Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!
Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!

Outty Ranking 85 4.9 · 199 traveler reviews7 hoursFrom $100
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Outty Ranking

85/100

Exceptional. Our proprietary evaluation. How we score

Traveler rating

4.9/5

Based on 199 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

Quick answer

Is Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! worth booking?

Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! is a 7-hour experience in Istanbul, Turkey, from $100 per person. It scores 85 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 199 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.

Outty Ranking
85 / 100
Rating
4.9/5 (199)
Duration
7 hours
From
$100 per person

In this tour you will start the tour with German Fauntain, gift of Kaiser Wilhelm. Blue Mosque, magnicifent marvel of Ottoman period. Hagia Sophia the church of Divine Wisdom recently operating as a mosque. Hippodrome Square where Romans used to hold horse chariot races and monuments remaining; Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column and Column of Constantine. Only for this tour! Your guide will welcome you to two Cisterns: Basilica Cistern & Nakkas Cistern; give details of Romans’ hidden gems and how Constantinople used to look in 1200 AD and get a demonstration of Turkish Handicrafts. Enjoy your included 3 course lunch with best choices from Turkish cuisine: mixed kebab or vegetarian options. Your tour will come to an end in world's most famous historical Grand Bazaar, with over 4000 shops. Join and indulge in Istanbul, with a small group of max ten travellers per tour. Ask away your questions about Istanbul's culture, way of living and learn much more with professional tour guides!

What you get

    About this experience

    In this tour you will start the tour with German Fauntain, gift of Kaiser Wilhelm. Blue Mosque, magnicifent marvel of Ottoman period. Hagia Sophia the church of Divine Wisdom recently operating as a mosque. Hippodrome Square where Romans used to hold horse chariot races and monuments remaining; Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column and Column of Constantine. Only for this tour! Your guide will welcome you to two Cisterns: Basilica Cistern & Nakkas Cistern; give details of Romans’ hidden gems and how Constantinople used to look in 1200 AD and get a demonstration of Turkish Handicrafts. Enjoy your included 3 course lunch with best choices from Turkish cuisine: mixed kebab or vegetarian options. Your tour will come to an end in world's most famous historical Grand Bazaar, with over 4000 shops. Join and indulge in Istanbul, with a small group of max ten travellers per tour. Ask away your questions about Istanbul's culture, way of living and learn much more with professional tour guides!

    What's included

    Included

    • Bottled water
    • Hagia Sophia Museum tickets Included ‘25 Euros’ (30 USD)
    • English Speaking Professional Tour Guide!
    • All Fees and Taxes
    • Lunch
    • Basilica Cistern Museum tickets Included ‘42 Euros’ (48 USD)
    • Tea and coffee

    Not included

    • In-vehicle air conditioning
    • Gratitudes

    What you'll see and do

    1. German Fountain

      This is going to be start point of the tour!

      15 minutes here

    2. Blue Mosque

      Blue mosque (Sultanahmet mosque)

      40 minutes here

    3. Basilica Cistern

      Largest water cistern in Istanbul dating 6th centey A.D. Currently operating as a museum.(entry fees are inculded)

      45 minutes here · Admission included

    4. Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

      Church of Divine Wisdom/ Largest church of 6th century A.D. (currently operating as museum half a Mosque )

      60 minutes here · Admission included

    5. Hippodrome

      One of the biggest Horse Chariot arenas in the word with the cappacity of 100 thosend spectators.

      15 minutes here

    6. Obelisk of Theodosius

      Egyptian Obeslisk brought into Hippodrome of Constantinople in 4th century.

      15 minutes here

    7. Serpent Column

      Monument of victory of Greek Persian war!

      10 minutes here

    8. Walled Obelisk

      Central obelisk of Roman Hippodrome square and the higgest with the hight of 32 metres.

