Guided Tours

Hagia Sophia Guided Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets

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Skip the lines and explore Hagia Sophia's splendours with an expert guide. Delve into its rich past with an audio guide in 23 languages!

Highlights

Enjoy fast-tracked entry and learn everything you can about Hagia Sophia, with a 1hr guided tour and a self-paced audio-guided tour.
Learn from a seasoned historian about Hagia Sophia, including its fascinating past as a church, then a mosque, and a world record holder.
Equipped with the knowledge you gathered from your guide, explore at your pace, with an audio guide available in 23 languages.
You'll be clicking away like there's no tomorrow: enjoy spectacular views by heading to the visitor's area on the second floor.
Fun fact: For over 1000 years, Hagia Sophia held the title of the world's largest dome (31-meters).

Inclusions

1-hour expert historian guide in English
Self-paced exploration after guided tour
Entry ticket to the Hagia Sophia visitors area
Audio guide app in 23 languages

Cancellation policy

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Ratings & Reviews

4.1

2.8K Ratings

5/5

1.8K

4/5

420

3/5

124

2/5

110

1/5

371

Guests from United Kingdom, United States, Greece and over 48 countries have loved this experience

Anna

3/5

May, 2024

The tour start seemed unorganized and rather chaotic. Even though participants were required to show up early, at the official start of the tour the guides were still arranging groups. The Blue Mosque tour seemed very superficial, I likely could have gotten the same information from a wikipedia article summary. The Hagia Sofia tour was significantly better. I would have preferred if the email and the important information had contained the info that the audio guide at Hagia Sofia requires headphones, that would have been useful to know ahead of time. (The quality of the guide was poor, but that was no fault of Headout.)

Vikram

4/5

May, 2024

The logistics (meeting points) and expectations in the booking email were outlined really well. The guide was knowledgeable and engaging. The website description, pre-booking, needs to be transparent about the fact that the guides are not allowed inside the Museum and the "guided" portion of the tour is outside Hagia Sophia, with a skip purchase ticket line included as a perk.

Julia

3/5

May, 2024

We didn't realise we were being taken around a square and given a talk We thought the guide would be taking us into the hagia sofia and we would get the benefit of his knowledge in there As it was there wasn't too big a queue to get tickets

Michael

5/5

May, 2024

Our guide was terrific. He combined extensive knowledge of history with a little bit of humor to make the tour informative and enjoyable. Having visited the Hagia Sofia several years ago without a guide, I am glad we did a formal tour this time.

Fabian

5/5

May, 2024

The organization was very good. You had a good contact to the organization and got all informations what you needed for the trip. I can really recommend this tour.

Your experience

Hagia Sophia, how historians see it

Fuel up at the Dsign Cafe, located quite near Hagia Sophia while you wait for your expert guide to join you. Eager as they are, and with so much to tell you, be prepared to start learning everything right from the get-go. Skip the lines and go straight in with your guide. In an hour, explore every nook and corner of Hagia Sophia and fall in love with it the way a historian does, knowing why they revere it so much. Learn exactly how this iconic mosque used to be a Greek Orthodox Cathedral once, and then a Roman Catholic Cathedral.

Take your time

With all the tidbits of knowledge you gathered from your guide, go back and see it all again and gain new perspectives. Oh, and you're not alone. To refresh your memory and gather more details, tune in to the audio guide app, available in 23 languages. Watch out for thrilling tales of hidden art that resurfaced when Hagia Sophia became the beautiful museum that it is. Treat yourself to some great views from the visitors' area for spending a day learning so much.

Know before you go

What to bring

Bring your headphones or rent a pair for 100TRY. Make sure your smartphone and headphones are charged.
Women should cover their hair partially with a scarf. You can buy clothes and scarves at the entrance.

What's not allowed

Hagia Sophia does not permit knee-length shorts, skirts, or clothing with exposed shoulders or chests.

Accessibility

This tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Additional information

Safety comes first, always. The mandatory security check at the entrance might take a bit long, but its worth the wait.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly. You need not print your voucher.
Please display your voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID to your host who will escort you.
Please ensure that you arrive 30 minutes before the start time of your tour to check-in.

Meeting Point

Please check your final voucher for the meeting point details and specific instructions.

Missing any information?