Explore the most famous monuments in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. After extensive renovations, you can now tour the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia with a passionate local guide.
- Discover Istanbul’s Magnificent Mosques: Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque
- Have a look at the largest religious building in the world for over 1000 years
- Learn about the history, architecture and the Islamic religion
- Take amazing pictures, explore beautiful places and discover history first hand
- 60 minute Blue Mosque tour
- 60 minute Old City & Hagia Sophia from outside tour
- Hagia Sophia Mosque skip the line tickets & audio guide
- English speaking tour guide
- No tour guide inside Hagia Sophia Mosque
- No skip the line entry inside Blue Mosque
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Since January 2024 the entry inside the Hagia Sophia mosque is not possible for tour guides in order to respect the silence of the praying community. Therefore, your tour guide will do the tour from outside and afterwards hand you over the skip the line tickets and inform you how to use the audio guide inside the Hagia Sophia.
Note: You can skip the ticket lines of Hagia Sophia, but it is not possible to skip the security line. The waiting time can take up to 60 minutes during the high season.
The Blue Mosque has no admission charge and no ticket lines, however there is a security check line, which can take up to 30 minutes during the mid season and up to 60 minutes during the high season. But don't worry, during your waiting time, your guide, who has very good information and great client relation skills, will entertain you with great stories, facts and useful information about Istanbul.
Duration of the Tour:
- approx. 2 hours at the Blue Mosque (including security check)
- approx. 45 minutes outside of Hagia Sophia with your guide
- approx. 45 minutes inside of Hagia Sophia (on your own with audio guide)
What to bring
- Headscarf
Not allowed
- Short skirts or shorts
Know before you go
- There is a mandatory security queue, and it is not skippable. In high season, security check can take up to 60 minutes.
- Women must cover their hair and shoulders. Scarves are available for 100 TRY.
- Men & women must cover their knees. If you wear shorts, you can buy a bodycover for 100 TRY.
- Only Turkish citizens are allowed in the prayer area of Hagia Sophia.
- This ticket gives you access to the Hagia Sophia Visiting Area & Upper gallery, not the prayer area.
- Non-refundable
2024 MegaPass by
Meet your guide across from the Blue Mosque and get first-hand information about the latest renovations and historical facts.
Go on a journey back in time and start with an expedition to the Blue Mosque. Inside the Blue Mosque admire the architecture, the famous blue Iznik tiles, learn about Byzantine and Ottoman heritage, the Islamic religion, and Istanbul's rich history from your official licensed guide, and get a sense of the culture from both past and present.
After some free time inside the Blue Mosque, you meet your guide and continue your tour at the Old City and explore the Hagia Sophia from the outside, which is part of the Unesco World Heritage Site. At the end of the tour, your guide will hand you your skip the line tickets for the Hagia Sophia, so you can enter and discover the magnificent structure on your own pace with the included audio guide app.