Headout is an authorized and trusted partner of the venue, offering curated experiences to enjoy this attraction.
Inclusions
It's covered 3 places with discounted rate.. & I really love It, only one small issue.. There is no line inside basilica cistern and I couldn't play the audio guide completely..
A fabulous place, one of my favorites in Istanbul, it is the second time I visit it and I still find it spectacular. I went in without waiting or queuing
View original review in Spanish
Speed of entry. Less than a minute! We were there when it opened. Apart from this purely practical aspect, the place is magnificent!
View original review in French
It is really worth it. I highly suggest getting your tickets online to skip the long wait at Hagia Sophia and the Basilica cistern. Beautiful Mosque and nice structure at the cistern.
The tickets were very good. The museum staff was very competent. The audio guide didn't work or didn't work well, especially in Hagia Sophia. Very nice visits and having the queue-cutting tickets is great.
View original review in French
Both the Hagia Sofia and Basilica Cisterne were well worth a visit. The queues for both were huge even early on a Sunday so I have no idea why people didn't get these! You can just walk on past all those people trying to buy the ticket in person and get in and enjoy the places. I would go early as it is so busy.
Enjoyed both places and they're both close together. Definitely liked not waiting in line as they ticket line was very long.
The cistern alone is astounding and well worth the price of admission. The walkways that have been engineered so people can wander through the entire cistern are impressive. The skip the line ticket process is simple and worth the small extra cost. The audio guide was easy to use and interesting without being overly informative. One thing that I did not enjoy was the pop art style modern sculptures and colorful lighting. I would have preferred simple white or gold lighting. Nevertheless the cistern is a must see and is one of the most interesting places I've ever visited.
We were very disappointed and felt discriminated against that we were separated from the Muslims and only allowed upstairs in the Hagia but not downstairs even after prayer times, in my opinion not worth the money! Sultan ahmet opposite is free.
View original review in German
Must-see tours Audioguide on the cell phone, great, it allows us to cut ourselves off from the ambient noise and immerse ourselves totally in the visit to the site.
View original review in French
Very picturesque site. Difficult to access my ticket without WIFI. Finally, I was able to listen to the audio guide after the tour.
View original review in French
.All the sights are very nice and the skip the line went smoothly. The only thing that is a minus in my opinion is the price. We are a 4 member familly and the price was very expensive.
Beautiful sight seeing activity Guide could of done more he was only with us for a short time and felt he could of told us more.
Once I worked out the Headout site I was able to download the audios for the 3 sites I was visiting, though the instructions could have been easier to use. I did find the audio did not correspond with the layout of the Palace and the photos on the audio also did not correspond so I gave up listening. It would be helpful if the Headout audio corresponded with the same numbers that the Palace site uses.
I don't think it's worth the trouble to visit with an audio guide. The only good thing is that you don't have to wait in line. But I think it is more interesting to look for another option that guarantees a personal guide in Spanish.
View original review in Spanish
The fast-track entry worked well, the explanations in the audio guide were easy to understand and not too long, so that you had enough information but were not overloaded.
View original review in German
It was easy to buy and very good attention when we got there, they also explained it to us clearly by listening to the audio. All good, thank you very much Teresita from Chile
View original review in Spanish
Highly recommended! We did not queue and having an audio guide in our language made it easier to understand the tour. Safe and fast online purchase. Affordable price
View original review in Spanish
The Citernes are worth visiting. However, it is recommended that you take an audio guide. Or visit the Citernes with a guide. In just under an hour you can visit the Citernes.
View original review in Dutch
Complicated - it would be easier to be able to have access with the ticket in app, without having to collect it prime and queue.
View original review in Italian
A very stable way to buy a ticket. I would like to give you a more detailed insight into the history of the hundred years of better life of this unique material.
This review is translated. Show original review.
Very welcome a visit to the Topkape palace that would have deserved extra time. In the afternoon we had planned to visit the Cisterna Basilica and thought we would not arrive in time. Beautiful Cisterna Basilica, but I got the impression that access hours were well after 6:30 pm. I always noticed long lines even after this time A little disappointed with Hagia Sophia. Beautiful building on the outside, less so on the inside
View original review in Italian
Flexibility for example: we could not use the tickets for the selected date and they were accepted for the following day! We also skipped very long lines and paid less than the ticket prices sold locally! Excellent service
View original review in Italian
It was a surprise to enter such an old and well preserved site, the lighting is perfect and the modern sculptures installed there add a lot of character, we loved not having to wait in line to enter especially because the day was very hot and it is always visited by many people.
