Istanbul: Tour of Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque By Night

Our guide was genuinely knowledgeable, engaging, and fun to listen to. We were traveling with a teenager who wasn’t exactly excited about hearing historical facts during summer break—even she admitted, “it was actually pretty cool.”

Helpful? Yes

The visit included only minimal information about the sites. It lasted 2 hours instead of the scheduled 3. At the end, after we asked the guide for restaurant suggestions, he took us to one where we felt pressured and unable to decline having a meal.

Helpful? Yes

The tour was excellent. The manager was always reachable by phone and responded to all my questions, which was especially helpful since we were a large group.

Helpful? Yes

An excellent tour with a guide who was very knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend it to others.

Helpful? Yes

The guide was of high quality, and the tour operator showed great professionalism throughout the experience.

Helpful? Yes

Our guide, UFKU, spoke flawless French and provided us with excellent information about the various monuments and their historical background. Approachable and kind, we highly recommend him!

Helpful? Yes

We truly appreciated the experience led by our guide, Ukfu. He skillfully introduced us to these two monuments and enriched it with historical and cultural context. Even our children, aged 12 and 15, found it thoroughly enjoyable.

Helpful? Yes

Ali was outstanding kind, patient, well-informed, humorous, and generous throughout the tour.

Helpful? Yes

Unfortunately, we couldn't visit the Blue Mosque due to ongoing renovations. However, our guide Ozcan was fantastic he shared many interesting facts along with the historical background. Since we had already seen Hagia Sophia, he made a few calls and, despite the late hour, managed to get us into another museum where we saw a detailed model of the Hippodrome. He helped us fully understand its history and layout. In the same venue, we also viewed an exhibition of beautifully crafted carpets. It was a wonderful experience!

Helpful? Yes

The guide had exceptional knowledge, and the tour was very well organized. I gained a great deal of insight and learned so much throughout the experience!

Helpful? Yes

To start, the guide offered several meeting time options, and choosing one was easy. Meeting the guide went smoothly. Our first stop was Hagia Sophia, where we received some historical explanations. The mosque itself is truly worth visiting! The plan was to visit the Blue Mosque afterward, but that had to be canceled since it was already closed at the usual time. As a result, the tour ended halfway through. We had hoped the local guides would schedule tours based on opening hours to ensure guests could fully experience all sites.

Helpful? Yes

We booked the evening tour of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Ozmet reached out quickly to arrange the meeting time and place. Our guide, Barish, was punctual, well-presented, fluent in English, and very knowledgeable. Thanks to him, we gained a deeper understanding not only of these two incredible buildings and their histories but also of Turkey’s rich culture. Unfortunately, the Blue Mosque is undergoing extensive restoration, so we weren’t able to fully appreciate its beauty and spent only a short time there. Barish tried to compensate by taking us to the nearby Hippodrome. Given the price, we believe we should have been informed about the restoration and offered alternative options. If you plan to visit Istanbul, it’s wise to check the current status of attractions beforehand. Despite that, we truly appreciated having Barish as our guide and highly recommend him.

Helpful? Yes

Our guide Ali was full of enthusiasm and very cheerful! He shared a wealth of information, which made the experience fantastic.

Helpful? Yes