This was a decent sightseeing tour, taking in Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sofia, both of which are within 100m of each other. It was a very busy day and the line for entry to each site was 20-40 minutes. Even though you have pre-purchased your ticket and have your guide, you still have to join the queue. So be prepared. If you have ever been to a Disney park, it’s a standard wait time!
The guide, Sabih, was very knowledgeable and a good story teller.
The tour group we joined also went on to the Topkapi Palace after we left; the tour took us almost 3 hours (was advertised as 2 hours) and the rest of the group had another 2.5 hours left, which I think was too long a day. If you are not good at standing for very long periods of time, carefully consider this tour and if it’s right for you.
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Harshad_G
August 8, 2025 · via Viator
It was something to do in...
It was something to do in Istanbul, but not a must-do, in my opinion, specially with kids. Had two teens with us who were quite bored during the tour. Unless your kids are really into history, I would avoid. The guide was good, but I would not recommend this tour to friends.
事業者からの返答
We’re glad to hear you found the guide to be good, but we understand that this particular tour may not have been the best fit for your family’s interests.
Our Istanbul tours often focus on historical and cultural landmarks, which can be fascinating for some but perhaps less engaging for younger visitors unless they are especially interested in history.
If you visit Istanbul again, we’d be happy to suggest more interactive or activity-based tours that might better suit your family’s preferences.
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Ray_G
July 4, 2025 · via Viator
Hagia Sofia Tour
Elif was super-knowledgable and personable and one of the best guides we have ever experienced. The entire Hagia Sofia/Basilica Cistern tour was most interesting and she did her best to help us avoid the crowds. I would highly recommend.
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ramonar160
June 3, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Keep your visit simple and carefree
As a first time visitor I was glad that I chose a guide to take us to Hagia Sofia and the Basicilla Cistern. It made the visit very easy to navigate and we were able to get a lot of history on the building which really brings it to life. I didn't have to worry about buying entry tickets or finding the entrance etc. You should NOTE that there is a que to get into the Hagia Sofia, keep the weather in mind and dress accordingly. Also on our way out we saw a long que to buy tickets to enter. Our guide was Kaan, he was lovely and showed us around the Hagia Sofia and was willing to take lots of photos for us.