View original review in Spanish
It was very easy and straightforward. I had a phone problem when the time came to show the ticket and the gentleman was very patient in waiting for my phone to restart. Everybody was polite.
13% off
Inclusions
Basilica Cistern
Hagia Sophia
Basilica Cistern
Hagia Sophia
It's covered 3 places with discounted rate.. & I really love It, only one small issue.. There is no line inside basilica cistern and I couldn't play the audio guide completely..
A fabulous place, one of my favorites in Istanbul, it is the second time I visit it and I still find it spectacular. I went in without waiting or queuing
View original review in Spanish
Speed of entry. Less than a minute! We were there when it opened. Apart from this purely practical aspect, the place is magnificent!
View original review in French
It is really worth it. I highly suggest getting your tickets online to skip the long wait at Hagia Sophia and the Basilica cistern. Beautiful Mosque and nice structure at the cistern.
The tickets were very good. The museum staff was very competent. The audio guide didn't work or didn't work well, especially in Hagia Sophia. Very nice visits and having the queue-cutting tickets is great.
View original review in French
Both the Hagia Sofia and Basilica Cisterne were well worth a visit. The queues for both were huge even early on a Sunday so I have no idea why people didn't get these! You can just walk on past all those people trying to buy the ticket in person and get in and enjoy the places. I would go early as it is so busy.
Enjoyed both places and they're both close together. Definitely liked not waiting in line as they ticket line was very long.
The cistern alone is astounding and well worth the price of admission. The walkways that have been engineered so people can wander through the entire cistern are impressive. The skip the line ticket process is simple and worth the small extra cost. The audio guide was easy to use and interesting without being overly informative. One thing that I did not enjoy was the pop art style modern sculptures and colorful lighting. I would have preferred simple white or gold lighting. Nevertheless the cistern is a must see and is one of the most interesting places I've ever visited.
We were very disappointed and felt discriminated against that we were separated from the Muslims and only allowed upstairs in the Hagia but not downstairs even after prayer times, in my opinion not worth the money! Sultan ahmet opposite is free.
View original review in German
Must-see tours Audioguide on the cell phone, great, it allows us to cut ourselves off from the ambient noise and immerse ourselves totally in the visit to the site.
View original review in French
Very picturesque site. Difficult to access my ticket without WIFI. Finally, I was able to listen to the audio guide after the tour.
View original review in French
.All the sights are very nice and the skip the line went smoothly. The only thing that is a minus in my opinion is the price. We are a 4 member familly and the price was very expensive.
Once I worked out the Headout site I was able to download the audios for the 3 sites I was visiting, though the instructions could have been easier to use. I did find the audio did not correspond with the layout of the Palace and the photos on the audio also did not correspond so I gave up listening. It would be helpful if the Headout audio corresponded with the same numbers that the Palace site uses.
I don't think it's worth the trouble to visit with an audio guide. The only good thing is that you don't have to wait in line. But I think it is more interesting to look for another option that guarantees a personal guide in Spanish.
View original review in Spanish
The fast-track entry worked well, the explanations in the audio guide were easy to understand and not too long, so that you had enough information but were not overloaded.
View original review in German
It was easy to buy and very good attention when we got there, they also explained it to us clearly by listening to the audio. All good, thank you very much Teresita from Chile
View original review in Spanish
Highly recommended! We did not queue and having an audio guide in our language made it easier to understand the tour. Safe and fast online purchase. Affordable price
View original review in Spanish
Complicated - it would be easier to be able to have access with the ticket in app, without having to collect it prime and queue.
View original review in Italian
A very stable way to buy a ticket. I would like to give you a more detailed insight into the history of the hundred years of better life of this unique material.
This review is translated. Show original review.
