Istanbul Mosques Walking Tour: Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque

Duration4h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesGerman, Portuguese, English, Italian, French, Turkish, Spanish

Group sizeUp to 18 travelers

Overview

Discover Istanbul’s art, architecture, history, culture, and faith in some of the city’s most beloved places of worship
Visit Hagia Sophia, one of the country’s most iconic landmarks
Snap photos of the Blue Mosque and learn how this grand building got its nickname
See Suleymaniye Mosque, an architectural masterpiece designed by renowned architect Mimar Sinan
Enjoy the intimacy of a private/small group tour
Last-minute booking is available for the meeting point option

Hagia Sophia information.
To enhance your experience and avoid long queues, we require that all visitors, whether on a group tour or a private tour, purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance. For that matter, we will send you a link where you can purchase it after confirming the booking. Queues can delay the tour up to 2 hours.

Options

English Guide Private Tour

Private Tour
Entry not included.: Hagia Sophia Entrance fee (EUR 25) is not included. It is strongly recommended to purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance.

Spanish Small Group Entrance

Small Group Tour : Includes Entrance Fees

Portuguese Guide Private Tour

Private Tour
Entry not included: Hagia Sophia Entrance fee (EUR 25) is not included. It is strongly recommended to purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance.

Spanish Small Group

Spanish Small Group Tour: excludes Entrance fees (EUR 25 per person).

German Guide Private Tour

Private Tour
Entry not included.: Hagia Sophia Entrance fee (EUR 25) is not included. It is strongly recommended to purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance.

Italian Guide Private Tour

Private with Italian Guide
Entry not included.: Hagia Sophia Entrance fee (EUR 25) is not included. It is strongly recommended to purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance.

Portuguese Private Entrance

Portuguese Private Entrance: Portuguese Guide with Entrance fees included

Spanish Private Tour Entrance

Spanish Private Tour Entrance: Spanish Guide with Entrance Fees included

English Private Tour Entrance

English Private Tour Entrance: English Guide with Entrance Fee included

Spanish Guide Private Tour

Private with Spanish Guide
Entry not included.: Hagia Sophia Entrance fee (EUR 25) is not included. It is strongly recommended to purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance.

English and Turkish Group Tour

Entrance fee not included: Bilingual English and Turkish tour without Hagia Sophia Entrance fee included (EUR 25). Drinks not included.

Italian Small Group Entrance

Small Group Tour : Includes Entrance Fees

English & Turkish with entry

Group Tour with entrance fee: Includes Entrance Fees with a bilingual English and Turkish Tour guide. Drinks not included.

Italian Private Tour Entrance

Italian Private Tour Entrance: Italian Guide with Entrance fees included

French Private Tour Entrance

French Private Tour Entrance: French Guide with Entrance fees included

What's included

English and Turkish, Spanish, Italian, German-speaking tour guide (please, select the option)
Local drink at a historical Madrasah (depending on the package selected)

Lunch or beverages
Personal expenses
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Hagia Sophia (unless inclusive option selected)

What to expect

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque
1h · Admission ticket not included

Built in the sixth century A.D. by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, this famous mosque was originally an Orthodox Christian cathedral in early day Constantinople (now Istanbul). In its nearly 1,500 years, this iconic landmark has been used as a Catholic church, mosque, and museum.

To enhance your experience and avoid long queues, we require that all visitors, whether on a group tour or a private tour, purchase skip-the-line tickets in advance. For that matter, we will send you a link where you can purchase it after confirming the booking. Queues can delay the tour up to 2 hours.
Blue Mosque
1h

The mosque was originally named The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, after Sultan Ahmed I who built it. Back in the early 1600s, mosques were built only by sultans who had achieved success in war. Despite having no colorful achievements to his name and against his counselors’ advice, Sultan Ahmed built this grand edifice that would serve as his most lasting legacy. Today, it is nicknamed the Blue Mosque due to the blue hue coming from the blue tiles outlaid in geometric patterns and floral designs in the mosque

Note: "Blue Mosque will be closed for renovation from January 1st, 2023. Instead, you can visit another iconic Istanbul Mosque: Yeni Cami (the New Mosque)"
Suleymaniye Mosque
1h

Located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, the Suleymaniye was known as the largest mosque in the city for more than 450 years before it was dethroned of its title in 2019. Other than its stunning size, this mosque was also designed by the renowned architect Mimar Sinan, one of the most notable figures in Istanbul’s architectural history.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Meeting Point: Sultanahmet area | German Fountain (Address: Binbirdirek, Atmeydanı Cd., 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Kindly be at your meeting point at least 10 minutes before the stated meeting time. The tour guides will only wait a maximum of 10 minutes for you before proceeding to the next stop.

End point

Meeting Point: Sultanahmet area | German Fountain (Address: Binbirdirek, Atmeydanı Cd., 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Kindly be at your meeting point at least 10 minutes before the stated meeting time. The tour guides will only wait a maximum of 10 minutes for you before proceeding to the next stop.

Additional information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
As this tour includes visits to religious temples, the itinerary may be adjusted, extended, or shortened due to changes in prayer times throughout the year.
Museum cards are not accepted.
Hagia Sophia upper gallery is accessible by stairs, it's not recommended for tourists with mobility issues.
Knees and shoulders must be covered. Headscarf is mandatory for women and can be purchased at the entrance.
It is strongly recommended to purchase Hagia Sophia skip-the-line tickets (25 EUR) in advance. The activity provider will assist with this process by sending you a purchase link via email if you don't select the inclusive option. Customers without skip-the-line tickets may face a queue of 1-2 hours at the site.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

5.0 (26)