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Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia
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** Historian Guided Hagia Sophia**
Bosphorus Cruise
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If You Want to Save Time
Go for: Skip-the-line tickets
Guide: Audio headset
Duration: 30 mins
Recommended Tours:
If You are Travelling Solo
Go for: Guided tours
Guide: Expert multilingual guide
Duration: 2 hours
Recommended Tours:
If You are on a Budget
Go for: Combo tickets
Guide: Professional tour guide or audio guide depending on the specific tour
Recommended Tours:
If You are a Culture and History Enthusiast
Go for: Guided Tours
Guide: Professional tour guide
Duration: 1 hour
Languages: English or Spanish
Recommended Tours:
Most Hagia Sophia tours can be canceled up to 24 to 48 hours before the experience begins. You can get a full refund on your purchase. Please check your ticket for more details at the time of booking.
Open: Daily
Closed: Prayer hours and during noon prayers on Fridays
Duration of Visit: 1 to 2 hours
Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit the Hagia Sophia are early mornings and late afternoons when there are fewer people inside the mosque and the golden sun, bathes the central dome in a beautiful light.
Address: Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı No:1, 34122 Fatih İstanbul, Turkey
You can purchase Hagia Sophia tours online. It is best to book tickets in advance to reserve your spot so that you do not miss your attraction.
Yes, you can purchase Hagia Sophia tours online. We recommend you book Hagia Sophia guided tours online because online ticket bookings ensure that your spot is reserved in advance. You may also chance upon great deals and combo offers when booking tours online.
If you book Hagia Sophia tours online, you can cancel them up to 24 to 48 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund on your purchase.
Hagia Sophia tours offer several combo ticket options. You can visit the Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, and the Hagia Sophia and enjoy multi-lingual audio guides in these monuments at €33. You can also visit the Hagia Sophia and go for a 90-minute Bosphorus Cruise at €18.
Yes, an English-speaking tour guide will accompany you on your Hagia Sophia guided tour to share interesting stories about how the past Orthodox church came to be a mosque.
If you are short on time, book the historian-guided tour of Hagia Sophia. If you have a little more time, you can choose the combo Hagia Sophia guided tours that offer access to important monuments like Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern, and also include a 90-minute Bosphorus Cruise depending on your ticket options. If you want to explore Istanbul to the fullest, buy the Istanbul Welcome Card. Enjoy free public transportation and explore most of the famous monuments with this card.
Book Hagia Sophia guided tours to enjoy touring the impressive mosque with an English-speaking tour guide. You can also cancel these tickets if you have a change of plans and you will receive a full refund on your purchase.
It is better to book Hagia Sophia guided tours because a tour guide can offer you insights and interesting stories about the history, architecture, and cultural significance of the monument. The guide can also ensure that you follow the rules and regulations while visiting the mosque. You can also explore the lesser-known hidden corners and secret gems inside the Hagia Sophia with a tour guide.
Depending on whether you are purchasing historian-guided Hagia Sophia tours or combo Hagia Sophia tickets, they can range between €15 to €18 to €33.
The Hagia Sophia guided tour lasts for almost an hour. You can roam the monument for as long as you wish even after your historian-guided tour ends.
The Istanbul Welcome Card includes a Museum Pass that guarantees entry to almost all the important museums and monuments in Istanbul. You can also enjoy multi-lingual audio-guided tours to Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, and Hagia Sophia. The card is valid for 7 days from the time of purchase. You can also enjoy free public transportation in Istanbul throughout the validity period.
The Hagia Sophia remains open to the public daily throughout the year. It is only closed to non-worshippers during prayer hours on Fridays.
The best way to reach the Hagia Sophia is to catch the 28, 32, BN1, or EMI to reach Sultanahmet Square. You can also catch either the Marmaray (Atakoy to Pendik) or Marmaray (Halkali to Gebze) train to reach Marmaray Square or Sultanahmet Square. The M2 metro and the T1 tram also reach Sultanahmet Square. The Hagia Sophia is a short walk from the Square.
Hagia Sophia is open daily. You can visit it any time of the year, however, please avoid visiting it during prayer calls and noon prayers on Fridays. June to August is the busiest time of the year, attracting tourists from all over the world. Arrive early in the morning to soak in the relatively quiet atmosphere at Hagia Sophia.
Once known as the Hagia Sophia Museum, the present-day Hagia Sophia is a mosque, so please wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. Do not wear shorts or strappy tops. Headscarves are available at the entrance for free, and you must wrap them around your head before entering the sacred monument.
Yes, visitors with limited mobility can enter the Hagia Sophia. There are ramps at the west corner of the building at the intersection of Alemdar and Ayasofya Meydani.
A. While there are no locker rooms inside the Hagia Sophia, you can use the one at Sirkeci train station, 2 tram stops from Sultanahmet to store your belongings.
No, you must remove your shoes before entering the Hagia Sophia.
We advise you not to carry food inside the Hagia Sophia since it is a sacred prayer site. It would be disrespectful to drop crumbs or litter the inside.
Photography is allowed inside the Hagia Sophia, however, please refrain from clicking pictures of people who are praying. Flash photography is not allowed on the premises.
You can plan a day trip to Sultanahmet and visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, and the Galata Tower. They are quite near each other.
Once a church and now a mosque, Hagia Sophia has witnessed numerous eras and dynasties. As a former church, the present-day mosque is an essential symbol of the coexistence of several religions. The Byzantine and Ottoman artworks and mosaics inside its walls are remnants of its glorious days. The building’s design is breathtaking with a massive central dome surrounded by towering ornate columns.