Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Mike1979 Russia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Mike1979 Russia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Basilica Cistern and Little Hagia Sophia
Your local guide
Elif Yılmaz
View profile
Highlights
- The Basilica Cistern's columns and Medusa heads
- Binbirdirek, the thousand and one column cistern
- Little Hagia Sophia, older than its namesake
- İznik tiles at the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha mosque
- The old Byzantine sea walls along the water
About this tour
This session moves from the Basilica Cistern to Little Hagia Sophia and a stretch of the old Byzantine sea walls. The camera takes in the cistern's columns and carved Medusa heads, compares it briefly with the larger Binbirdirek cistern, then finds the tiles of the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha mosque nearby. It covers a quieter, older layer of the city below and beside its main sights.
The guide begins with a sound check, then covers the three stops in turn, pausing at each for questions before moving on. A short list of the sites and their history follows once the call ends.
This suits anyone drawn to Byzantine history or underground architecture, or anyone who wants to see past Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. It also suits returning visitors looking for something less crowded.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Istanbul before heading out.
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Basilica Cistern entrance 21 min
From the entrance walkway of the Basilica Cistern, the camera looks down the rows of columns disappearing into the water, and the guide points out the two carved Medusa heads at the far end, then compares it with the larger, less visited Binbirdirek cistern nearby.
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Little Hagia Sophia 21 min
Outside Little Hagia Sophia, older than its famous namesake, the camera takes in the compact domed exterior, and nearby at the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha mosque the guide points out the İznik tiles set around its windows.
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Byzantine sea walls 21 min
Along a stretch of the old Byzantine sea walls, the camera follows the weathered stone facing the water, and the guide explains how these fortifications once protected the city from the sea side.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Istanbul: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Turkish tea (çay) and Beyoğlu, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Istanbul time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Istanbul, showing you Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) and Topkapi Palace live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Istanbul live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Istanbul time (GMT+3)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Tue 27 Oct · 10 seats left From 29,00 €
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