Guided tour

Istanbul: Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Skip-the-Line Tour

Activity provider: Tour Altinkum
Guided tour

Istanbul: Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque Skip-the-Line Tour

Activity provider: Tour Altinkum
Save up to 25%

From US$ 43.34 US$ 32.50 per person

Skip the lines at 2 of the most important religious monuments of Istanbul on this tour with a local guide. Visit Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, then experience shopping at the Grand Bazaar.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 4 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the ticket line
Live tour guide
English, Spanish, Russian, Japanese
Pickup included
Hotel: Please wait in the hotel lobby 10 minutes before your scheduled pickup time. Istanbul Port: The driver will be holding a sign with your name on it.
Private group available

Experience

Highlights
  • Skip the long lines to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
  • Learn the amazing history of Istanbul under the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire
  • See the ruins of the Hippodrome of Constantinople
  • Visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world
Full description

Discover the classic monuments of Istanbul on a half-day guided tour of the city center, including skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Visit the colorful and lively Grand Bazaar to shop unique local products.

Start your trip with pickup directly from your chosen hotel or pickup point, and then make your way by air-conditioned vehicle to Sultan Ahmet Square. Skip the long lines to Hagia Sophia, built on the site of an earlier church under the orders of Emperor Justinian I. Learn how it became the largest cathedral in the world and was later converted to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. Continue to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque, and see the blue Iznik tiles and minarets of the city's most iconic attraction. Learn more about the former arena of the Byzantine Empire at the ruins of the Hippodrome of Constantinople.

Round off your trip at the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 60 streets and 5000 shops. Stop into an authentic oriental atmosphere and see all kinds of gifts, leather clothing, rugs, antiques, jewelry, hand-woven fabrics, and more.

Includes
  • Hotel pickup
  • Local Tour Guide
  • Sightseeing tour
  • Hotel drop-off
  • Guide and driver tips (optional)

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Important information

Know before you go

  • The Blue Mosque is closed on Friday mornings for Friday prayers
  • Starting January 1st, 2023, The Blue Mosque will be closed for three months; Nuru Osmaniye Mosque will be visited instead
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.3 /5

based on 154 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.6/5
  • Transportation
    4.1/5
  • Service
    4.4/5
  • Organization
    4.3/5

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Star rating:

Great guide,good explanation,clear english,slowly speaking and it was very easy to follow. Sadly we did not see the Blue Mosque as it is closed (this information was shared after booking via Get your guide provided,but was explained 2 days before a tour). We started exactly on time,so no delays. Good experience,nice guide.

March 23, 2023

This tour was easily booked through the get your guide website. We were met by our guide without having to look for them. The meeting point was clearly indicated with booking confirmation. Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided us with insight about the buildings not available in guide books. Highly recommend the tour.

March 23, 2023

It's very good to have someone to explain the history behind Hagia Sophia. Helpful to have a shorter wait in the massive queue to visit also! Definitely worth booking this rather than queuing yourself. The Blue Mosque was sadly under renovation so nothing to see and we did not bother to queue so the guide showed us around the Hippodrome instead and gave us the story about the monuments there. He also took us to an underground cistern (not Basilica!) which conveniently happened to be under this shop that sells Turkish carpets! To be fair, it was interesting to look at that and the guide also explained more about the Roman cisterns and the hippodrome again as there were good pictures and models there. Afterwards, we got a sales pitch on carpets but it is interesting too and we also got drinks. Now I understand a lot of groups get taken around shops as part of the tour, so you have to be able to resist the sales persuasion or be prepared to part with a rather large amount of money.

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March 23, 2023

Product ID: 139328