Hagia Sophia skip-the-line tickets

Barbara

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

Hagia Sophia is one of my favorite mosques to visit. I wish the guards had enforced the "quiet" rule. Services were in progress and people's constant chatter was disrespectful.

Maximilian

Apr 2024Verified booking

5/5

On the actual day of the booking, the Hagia Sophia was closed at short notice due to a visit by the president. We were able to choose between various alternative dates the next day without any problems.

View original review in German

Tomislav

Jan 2024Verified booking

4/5

Es war schön, Mosaiken sind wenige zu sehen. Es war schön von der Gallery das Innenraum zu sehen. Sehr schade das das Mosaik der Muttergottes schlecht zu sehen war wegen der weissen Abdeckung.

Remmel

Dec 2023Verified booking

5/5

I loved the cinematic story telling of the whole experience from Roman history to Ottoman. As a history lover, this was everything i hoped it would be.

Paul

Sep 2024Verified booking

5/5

The museum was a major highlight. It's a must see.

Sean

Aug 2024Verified booking

5/5

The whole experience was excellent!

Hilda

Jun 2024Verified booking

5/5

The digital experience allows you to feel inside the story of Hagia Sofia

Nina

May 2024Verified booking

5/5

Hagia Sofia is amazing. So much history in one place! It's beautiful!

Andrew

May 2024Verified booking

5/5

The exhibit was amazing. However, wished it was closer to the Hagia Sophia.

Viktor

Jun 2024Verified booking

3/5

Kürzlich haben wir eine Tour zu einigen der berühmtesten Sehenswürdigkeiten Istanbuls unternommen, darunter die Hagia Sophia, die Blaue Moschee und die Cisterna Basilica. Leider war das Erlebnis insgesamt sehr enttäuschend, da weder Audioguides noch Kopfhörer zur Verfügung gestellt wurden. Wir waren eine große Gruppe und es war fast unmöglich, den Führer zu hören oder die Erklärungen zu verstehen. Die geschichtlichen und kulturellen Hintergründe, die diese Orte so faszinierend machen, gingen uns so völlig verloren. Ohne Audioguide oder Kopfhörer waren wir gezwungen, uns durch die Menge zu drängen und die Informationen selbst zu suchen, was den Besuch sehr stressig und unbefriedigend machte. Für ein so wichtiges touristisches Ziel hätten wir einen viel besseren Service erwartet. Insgesamt war die Tour absolut schlecht organisiert und wir würden sie unter den gegebenen Umständen nicht weiterempfehlen. Eine Investition in Audioguides und Kopfhörer wäre dringend erforderlich, um den Besuchern ein zufriedenstellendes und informatives Erlebnis zu bieten.

Oliver

Jun 2024Verified booking

5/5

The 3 guides for Topkapi, Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet Mosque, Sunken Palace were excellent: there was helpful information and comments that are not in the guidebook and they were very helpful!

View original review in German

Margarita

Jan 2024Verified booking

3/5

The app to make reservations is excellent. There is always the concern if it is real and not a fraud. I can attest that it is real, it is not a fraud. They are very punctual according to the times indicated for each tour. There has never been any inconvenience. Two things need to be improved: They walk too fast forgetting that in the group there are older people who walk slower. And when they offer the tour, they explain almost nothing because they are in a hurry to leave. My tour at the Blue Mosque was about 30 minutes when it was supposed to be 90 minutes. The Hagia Sophia tour took about 15 minutes.

View original review in Spanish

Ignacio

Dec 2023Verified booking

5/5

Everything was great, very well organized, the guides were fantastic... only one drawback, it's a pity that there are no guides who speak Spanish. 100% recommendable

View original review in Spanish

Andrej

Apr 2024Verified booking

5/5

Very good guide, easy to find and with many fun facts to make it even more interesting.

Miroslava

Mar 2024Verified booking

5/5

Perfect organization, thank you! Your guides are so nice and ready to help👍

Hippler,

Dec 2024Verified booking

5/5

Fantastic no waiting on hold. A supervisor was so friendly and helped me set up the video and audio with a lot of patience. An extra thank you again : ) !

View original review in German

Niels

Dec 2024Verified booking

4/5

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!

DANIELA

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

Everything was wonderful the views the history of the places, and the guide which he was speaking really good english .

Naike

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Ralf

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

We were not advised to take headphones with us. So we could only turn our cell phones down and couldn't hear everything

View original review in German

Yordanka

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

I felt that the tour guide was not knowledgeable enough to explain the history and the facts around Haga Sophia. We stayed around 30minutes outside and he was just talking and most of us are English speakers and couldn't understand what he was saying. One couple asked him why you need to cover your head when you go in the mosque and the tour guide said "these are the rules" and moved on. Repeatedly kept saying "by the way" and "actually".

Chiara

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

The skip-tail ticket allowed us faster access to Hagia Sophia or given the tight schedule we would have had to postpone. The 'audio guide not very exhaustive and not very fluent (the division between Ottoman and Byzantine route makes the visit not very easy). Also the non-specific identification of landmarks in the ground floor room or tour floor. The visit thus limited to the first floor makes the 'experience incomplete. The mosque, however, is splendid.