Very welcome a visit to the Topkape palace that would have deserved extra time. In the afternoon we had planned to visit the Cisterna Basilica and thought we would not arrive in time. Beautiful Cisterna Basilica, but I got the impression that access hours were well after 6:30 pm. I always noticed long lines even after this time A little disappointed with Hagia Sophia. Beautiful building on the outside, less so on the inside
View original review in Italian
Flexibility for example: we could not use the tickets for the selected date and they were accepted for the following day! We also skipped very long lines and paid less than the ticket prices sold locally! Excellent service
View original review in Italian
It was a surprise to enter such an old and well preserved site, the lighting is perfect and the modern sculptures installed there add a lot of character, we loved not having to wait in line to enter especially because the day was very hot and it is always visited by many people.
View original review in Spanish
It was very easy and straightforward. I had a phone problem when the time came to show the ticket and the gentleman was very patient in waiting for my phone to restart. Everybody was polite.
Not really skip the line for hagia sofia - line is so long for either one, you just don't have to go to the ticket booth and buy a ticket first. Basilica was hardly worth it either, but saving 5% is nice.
It was annoying to find out that we should have picked up our audio guides at a different location. I felt scammed as I've paid for it but did not use it in the end. Also I felt it was way too expensive for what was offered. The informations given at the sight were really underwhelming - they should hire an information designer to make it more interesting and informative, then maybe it would have been worth the money.
9% off
Inclusions
Topkapi Palace
Hagia Sophia
Basilica Cistern
Topkapi Palace
Hagia Sophia
Basilica Cistern
It's covered 3 places with discounted rate.. & I really love It, only one small issue.. There is no line inside basilica cistern and I couldn't play the audio guide completely..
A fabulous place, one of my favorites in Istanbul, it is the second time I visit it and I still find it spectacular. I went in without waiting or queuing
View original review in Spanish
Speed of entry. Less than a minute! We were there when it opened. Apart from this purely practical aspect, the place is magnificent!
View original review in French
Topkapi is a place worth visiting all day because it is huge and has different rooms and exhibitions to see in its 4 gardens. I liked to know the harem and not only the visit that the tour offered me.
View original review in Spanish
It is really worth it. I highly suggest getting your tickets online to skip the long wait at Hagia Sophia and the Basilica cistern. Beautiful Mosque and nice structure at the cistern.
The tickets were very good. The museum staff was very competent. The audio guide didn't work or didn't work well, especially in Hagia Sophia. Very nice visits and having the queue-cutting tickets is great.
View original review in French
Both the Hagia Sofia and Basilica Cisterne were well worth a visit. The queues for both were huge even early on a Sunday so I have no idea why people didn't get these! You can just walk on past all those people trying to buy the ticket in person and get in and enjoy the places. I would go early as it is so busy.
Enjoyed both places and they're both close together. Definitely liked not waiting in line as they ticket line was very long.
With the "skip the line" ticket, we were forced to wait more than half an hour for the person in charge, while at the ticket office there was no line at all. In essence, instead of "skipping" the line we waited for a long time.
View original review in Italian
The Harem is beautiful, it takes you back to that time. The kitchen is impressive, the utensils and pots are preserved. The clothing room shows the elegance with which they dressed. The gardens are very beautiful, the whole palace is amazing. It is the best museum in Istanbul.
View original review in Spanish
The audio guide didn't download until 4 hours into the visit... so a bit late.... The download icon moves, but no download would take place. It should be made clearer that you have to download in advance. It should also be made clearer that there are no tickets (no souvenir trace), it's the guide who lets you in, so don't miss the meeting point. For people who don't understand English well, a brochure would be welcome to explain what the guide is saying as he accompanies us. It would be more effective if the numbers on the audio guide map corresponded with the numbers on the physical information terminals on the site.
View original review in French
The cistern alone is astounding and well worth the price of admission. The walkways that have been engineered so people can wander through the entire cistern are impressive. The skip the line ticket process is simple and worth the small extra cost. The audio guide was easy to use and interesting without being overly informative. One thing that I did not enjoy was the pop art style modern sculptures and colorful lighting. I would have preferred simple white or gold lighting. Nevertheless the cistern is a must see and is one of the most interesting places I've ever visited.