      10 minutes here

    9. Cistern Art Gallery

      Nakkas Cistern, Cistern which use to supply water to Boucheleon Palace / Exibition of Constantinople in 1200 A.D. (admisson inculuded)

      30 minutes here · Admission included

    10. Nakkas Oriental Rugs & Textiles

      Carpet demonstration. Admisson included.

      30 minutes here · Admission included

    11. 3 Course lunch. Soup of the day with mezes and Salad mixed kebab platter tastes of 5 diffenrt Turkish Kebabs or vegeterian 4 options. Dessert / Turkish tea + Water All the meals and drinks are included.

      60 minutes here · Admission included

    12. Divanyolu Street

      Imperial Council Road.

      10 minutes here

    13. Grand Bazaar

      Worlds largest covered Bazaar with 4 thousand shops layed on 66 streets. Transfer hub for silk and spice road in the history living marvel of Istanbul. (on sundays Arasta Bazaar as alternative)

      60 minutes here

    14. Column of Constantine

      Column of Constantine

      10 minutes here

    15. Nuruosmaniye Camii

      Visit from outside, First baroque Mosque I'm istanbul

      10 minutes here

    Where it starts and ends

    Meeting point

    Istanbul

    We will meet in front of German fauntain at 09.00am (next to Blue Mosque and Sultahahmet Tram station)

    Hotel pickup

    No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.

    Ends at

    We will meet in front of German fauntain at 09.00am (next to Blue Mosque and Sultahahmet Tram station)

    Options you can book

    • Private Guided Tour

      Private guided tour Duration: 7 hours 3 course lunch : Traditional Local Restaurant Starters Mix kebab menu or Vegetarian Dessert and Tea Tailor Made itinerary : You may add and skip some parts of the route with you private guide for the tour

    • Best of Istanbul Small group!

      Guidance : English speaking Professional Tour guide! Duration: 7 hours Lunch 3 Course meal : Soup of the day, Mixed kebab (5 different tastes of Turkish cuisine) or Home cooked Vegetarian option! Dessert Meet at German Fauntain : German Fauntain Hippodrome Squeare Egyptian Obeslisk Serpentine Column Column of Constantine Blue mosque Hagia Sophia GrandBazaar

    Before you book

    Cancellation
    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
    Languages
    en
    Ticket
    Mobile Only
    Runs on
    Every day
    Group size
    Up to 10 travelers per booking
    Operated by
    Oguzhan Ceylan

    Know before you go

    • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
    • Public transportation options are available nearby
    • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
    • Specialized infant seats are available
    • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
    • Ladies best bring a head scarf (if not available, it can be arranged during the tour)

    Photos

    Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!, photo 2Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!, photo 3Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!, photo 4Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!, photo 5Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!, photo 6Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!, photo 7

    What travelers are saying

    Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 197 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.

    The guide

    10 mentions

    Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    Knowledge and storytelling

    8 mentions

    Reviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.

    Food and drink

    2 mentions

    The tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.

    Small groups

    2 mentions

    The group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.

    Traveler reviews

    197 verified traveler reviews for Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

    5 star
    188
    4 star
    6
    3 star
    2
    2 star
    1
    1 star
    0
    Sort
    Steven_C · October 2026

    Great Day, Great Tour, Great Guide

    This was a wonderful tour. Small group tours are the best and our guide, Buket, was incredible. She spoke nearly perfect English and was able to answer every question we had, obviously very well prepared. The pace was not too fast but never boring. Highly Recommended

    via Viator

    j_kDad2266 · October 2026

    Wonderful tour with an exceptional guide

    Oğuzhan (Ozzy) was our guide for this great tour of the historic Sultanahmet district. The mosques are incredible with their grandeur and history, and the cistern is absolutely fascinating. As much as we appreciate the history, Ozzy's discussions about the culture surrounding this history was the greatest highlight, probably of our entire Turkish vacation. Ozzy obviously cares deeply about his country, and in helping others understand what it is all about. Our discussions, not only at the sights but while walking and over tea and a meal, are the memories we'll most cherish for years to come. Ozzy, we will certainly drink a glass of wine and remember our day with you! Thank you so very much!

