Combos

Combo: Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide + Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Cruise

combo: basilica cistern skip-the-line tickets with audio guide + bosphorus daytime or sunset cruise-4

combo: basilica cistern skip-the-line tickets with audio guide + bosphorus daytime or sunset cruise-5

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Uncover Istanbul's hidden treasures with this cost-saving combo. Explore the Basilica Cistern with skip-the-line tickets and sail the picturesque Bosphorus Strait.

Highlights

Step into the Byzantine architectural wonder that is the Basilica Cistern with skip-the-line tickets, and explore one of the most-visited museums in Istanbul.
Experience the mystery of the Medusa column bases in the Basilica Cistern, as your audio guide unravels intriguing theories about their origin.
Board a 2-hour cruise along the Bosphorus Strait with an audio guide in 8 languages, offering a unique perspective of Istanbul’s beauty.
Witness architectural gems like the Galata Tower, once the tallest building in Istanbul, and the Dolmabahce Palace, the residence of 6 Ottoman sultans.
Fun fact: Each of the 336 columns of the Basilica Cistern is different from the other.

Inclusions

Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

Skip-the-line entry to the Basilica Cistern
Multilingual audio guide

Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise

2-hour Bosphorus cruise
Audio guide available in 8 languages

Cancellation policy

These tickets can’t be cancelled. However, they are valid for an extended period of time.

Ratings & Reviews

4.2

2.6K Ratings

5/5

1.6K

4/5

519

3/5

107

2/5

144

1/5

227

Veronika

4/5

May, 2024

Fast-track entry was definitely worth it. The eternal queue would certainly have taken a long time! The cistern is also beautiful - and worth admiring. However, as with all sights, there are so many people around. The price for just under 30 EUR is high - but of course that is the case everywhere. There were no audio guides. So you don't need to book one.

View original review in German

Paul

4/5

May, 2024

It's a phenomenal place, so atmospheric, must be amazing empty. Maybe there are small group tours when it's the sole group in there but we didn't find any. You need to get in there at opening or maybe mid-afternoon when we noticed smaller queues at the big attractions. We paid for skip-the-line and a member of staff told us there was not a separate line which was clearly not true.

Syed

5/5

May, 2024

Skipped the line and went straight in. Well worth seeing this, nothing quite like it. The audio guide you listen to is also good. Would recommend.

Michelle

4/5

May, 2024

Watch-out, you may buy a ticket for a certain time BUT the cruise is run by Dentur Avrasya on Kabataş Pier. So they have their own specific cruise times. I recommend checking ahead, and not just appearing at your booked time. We turned up at 10:45am (ready for 11:00am), and were told the cruise is at 12:45pm - so come back at 12:30pm. The cruise travels north and sticks close to the golden horn bank, and turns around back south at Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. And then sticks close to the Asian side. Because of this, I recommend getting a seat on the Port side of the boat (left). Note, the boat reverses out of the dock. The seats are just plastic garden seats that you can move around as you require. There is an audio guide. But it partly becomes obsolete when parts of the audio guide blast out of their own speaker in Turkish and then English.

Julia

4/5

May, 2024

Skiptheline worked great, we enered very quick otherwise line was very long. But audio guide not working inside because there is no mobile network there. So no point of it. Better to take on place. Advise to go there not on weekends, because its difficult to enjoy the place when its over crowded. The place worth to go.

Ticket Validity

These tickets are valid for an extended duration. The exact details will be present on the ticket.

Your experience

Enjoy a cost-saving combo that gives you access to two of Istanbul's must-visit sites: the Basilica Cistern and a cruise along the Bosphorus. Delve into Istanbul's rich history and mesmerizing beauty with this combo.

Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

Step back in time with a tour of the Basilica Cistern, a marvel of 6th-century Byzantine architecture. With your skip-the-line tickets, gain immediate access to this cavernous subterranean beauty. Walk along wooden platforms, surrounded by 336 massive columns, while listening to the enchanting sounds of water dripping from the vaulted ceiling. Witness the famous Hen’s Eye Column and the mystifying Medusa Pillar Bases, and learn about their intriguing history through the multilingual audio guide.

Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise

Next, sail away along the beautiful Bosphorus waterway. This 2-hour cruise offers stunning views of Istanbul's landmarks, including the iconic Hagia Sophia and the popular Ortaköy Mosque. You'll also pass the legendary Bosphorus Bridge, a testament to the city's connection between Europe and Asia. An audio guide available in 8 languages will provide intriguing insights about the attractions you'll pass by.

Sites you'll come across

Galata Tower
Dolmabahce Palace
Ciragan Palace
Ortaköy Mosque
Bosphorus Bridge
Beylerbeyi Palace
Üsküdar
Maiden Tower
Topkapi Palace
Hagia Sophia
Seaside Villas

Operating hours

Basilica Cistern

Monday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM
Tuesday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM
Wednesday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM
Thursday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM
Friday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM
Saturday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM
Sunday	9:00 AM - 10:00 PM	last entry 6:30 PM

Know before you go

What to bring

Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

It's recommended to wear comfortable shoes.

Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise

Don’t forget to bring along your headphones to listen to the audio tour.

Accessibility

Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

The attraction is wheelchair and stroller-accessible.

Additional information

Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise

The audio guide is available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese.
There is limited internet at the pier so please download the app before the tour.
The app does not require internet once it has been downloaded but ensure you have activated GPS.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.
Please display the same at each ticket redemption point along with a valid photo ID.

Ticket redemption points

Basilica Cistern

Show your ticket at Basilica Cistern.
Address: Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye.
Landmark: In front of the Exit Gate of the Basilica.

Get directions to the redemption point

Bosphorus Daytime or Sunset Sightseeing Cruise

Board your cruise at DENTUR Istanbul Welcome Card Kabatas Pier.
Address: Ömer Avni, Mahallesi, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd. No:3, 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul.
Landmark: It is located across tram line no 1 and the funicular, come to the wooden house behind the red petrol station and look for the Istanbul Welcome Card ticket window.

Get directions to the boarding point

Missing any information?