We were very disappointed and felt discriminated against that we were separated from the Muslims and only allowed upstairs in the Hagia but not downstairs even after prayer times, in my opinion not worth the money! Sultan ahmet opposite is free.
View original review in German
Must-see tours Audioguide on the cell phone, great, it allows us to cut ourselves off from the ambient noise and immerse ourselves totally in the visit to the site.
View original review in French
Very picturesque site. Difficult to access my ticket without WIFI. Finally, I was able to listen to the audio guide after the tour.
View original review in French
.All the sights are very nice and the skip the line went smoothly. The only thing that is a minus in my opinion is the price. We are a 4 member familly and the price was very expensive.
Once I worked out the Headout site I was able to download the audios for the 3 sites I was visiting, though the instructions could have been easier to use. I did find the audio did not correspond with the layout of the Palace and the photos on the audio also did not correspond so I gave up listening. It would be helpful if the Headout audio corresponded with the same numbers that the Palace site uses.
I don't think it's worth the trouble to visit with an audio guide. The only good thing is that you don't have to wait in line. But I think it is more interesting to look for another option that guarantees a personal guide in Spanish.
View original review in Spanish
The place and the planning of the visit is fine, but nothing is explained about the audio guide which was not possible to download or listen to, so much information is lost in relation to the visit.
View original review in Spanish
The fast-track entry worked well, the explanations in the audio guide were easy to understand and not too long, so that you had enough information but were not overloaded.
View original review in German
It was easy to buy and very good attention when we got there, they also explained it to us clearly by listening to the audio. All good, thank you very much Teresita from Chile
View original review in Spanish
The experience was good. Booking procedure was easy and also location direction was clearly explained. Upon arrival at the meeting point, we were asked wait for a while. The guide came after 10-15 minutes and called the group. He explained everything to us about entry and his length of stay with us and guided us to the entrance and Harem area. Although they say that early morning is the best time to visit however there was literally no queue in the afternoon at 3 pm. We heard from the guide that morning was so crowded. So, I think late afternoon is the best time to go and visit the Topkapi palace.
Highly recommended! We did not queue and having an audio guide in our language made it easier to understand the tour. Safe and fast online purchase. Affordable price
View original review in Spanish
Complicated - it would be easier to be able to have access with the ticket in app, without having to collect it prime and queue.
View original review in Italian
A very stable way to buy a ticket. I would like to give you a more detailed insight into the history of the hundred years of better life of this unique material.
This review is translated. Show original review.
Inclusions
Basilica Cistern
Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia
Basilica Cistern
Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia
We were blessed with a great guide named Mehmet who provided us with information on the sides and about culture and life in Istanbul. He further took care of everyones personal needs like extended pauses for food and drinks!
Everything was wonderful the views the history of the places, and the guide which he was speaking really good english .
Beautiful and very interesting tour, Ali very kind guide, made us spend 4 hours without ever getting bored and telling us many historical anecdotes of this fantastic city
View original review in Italian
The history of the area. Seeing all the attractions. Tour guide was very engaging and knowledgeable. Being guided throughout and skipping the queues.
Great introduction to the city history and culture! Seeing this amazing constructions,having Arda as a passionate and so knowledgeable guide helped us made this trip the highlight of the year!
Tour was fantastic with Busa - she was really informative and had a lovely sense of humour. Everything ran on time and the time at each place was perfect.
Our guide Buse was really nice and knowledgable We skipped all the lines and got to know interesting facts about Istanbul history Good price for what you get
Our guide was so knowledgeable about each of the places we went, and he was very patient with our questions and keeping us all together.
Ticketing straight forward and we think Arder was knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. He was a pleasure to be with.
Very well organised. Good that we managed to see 3 of the most important places in Istanbul with the same guide and within 3/4 hours.
A great and interesting tour which provides you with a fascinating look inside a beautiful, iconic mosque. The tour guide provides lots of background information which makes the tour even more interesting. Highly recommended!
Besides visiting incredible places like Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern, a real highlight was our guide, Arda. His knowledge, dedication, and sense of humor were outstanding. I highly recommend both Headout and Arda, an excellent combination!