View original review in Italian

Jeremy

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

Still had to queue despite 'skip the queue' tickets. This description is misleading. If there are instructions on the tickets as to how to get the free audio guide they are pretty well hidden.

Carlos

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

It was fast and evidently the place is amazing. I had been before, but never at the top. I was able to see up close and learn about the hidden Christian, Byzantine paintings. It really is amazing to be able to appreciate something so old with so much history.

View original review in Spanish

ENRIQUE

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

The place is magnificent but you can only access the upper galleries if you are not Muslim. This is something that should have been warned before the visit.

View original review in Spanish

Niall

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

The history of the area. Seeing all the attractions. Tour guide was very engaging and knowledgeable. Being guided throughout and skipping the queues.

Ioan

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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!

Alfredo

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

Banana short , with pa famivlua and friends, to visit assortment Istanbul, monuments and as it's Molo beautiful. We are contention Of the trip

View original review in Italian

Silvana

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

We were able to go straight through without wasting time. The long line is for security checks but it goes fast. I recommend it

View original review in Spanish

Karlijn

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

It is a must see, 20 yr ago you bog stand down in the dome, unfortunately could not anymore. But the idea that this is already so old, incredible!

View original review in Dutch

Jennifer

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

SALLIM

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

It was a mosque and previously was a church. Certainly memorable to see the magnificent strucrture and the decorations and the historical depections of Christianity maintained at certain parts of the mosque thus respecting history.

Han

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

The history of this place of worship is immensely interesting. Byzantine church, mosque, museum and again mosque. Pity is what has been lost from Byzantine times.

View original review in Dutch

Annelise

Oct 2024Verified booking

3/5

The experience was very good, but they're not really wire-cut tickets. We had to wait a very long time and I'm handicapped. Afterwards, however, we were able to move faster than those without tickets.

View original review in French

Valentina

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Gillian

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

The communication has been very good. The guide was punctual and spoke excellent English . He had a good voice and he could be heard above the surrounding noise. Samet - our guide was very knowledgeable and approachable. I enjoyed his tour . The building spoke for itself. Amazing and well worth the visit!

Tina

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Andreea-Roxana

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

It was a beautiful experience! We entered immediately with the skip the line ticket! I didn't use the audio guide because I didn't know how to install it, but it's not necessary, Hagia Sofia speaks for itself! Andreea 💋 xoxo

Neil

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

Ticketing straight forward and we think Arder was knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. He was a pleasure to be with.

Ilaria

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

MARÍA

Dec 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Kathrine

Dec 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Cherese

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Joëlle

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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

Rachel

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Richard

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

Enjoyed both places and they're both close together. Definitely liked not waiting in line as they ticket line was very long.

Holly

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Nancy

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Montluet

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Marcelle

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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

Maruša

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

.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.

Lyndel

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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.

PEDRO

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

Barbara

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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

Teresita

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Sandra

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Lorenza

Oct 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

ELVIR

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Paola

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Veronica

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Liliana

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

marcia

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

charles

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

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.

Marlene

Oct 2024Verified booking

3/5

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.

Jonathan

Oct 2024Verified booking

3/5

The cistern, all good. Hagia Sophia and Topkapi, the audio guide does not correspond to the guide marks and especially in Haren, the visit has an order and the audio guide another. The audio guide does not allow to listen to the audio without the navigator working. Therefore, it wastes a lot of battery life to have the screen on all the time. There are times that if you take a picture, you lose the oubto in which it is, being via web, and you have to download the guide again. It would be better to have an app with the same numbering as the visit.

View original review in Spanish

MARÍA

Dec 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Kathrine

Dec 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Maria

Dec 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Cherese

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Joëlle

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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

Rachel

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Richard

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

Enjoyed both places and they're both close together. Definitely liked not waiting in line as they ticket line was very long.

Roberto

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

Alejandra

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Dominique

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

Holly

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

Nancy

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Montluet

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Marcelle

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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

Maruša

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

.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.

Lyndel

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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.

PEDRO

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

Favio

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

Barbara

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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

Teresita

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Reezwan

Nov 2024Verified booking

4/5

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.

Sandra

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Lorenza

Oct 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

ELVIR

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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.

ANDRONACHI

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

I liked the fact that I could see in person things that I had only read about before. The relic room and the armory were truly impressive. As for ticketing, our guide is a very serious and professional young lady; very efficient service. Thank you!

KARMANN

Nov 2024Verified booking

3/5

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

Clemencia

Nov 2024Verified booking

5/5

Instructions were clear and easy to follow. Very convenient. The customer service is superb and very helpful!

Ashley

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

Loved how you could choose which attractions to visit and loved how you could visit on your own schedule!!

Kőrösi

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

Skip the line really did work! Great!

Pierre

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

Buying the megacard was a god proposition

View original review in Dutch

SHAMIDAH

Oct 2024Verified booking

4/5

Very convenient, well organised and a lot of time saved by booking events online

Edis

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

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

Deep

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

Value and customer service was great!

TANJIL

Oct 2024Verified booking

5/5

Well organized, everything went Very smooth. Highly recommend. Customer service(whats app) is excellent.