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Guided Tours

Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Guided Tour with Tickets

Interior view of Hagia Sophia with ornate domes and Arabic calligraphy, Istanbul.
Visitors viewing Deesis mosaic in Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey.
Blue Mosque exterior with minarets and domes, Istanbul skyline and Bosphorus in background.
Blue Mosque interior with ornate domes and intricate patterns, Istanbul.

Duration

3 hr - 4 hr

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

4.3/5

(1,262)

Adrian Stringer

Adrian

Jun 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The tour ran like clockwork. Our guide, Michael, was in the expected place and knowledgeably took the group to each of the three historic locations, explained their context and interesting and historical details. We were allowed our own time in each location before meeting back at an agreed place for the next stop on the tour. No real queues in the 4th week of June on a 1pm booking, but great to skip lines on this tour where possible. Apparently the rules have changes in the Hagia Sophia allowing guides to take visitors around the 2nd level which meant that Michael could explain the Christian and Muslim iconography in this exceptional 6th century building. Ticketing through Headout was easy and predictable.
Gavrila Iuliana-Maria

Gavrila

Jul 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The tour was amazing, detailed and it also included much needed breaks for water, coffee or just resting a bit. The crowds were ok for this time of year, not too many people, but either way, there was more than enough time to visit and see everything there was to see. It was really nice that we got to visit during one of the prayer times and saw a glimpse of what it means, with the full explanation from our guide. Be warned: you need to walk a lot, as is to be expecteeld, but I totally recommend this tour
Sanchez Vernard Johnson

Sanchez

Jul 2025
Verified booking
4/5
I loved that we skipped the line. I already knew lines would be long for some of the sites and that alone made the tour worth it. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and anticipated most of our questions. There was only one criticism; the headsets used to communicate. They were uncomfortable and fell in and out of reception easily. Mostly because of the restrictions of the city, but also, I think, because of the quality of the headset. But other that that, The tour was worth the price.
    • Skip the lines and explore the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia with one ticket and stories from an expert guide.

    • Blue Mosque's Iznik tiles, elephant-foot pillars supporting its vast domes, and handwoven carpets covering the vast prayer hall, will leave you in awe.

    • Find hidden marble doors at Hagia Sophia, tombs of Ottoman sultans, mosaics once buried under centuries of plaster, and giant oil lamps.

    • On a guided walk of Istanbul's Old Town, pass by the Million Stone, once the zero-mile marker of the Byzantine Empire, and the Obelisk of Theodosius from Ancient Egypt.

    • Upgrade and descend into Istanbul’s depths with a guided tour of Basilica Cistern’s eerie forest of columns, where carp swim beneath glowing arches.

    • 1.5-hour guided tour of Hagia Sophia

    • Skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia visiting area

    • Expert licensed English-speaking guide

    • 1-hour guided tour of Blue Mosque with entry

    • 30-min Hippodrome & Old Town walking tour

    • Istanbul Old Town map

    • 30-min guided tour of Basilica Cistern with skip-the-line entry (based on option selected)

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

  • How do we collect reviews?

    4.3
    1,262 ratings
    5/5
    739
    4/5
    310
    3/5
    94
    2/5
    42
    1/5
    77
    • United States
    • Italy
    • United Kingdom
    • Australia
    • France
    • Germany
    • Canada
    • Spain
    • Romania
    • Portugal
    Guests from United States, Italy, United Kingdom and over 54 countries have loved this experience

    Lynette G Babilonia

    Lynette

    Jul, 2025Verified booking

    5/5
    Ticketing was easy, Blue Mosque was beautiful, and our tour guide was excellent. Cenker was very knowledgeable, fun, lively and very accommodating.
    Jimmy Cudzilo

    Jimmy

    Jul, 2025Verified booking

    5/5
    Excellent guide. Great experience with skip the line access to some of the most visited spots in this historic area.
    Matthias Anton Eberlein

    Matthias

    Jun, 2025Verified booking

    5/5
    Ali was an awesome tour guide! Great experience 👍👍
    Joseph Schierbeek

    Joseph

    Aug, 2025Verified booking

    4/5
    The ticketing experience was flawless! Additionally, Fiek was an amazing guide and was able to highlight the critical historical and contextual facts of each visit, while also completing the story with his own personal experiences. 10/10 would recommend this experience to see the major landmarks of Istanbul.
    Saoirse Lyndsay O'Hanlon

    Saoirse

    Aug, 2025Verified booking

    5/5
    We had an excellent guide to visit the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, which I'd been dreaming of for nearly ten years. He was very nice, funny, relevant and very responsive to questions/comments. The Blue Mosque is a real nugget I didn't know much about before seeing it, while I knew the history of Saint Sophia pretty well, and it's just as incredible as I'd hoped.
  • Armed with this super-saver combo ticket, experience Istanbul’s greatest architectural beauties – Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

    Hagia Sophia

    The journey to Hagia Sophia begins with a meeting at the Blue Mosque, where you'll learn about historical facts and the latest renovations. Continue to the Blue Mosque courtyards and the Old City around it. The city is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk your way through the renowned Hagia Sophia and admire the coexistence of Byzantine and Ottoman art pieces. The Dome, featuring 40 windows, will surely impress you while the Wishing Column is thought to have healing effects! Learn all about the genius of Byzantine architecture and art with the power of storytelling, thanks to your expert English-speaking historian tour guide.

    Blue Mosque

    Learn about the rich history of Istanbul and the Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, the Islamic faith, and the famous blue Iznik tiles inside the Blue Mosque with your official licensed guide. During the tour, you will have ample opportunities to explore and take amazing photographs of the hand-painted blue tiles that adorn the mosque’s interior walls, the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes. Get enough insights and tips to help you discover independently the rest of your trip.

  • 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

    Blue Mosque

    Monday09:00am - 06:00pm
    Tuesday09:00am - 06:00pm
    Wednesday09:00am - 06:00pm
    Thursday09:00am - 06:00pm
    Friday09:00am - 06:00pm
    Saturday09:00am - 06:00pm
    Sunday09:00am - 06:00pm

    Hagia Sophia History Museum

    Monday09:00am - 07:00pm
    Tuesday09:00am - 07:00pm
    Wednesday09:00am - 07:00pm
    Thursday09:00am - 07:00pm
    Friday09:00am - 07:00pm
    Saturday09:00am - 07:00pm
    Sunday09:00am - 07:00pm
  • 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.

    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€).

    • 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.

    • Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

    • 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

    • Meet your guide at Dsign Cafe.

    • Address: Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:10, 34093 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye.

    • Landmark: Turkish and Islamic Art Museum, Hippodrome.

    • Your guide will be waiting for you at the meeting point with Headout or Istanbul Welcome Card Flags.

    Get Directions to the Meeting Point

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