Arda was absolutely fantastic! He not only explained everything in great detail but also made sure the entire group felt well taken care of throughout the tour. His knowledge of each place we visited was impressive, and he effortlessly combined that with a delightful sense of humor that kept us all entertained. It was a wonderful experience from start to finish, and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for an engaging and informative journey of Istanbul!
guide was dynmanic, tour interesting & covering all 3 in 4 hours was very time effeicent with a short stay. We travelled with 4 children- one 14 yrs and this held his interest salso which is not easy
Arda was an amazing tour guide! Very patient and incredibly knowledgeable. I just wish I had a list of all the books he mentioned. I would recommend this tour to anyone. It's very worth it to skip lines and get more historical context out of your trip.
Our guide Arda was awesome, knowledgeable, organised, and funny. Skip the queue aspect made the tour even more pleasurable.
Everything was very punctual. The skip lines worked wonderfully and were also very necessary due to the large crowds of tourists. Guide very competent and experienced
View original review in German
guide was very polite, competent, good spoken english. mexican members of the group only spoke spanish therefore everthing had to be translated
Great to be part of a guided tour and be able to skip the queues. While our tour guide was very nice and clearly knowledgeable about the subject matter, he was difficult to understand at times and spent far too long talking. There were periods where we were standing in the hot sun (on the street outside the Hagia Sofia) or sitting on the floor (inside the Blue Mosque) for 30-40+ minutes - this was very uncomfortable and meant we had less time to enjoy the sites at our leisure. There was also a break for lunch not outlined in the ticket which meant the overall tour took hours longer than anticipated.
Skip the line tickets were the best thing we could do, it saved us hours of waiting in long queues under the sun. The group was quite small which make it easy to hear our guide. Our guide was great, he spoke very good English and explained everything in a very interesting way. I really liked that he also told us about Turkish history, culture, current situation in the country etc., I found it very interesting. Hagia Sofia was amazing and breathtaking. Basilica cistern was a big surprise, it's a beautiful place worth visiting. The time given in each place was enough for exploration and pictures. The tour overall took 4 hours. I highly recommend this tour when in Istanbul.
Arda, our guide, was awesome even tho it was sometimes hard to hear every word he said (to be fair every place we saw was quite crowded). Also the skip the line feature is super useful! There is enough time to take pics and buy water or food during the tour
The information passed on by the tour guide can be found on Google. We were expecting something more. Time spent at Basilica Cistern was not enough and didn't have time to take pictures. There was an accident and our group member helped the lady. The guide didn't wait for the doctor to join us nor didn't help him on informing the people concerned at Blue Mosque. There was another lady missing after the Basilica Costern. He didn't do due diligence. I think we spent more time on the first one, second one just hurried through it and last one was an introduction only.
The tour are flexible in that you can join when you want at different times. We did the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia on one day and the Basilica Cistern the next day. Made it less rushed. Guide was very knowledgeble.
Not specific issues with the audio guide but The headsets where not functioning properly. Unless you where within 10 feet of our guide they where scratching and malfunctioning.
We loved it! The tour guide did an excellent job explaining everything, he was very knowledgeable and friendly. I will continue to used them on my next excursions.
Inclusions
The fike-cutters are very practical for St Sophia and the Cistern Basilica, but not very efficient for Topkapi. The cruise is very pleasant and the sightseeing buses always interesting for a first visit to the city.
View original review in French
Instructions were clear and easy to follow. Very convenient. The customer service is superb and very helpful!
Loved how you could choose which attractions to visit and loved how you could visit on your own schedule!!
Skip the line really did work! Great!
Buying the megacard was a god proposition
View original review in Dutch
Very convenient, well organised and a lot of time saved by booking events online
Everything is fine, you just have to make sure that you read your emails! It took us a while to find the checkpoint!
View original review in German
Value and customer service was great!
Well organized, everything went Very smooth. Highly recommend. Customer service(whats app) is excellent.
Go for: skip-the-line tickets
Duration: around 1 hour
Guide: Multilingual audio guide
Recommended tours:
Go for: guided tours
Duration: Flexible
Guide: Expert English-speaking tour guide and an audio guide in over 8 languages
Recommended tours:
Go for: combo tickets and Istanbul passes
Duration: Flexible
Guide: Expert English-speaking tour guide or an audio guide, depending on the ticket option
Recommended tours:
The ceiling of the Basilica Cistern is supported by 336 tall marble columns, each 9 meters high. Check out the interesting designs and strange patterns on these pillars, which are even older than the Basilica itself.
