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Blue Mosque
Blue Mosque interior, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, Istanbul

Blue Mosque guided tour

This wondrous building is perhaps the most photographed site in Istanbul, its distinctive shape dominating the Sultanahmet skyline. It was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I who reigned from 1603 to 1617, and wanted to create something that would rival or even surpass the beauty of the Hagia Sophia.

Working closely with architect Sedefkar Mehmed Agha, the sultan ordered six minarets to be constructed on the mosque, a controversial decision as the only other mosque in the world with this number of minarets was in Mecca.

Both within and outside the mosque, its multiple domes create a magnificent effect: a cascade from the outside, while from inside the domes reinforce the eyes' gaze upwards toward the center of the mosque, which soars toward heaven.

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Photos of Blue Mosque guided tour

  • Blue Mosque
    Blue Mosque
  • Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, Istanbul
    Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, Istanbul
  • Blue Mosque interior, Istanbul
    Blue Mosque interior, Istanbul
  • Blue Mosque, Istanbul
    Blue Mosque, Istanbul

Other experiences in Istanbul

These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.

  • Bosphorus cruise
    Dolmabahce Palace seen from the Bosphorus, Istanbul

    Bosphorus cruise

    Bosphorus cruise

    Starting from the marina just in front of the Spice Market, your cruise will take you out onto the Bosphorus to view many of Istanbul's different architectural styles.

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  • Full day visit to the Gallipoli battlefields and Troy
    Battlefield memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula

    Full day visit to the Gallipoli battlefields and Troy

    Full day visit to the Gallipoli battlefields and Troy

    Travel to the Gallipoli Peninsula, where you'll explore the beach cemeteries of fallen Allied soldiers from World War I and the ancient city of Troy.

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  • Guided tour of Suleymaniye Mosque
    Suleymaniye Mosque

    Guided tour of Suleymaniye Mosque

    Guided tour of Suleymaniye Mosque

    This excursion will take you to the Suleymaniye Mosque, which dominates Istanbul's skyline, to see its Iznik tiles, mother of pearl inlays and stained-glass windows.

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  • Guided visit to Çukurcuma and the Museum of Innocence
    Cukurcuma, Istanbul

    Guided visit to Çukurcuma and the Museum of Innocence

    Guided visit to Çukurcuma and the Museum of Innocence

    Experience Çukurcuma with its tree-lined streets and winding alleys before visiting the Museum of Innocence, a creation of author Orhan Pamuk.

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  • Private excursion to Hagia Sophia
    Hagia Sophia

    Private excursion to Hagia Sophia

    Private excursion to Hagia Sophia

    Take a trip to see perhaps the most famous of all Istanbul’s sites, the Hagia Sophia, which dates back to 537 AD.

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  • Private tour of the Basilica Cistern
    Basilica Cistern

    Private tour of the Basilica Cistern

    Private tour of the Basilica Cistern

    Visit the Basilica Cistern’s underground cavern. Descending beneath the streets, you’ll be met with the sight of hundreds of columns rising from the waters, with towering, arched brick ceilings overhead.

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  • Shared tour of Dolmabahce Palace
    Dolmabahce Palace

    Shared tour of Dolmabahce Palace

    Shared tour of Dolmabahce Palace

    Take a guided tour of the interior of the Dolmabahce Palace, which is sumptuously decorated from floor to ceiling with gold and crystal.

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  • Spice Market tour
    The Spice Market, Istanbul

    Spice Market tour

    Spice Market tour

    Experience the smells and sounds of the Spice Market with this guided tour through its narrow streets and stalls selling herbs and spices, Turkish delight, tea and other delicacies.

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  • Tour of the Grand Bazaar
    The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

    Tour of the Grand Bazaar

    Tour of the Grand Bazaar

    This privately guided tour will take you beneath the domed roof of the Grand Bazaar to explore its labyrinthine alleys and stalls.

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  • Trip to the Topkapi Palace
    Topkapi Palace

    Trip to the Topkapi Palace

    Trip to the Topkapi Palace

    Learn about life in the imperial household of the Ottoman sultans with this guided excursion of the Topkapi Palace’s buildings and Treasury.

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Experience it for yourself

You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.