Istanbul Highlights Tour: Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia Visit

Stand inside two hidden water cisterns and walk the monuments of the Hippodrome in a single day

This guided tour of Istanbul covers the German Fountain, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Hippodrome, Nakkas Cistern, and Grand Bazaar with an English-speaking guide in a small group of up to ten travelers. The tour includes entry to both cisterns and Hagia Sophia, a three-course lunch with Turkish kebab or vegetarian options, and a carpet-weaving demonstration. You choose between a private tour or a small-group departure.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Istanbul's historic landmarks

• Start at German Fountain
• Visit Blue Mosque
• Tour Basilica Cistern
• Explore Hagia Sophia
• Walk Hippodrome Square
• See Obelisk of Theodosius
• View Serpent Column
• See Column of Constantine
• Visit Nakkas Cistern
• Watch carpet demonstration
• Enjoy 3-course Turkish lunch
• Walk Imperial Council Road
• Shop at Grand Bazaar
• View first baroque mosque outside

The Experience

The day starts at the German Fountain, a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm, then moves into the Blue Mosque. The Ottoman-era structure that gives the tour its name. From there, you descend into the Basilica Cistern, the largest water storage system in Istanbul, built in the 6th century and now operating as a museum. The scale of the place (the massive columns, the water that still sits at the bottom) makes the engineering of Constantinople real in a way a photograph cannot. Entry is included, so there's no separate ticket line to navigate.

Hagia Sophia comes next, the Church of Divine Wisdom that once held the title of the world's largest church and now operates as a mosque. The guide explains what you're standing inside: the history, the architecture, the shift in how the building has been used across centuries. You'll also see the Hippodrome, where Romans held chariot races with a capacity of 100,000 spectators, and the monuments still standing there: the Egyptian Obelisk brought to Constantinople in the 4th century, the Serpent Column (a monument to the Greek victory in the Persian Wars), and the Column of Constantine. The Nakkas Cistern, which once supplied water to the Boucoleon Palace, comes with a display showing what Constantinople looked like in 1200 AD.

Lunch is a three-course meal served at Viaport Marina: soup of the day with mezze and salad, a mixed kebab platter with five different Turkish kebabs or four vegetarian options, and dessert with Turkish tea and water included. After eating, you'll see a carpet-weaving demonstration before heading to the Grand Bazaar: the world's largest covered market, with over 4,000 shops laid across 66 streets. The bazaar was historically a hub for the Silk and Spice Road. It still functions as a working market where locals shop alongside tourists. The tour ends there, leaving you free to browse or buy.

What’s included

• Bottled water throughout the day.
• entry tickets to Hagia Sophia and both the Basilica Cistern and Nakkas Cistern.
• a three-course lunch with soup, mixed kebab or vegetarian options, and dessert.
• Turkish tea and coffee.
• a carpet-weaving demonstration.
• and an English-speaking professional guide.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Oguzhan Ceylan

Is this one for you?Choose the small-group option if you want to ask questions and move at a conversational pace with other travelers. Pick the private tour if you prefer to set the rhythm and have the guide's full attention for the day. Either way, the fixed itinerary and included meals mean you're not stopping to find lunch or deciding which sites to skip. The day is already built.

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Top questions

What exactly is inside the Basilica Cistern that makes it worth visiting?

The Basilica Cistern is a 6th-century underground water storage system with massive stone columns supporting a vaulted ceiling and water still visible at the bottom. It's one of the largest cisterns in Istanbul and now operates as a museum you can walk through. Entry is included in the tour.

Do I need to bring anything to visit the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia?

Women should bring a head scarf to cover their hair when entering the Blue Mosque. If you don't have one, the guide can arrange it during the tour. Both sites require modest dress. Entry to Hagia Sophia is included in the tour price.

Is the lunch included in the price, and can I choose a vegetarian option?

Yes, lunch is a three-course meal included in the tour: soup with mezze and salad, either a mixed kebab platter or four vegetarian options, and dessert with Turkish tea and water. All meals and drinks are included.

How many people will be on the tour with me?

You can choose between a private guided tour or a small-group tour with a maximum of ten travelers per departure. Both options have an English-speaking professional guide.

What is the Hippodrome, and why does the tour include it?

The Hippodrome was one of the largest chariot-racing arenas in the ancient world, holding up to 100,000 spectators. The tour visits the square where it stood and shows you the monuments still standing there (the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column, and the Column of Constantine), so you can see what remains of Roman Constantinople.

How much time do we spend at the Grand Bazaar?

The tour ends at the Grand Bazaar, the world's largest covered market with over 4,000 shops. You'll have time to walk through it, but the exact duration depends on your interests: some travelers browse quickly, others spend longer shopping or eating at the bazaar's food stalls.