The Basilica Cistern has two Medusa heads at the base of two columns, with one positioned horizontally and the other inverted. These ancient artifacts capture attention with their unsettling aura and unclear historical background.
To commemorate the sacrifice of 7000 slaves during the construction of the cistern, a standalone pillar had been carved. Named the ‘Weeping Pillar’, it has trees, branches, and peacocks carved on its surface. It also resembles a hen’s eye with tears and angled branches.
Nowadays, the Basilica Cistern only has a shallow water level, letting visitors see the old structures that used to be underwater. The calm water creates beautiful reflections of the dimly-lit structures.
Open: every day of the year
Hours: 9 AM to 10 PM
Duration of visit: 30 mins to 1 hour
Best time to visit Basilica Cistern: April to May and September to October to enjoy pleasant temperatures in Istanbul.
Basilica Cistern timingsAddress: Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih, Turkey.
Find on maps
Here is the list of some of the best hotels near Basilica Cistern:
The Hagia Sophia Mosque is a standing testament to the changing dynasties in Istanbul. Originally built as a Greek Orthodox Church, the Hagia Sophia is now a grand mosque.
Visit the Hagia SophiaTopkapi Palace was built in the mid-15th century and was the royal residence and administrative center for the Ottoman Sultans for more than four centuries.
Visit the Topkapi PalaceThe Sultan Ahmed Mosque, popularly known as the Blue Mosque is known for its interior ceramic art, central dome, minarets, marble structures, and landscape art.
Visit the Blue MosqueThe Dolmabahce Palace boasts a fusion of European and Ottoman influences, with enormous chandeliers, well-maintained gardens, and lavish interiors.
Visit the Dolmabahce PalacePurchase Basilica Cistern tickets online because it is less time-consuming, saves money, and secures your spot in advance. You can also chance upon great deals and discounts when booking Basilica Cistern online tickets.
You can avail of Basilica Cistern skip the line tickets at €24. The Basilica Cistern guided tour tickets are around €26. These tickets also allow you to skip ahead of long lines at the cistern.
There are 3 kinds of Basilica Cistern tours and tickets available for you to choose from- skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, and combo tickets. Basilica Cistern guided tours are perfect for exploring the cistern in depth while the combo tickets are perfect for visitors who want to plan a day trip in and around Sultanahmet. You can explore the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace along with the cistern.
Yes, you can avoid crowds and skip ahead of long lines with your Basilica Cistern tickets. Depending on the ticket you purchase, you can avail of an audio guide in over 8 languages with your skip-the-line tickets.
Yes, Basilica Cistern guided tour tickets are available for purchase. You can choose between an English or Spanish-speaking tour guide. You can also enjoy priority access to the attraction with these guided tour tickets.
The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, Turkey, is an underground water storage system built during the 6th century. Constructed during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, this underground cistern provided water to the nearby Great Palace of Constantinople and other important buildings in the city. It is an engineering marvel of the yesteryears that offers visitors a glimpse into Istanbul's past.
The long colonnades, dimly-lit interiors, the Medusa Heads, and the Weeping Column are some of the most interesting highlights of the Basilica Cistern. Each of these features has legends and anecdotes surrounding them.
The Basilica Cistern, also known as the Yerebatan Cistern, is located on Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih in Turkey.
The Basilica Cistern is open from 9 AM to 7 PM every day throughout the year.
The Basilica Cistern has ramps and elevators to accommodate visitors with limited mobility. You can also bring prams and strollers inside the cistern.
While the cistern offers ramps and elevators for visitors on wheelchairs, you have to be very careful inside the underground cavern. Although the water has been drained during the restoration, the inside is still quite damp and slippery.
Yes, you can click pictures inside the Basilica Cistern. Try to avoid using tripods and other commercial equipment that may disturb other visitors.
Yes, since its restoration in the 20th century, the Basilica Cistern has emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Istanbul. So booking tickets in advance to secure your spot is a smart choice.