    via Tripadvisor

    Xunxie_W · September 2026

    Wonderful way to learn the history and culture of Istanbul

    This tour is very interesting. Our tour guide Alman is amazing. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. We enjoyed the tour from beginning to end. Alman told us many wonderful stories about the history and culture of Istanbul. We highly recommend this tour to everyone.

    via Viator

    bj1152016 · September 2026

    Great tour guided by a wonderful tour guide

    Alman Çeşmesi Is wonderful tour guide. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. We heard lots of great stories along the way. Most importantly he took care of us during the entire tour. This tour is a great way to learn about Istanbul history and culture. Highly recommended.

    via Tripadvisor

    scottmE8168YN · September 2026

    Amazing guide, wonderful experience

    Oguzhan is an incredible tour guide! He gave us a very personalized tour, telling us all about the history and culture of Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cisterns, Blue Mosque and more! He was very friendly, knowledgeable, interesting person and I can't recommend him enough as a guide.

    via Tripadvisor

    Good to know

    Duration
    7 hours
    Free cancellation
    Up to 24h before
    Minimum age to book
    All ages
    Availability
    Bookable today
    Runs on
    Every day
    Price range
    $100 to $250
    Hotel pickup
    No pickup, meet at start point
    Booked in 30 days
    70
    Verdict
    Exceptional

    Why this scores 85

    The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.

    Traveler sentiment (30% weight)92
    Review evidence (18% weight)81
    Booking momentum (14% weight)78
    Value for money (12% weight)84
    Listing quality (10% weight)85
    Local standing (8% weight)74
    Booking flexibility (8% weight)100

    Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!: questions travelers ask

    Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Istanbul.

    How much does Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! cost?

    +

    Prices start at $100 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Istanbul usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.

    How long does Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! take?

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    Plan for about 7 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Istanbul is not rushed.

    Is Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! worth it?

    +

    It holds an Outty Ranking of 85 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 199 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Istanbul, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.

    Can I cancel or reschedule Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

    +

    Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.

    Is Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! suitable for kids and families?

    +

    Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 7-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.

    How far in advance should I book Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

    +

    Around 70 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Istanbul can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.

    What should I bring or wear?

    +

    Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Istanbul and add a light layer if any part of the 7-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.

    Where does Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! start and how do I get there?

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    The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Istanbul within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.

    What are the best things to do in Istanbul?

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    On Outty we rank every Istanbul experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Princes Islands Blue Journey from Old City Istanbul, Famous Istanbul Pub Crawl #1 Nightlife Experience, Best of Istanbul 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Guided Istanbul Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.

    When is the best time to visit Istanbul?

    +

    Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.

    How many days do you need in Istanbul?

    +

    Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.

    Do I book through Outty or through the operator?

    +

    Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.

    What is included in Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

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    Included: Bottled water; Hagia Sophia Museum tickets Included ‘25 Euros’ (30 USD); English Speaking Professional Tour Guide!; All Fees and Taxes; and Lunch. Not included: In-vehicle air conditioning; and Gratitudes. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.

    Where is the meeting point for Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

    +

    We will meet in front of German fauntain at 09.00am (next to Blue Mosque and Sultahahmet Tram station) Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.

    What languages is Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! offered in?

    +

    It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.

    Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

    +

    Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.

    Is Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! wheelchair or stroller accessible?

    +

    The operator notes: Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap; and Specialized infant seats are available. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.

    What happens to Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More! if the weather is bad?

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    It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Istanbul. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.

    What do travelers say about Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

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    Across 199 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, food and drink. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    What booking options are available for Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!?

    +

    There are 2 options to choose from, including Private Guided Tour, Best of Istanbul Small group!. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.

    Ready to lock in your spot?

    Pick a date, choose your group, and see the exact price for Istanbul Highlights Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Cisterns and More!.

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