Landmarks

Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets

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

Pillars inside the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul with reflections on the water.

Basilica Cistern column with Medusa carvings, Istanbul.

Renovated Basilica Cistern with illuminated columns, Sultanahmet District, Istanbul.

Open today

09:00am - 10:00pm

Explore at your pace

Choose your entry time, stay as long as you like

Book now, pay later

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

Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

Guided tour

4.4/5

(9,181)

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

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!

Savithri

Nov 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Basilica Cistern was built in the 6th century. It provided water to the Topkapi palace etc. It was so beautiful and magnificent to see the number of cisterns built symmetrically in those days. Am in total awe of how innovative they were. (C$120 for 2). The cistern was used as a location in James bond movie - from Russia with love.

Marvel at the cistern's vast underground chambers, supported by 336 marble columns, and learn more about its role as a water reservoir for Constantinople from your guide.

Skip the lines and explore Basilica Cistern with a local expert or a multilingual audio guide.

Choose a self-guided audio tour to explore at your own pace or join a local guide for expert commentary and insider stories that bring this underground marvel to life.

Upgrade your experience to include a guided tour of Hagia Sophia with skip-the-line access, allowing you to explore two of Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks in one seamless visit.

Fun fact: The Basilica Cistern is home to two upside-down Medusa head statues, which are believed to have been repurposed from ancient Roman temples, adding an air of mystery to the site.

Skip-the-line entry to Basilica Cistern

Instant mobile tickets with all-day validity

1-hour guided tour of Basilica Cistern (based on option selected)

Self-guided audio tour of Basilica Cistern (based on option selected)

1-hour guided tour of Hagia Sophia (based on option selected)

Expert English-speaking local guide (based on option selected)

Audio app for iOS and Android in English, Spanish, French, German & Italian

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

4.4
9,181 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 Spain, Italy, United States and over 10 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Jessica
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
First at all I Love Headout! It is so easy to book with them and best of all, I saved money (I got discount because I had booked a dinner cruise the night before, also super recomended!) and most important ... Time! The skip the line was a brilliant idea, eventhough it is winter time and there's not a lot of turists (compared to summer time), we still saved a lot of time left and we were able to do more things. So I highly recommend to do skip the line for these tours, mostly for the Basilica cistern. Ok now the reviews ... the Basilica Cistern, one of the most beautiful places I've seen, it is an architectural wonder, this is a must visit in Istanbul. The Hahia Sophia, is very interesting because you can observe the Christian era (mosaics) and at the same time listen to the Muslim prayers, absolutely recomended if you are into culture and history. The places are very close to each other, so the bundle made sense, and we had enough time to rest, drink tea and visit the blue mosque which is near by.
Lindy
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Buying skip the line tickets was a great way to get into Basilica Cistern quickly. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and this ancient cistern that was built as a necessity and not a tourist attraction is literally beautiful to see. The site is well maintained and worth the time and money!!
Stefan
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The access worked really well. Even because I couldn't visit the cistern on the day I had booked, as it was closed for maintenance work. The next day we went there and access was completely problem-free. It was a magnificent building.
Nerea
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
It was amazing, the audioguide as well as the views were amazing. It was raining, and going straight in, without waiting any line was a blessing. The basilica is also a really centric place, so you can easily move to any other historic building. 100% recommended
James
Dec 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Easy to determine inclusions, easy to purchase, easy to use. We were a tad dubious as the whole process was so simple but once we arrived at the Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cisterns sites and saw the line ups we knew we had done the right thing. Good value

Skip the lines and explore the Basilica Cistern with expert-led tours or audio guides.

Getting started

Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your scheduled time and keep your mobile ticket and a valid photo ID ready. A staff member will meet you at the entrance and help you check in. You’ll breeze past the ticket queue, but do note that all visitors must go through a security check.

Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is one of Istanbul’s most atmospheric spots—a vast, ancient underground reservoir built in the 6th century. It’s best known for its forest of marble columns, the serene reflections in the water, and, of course, the mysterious Medusa heads hidden at the far end.

Depending on the ticket you choose, an expert guide will accompany you through the cistern. You’ll get the backstory behind the Medusa heads, learn how this shadowy space once supplied water to emperors, and hear quirky details you’d probably miss on your own.

Prefer to explore at your own pace? You can use the included audio app, available in five languages, to guide you through the cistern. If you want to see more of Istanbul, upgrade your ticket to include a guided tour of Hagia Sophia, an architectural masterpiece known for its massive dome and golden mosaics.

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

What to bring

Wear comfortable shoes with a good grip—the stone floor can be damp and slightly slippery.

Bring a light jacket or shawl; it stays cool underground even in warm weather.

Carry wired headphones if you plan to use an audio guide app—Bluetooth often struggles underground.

Have your phone fully charged for photos and the audio guide (there are no charging stations inside).

What's not allowed

Flash photography is not permitted.

Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed due to space and safety concerns.

Eating, drinking, and smoking are strictly prohibited inside the cistern.

Accessibility

The site is partially accessible; there is a lift near the exit on Alemdar Street near the tram line, but the walking path inside may be uneven in places.

Wheelchair users may need assistance, especially around corners or where the lighting is low.

There are no elevators inside the cistern, and seating is extremely limited.

Additional information

Your ticket allows you to skip the ticket queue, but all visitors must go through a security check.

Arrive early in the morning or visit in the evening to avoid crowds from cruise ship tours.

Don’t miss the Medusa heads tucked into the far corner. Walk around them to see both angles.

The exit leads out to a different street than the entrance; take note of your location before entering.

The lighting is intentionally dim—give your eyes a moment to adjust for better visibility and photos

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

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

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.