchasing the tickets was very easy however the description wasn't clear. We went to the museum instead of the mosque thinking that’s where had bought tickets too. Interesting but would have preferred the museum. The Basilica Cisterns was amazing!
  • Tour through the heart of Istanbul with one skip-the-line entry ticket, and explore each with a multilingual audio guide. Each location is a short walk from the next, making this the easiest way to see the city’s highlights in a single day. No fixed timings, just flexible, immersive sightseeing at your own pace.

    Basilica Cistern

    Step away from the light to walk into an underground world filled with ancient columns and eerie reflections. Walk through water chambers and discover the enigmatic Medusa heads hidden at the far end. The atmosphere is cool, calm, and mysterious—perfect for photos if you switch to night mode. Listen to stories of the Basilica Cistern with your multilingual audio guide.

    Topkapi Palace

    Enter the world of Ottoman royalty with access to the palace, its courtyards, and its Harem section. See ancient artifacts like the Topkapi Dagger and the glittering Spoonmaker’s Diamond. The audio guide reveals royal stories and daily life inside the empire’s most powerful palace.

    Hagia Sophia

    Walk into Hagia Sophia, without waiting for long entry lines, and head straight to the Upper Gallery. From here, enjoy close-up views of its famous gold mosaics and take in the vast dome from above. The multilingual audio guide helps you uncover the building’s layered history—from Byzantine cathedral to Ottoman mosque to modern landmark.

  • Topkapi Palace

    Monday09:00am - 04:45pmlast entry 03:45pm
    TuesdayClosed
    Wednesday09:00am - 04:45pmlast entry 03:45pm
    Thursday09:00am - 04:45pmlast entry 03:45pm
    Friday09:00am - 04:45pmlast entry 03:45pm
    Saturday09:00am - 04:45pmlast entry 03:45pm
    Sunday09:00am - 04:45pmlast entry 03:45pm

    Basilica Cistern

    Monday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm
    Tuesday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm
    Wednesday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm
    Thursday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm
    Friday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm
    Saturday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm
    Sunday09:00am - 10:00pmlast entry 06:30pm

    Hagia Sophia

    Monday09:00am - 07:30pm
    Tuesday09:00am - 07:30pm
    Wednesday09:00am - 07:30pm
    Thursday09:00am - 07:30pm
    Friday09:00am - 07:30pm
    Saturday09:00am - 07:30pm
    Sunday09:00am - 07:30pm
  • What to bring

    Basilica Cistern

    • The air inside stays cool and damp year-round. Bring a light layer to stay warm, preferably even in summer.

    • Download the audio app beforehand to avoid any network glitches at the location. Carry wired earphones for the best audio experience underground.

    Hagia Sophia

    • Wear modest clothing that covers your shoulders and knees.

    • Women also need to keep their heads covered. Scarves and head wraps are available at the entrance, if you do not have your own.

    • Bring a small bag for your shoes, as you need to remove them in prayer areas.

    Topkapi Palace

    • Wear comfortable walking shoes; there’s a lot of ground to cover, including cobblestone areas.

    • Carry a bottle of water, especially in warmer months, as much of the site is outdoors.

    • Use wired headphones for audio tours, signal can be weak inside thick-walled sections.

    • Bring sunscreen or a hat, as many courtyards and waiting areas are exposed to the sun.

    What's not allowed

    Basilica Cistern

    • Flash photography is not allowed.

    • Tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited for safety and space reasons.

    • Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the cistern.

    Hagia Sophia

    • Access to the main prayer hall on the ground floor is restricted to tourists.

    • Flash photography is not permitted, especially near mosaics.

    Topkapi Palace

    • Flash photography is prohibited in areas like the Treasury and Sacred Relics Room.

    • Eating and drinking are not allowed inside the palace buildings.

    • Touching exhibits or artifacts is strictly prohibited.

    Accessibility

    Basilica Cistern

    • The site is partially accessible. While the entrance has a ramp and the exit includes a wheelchair platform lift, the walking path is slippery and uneven. Bring along a companion to navigate comfortably.

    Hagia Sophia

    • The site is not wheelchair accessible. If you are a visitor with mobility difficulties, please keep this in mind before booking the tickets.

    Topkapi Palace

    • While some outdoor areas and courtyards are accessible, full wheelchair accessibility is limited due to cobblestone paths, stairs, and narrow corridors, especially in the Harem section.

    Additional information

    Basilica Cistern

    • Security checks are mandatory, even for skip-the-line ticket holders.

    • Tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

    Hagia Sophia

    • Arrive early in the day, for the security lines run until the courtyards during the summer months (June to August).

    • Tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

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

    Topkapi Palace

    • The Treasury and Sacred Relics Room are often crowded. Make sure you arrive early in the day or in the late afternoon hours to enjoy a quieter ambience.

    • Tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

    • Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

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

    Ticket redemption points

    Topkapi Palace Skip-the-Line Ticket with Audio Guide

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

    Hagia Sophia Admission Tickets + Audio Guide

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

    Skip-the-Line Tickets to Basilica Cistern with Audio Guide

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

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