Istanbul: Blue Mosque Guided Tour

Your tour begins at Dsign Cafe

Meet your guide in front of Dsign Cafe on the Hippodrome, right beside the towering Egyptian Obelisk. Get ready to explore Istanbul's most famous mosque after its five-year makeover.

Explore the Sultanahmet Old City courtyards

Stroll through the UNESCO-listed Old City that wraps around the mosque. Your guide points out Byzantine relics and Ottoman fountains while you take in the six minarets and cascading domes that make this skyline so recognizable.

Pass through mandatory security

Everyone entering the mosque goes through a security check that can take 30 to 60 minutes. Your guide uses this time to share stories about Sultan Ahmed I, the tile-makers of Iznik, and what daily life looked like in Ottoman Istanbul.

Enter the newly renovated Blue Mosque

Step into the soaring prayer hall and feel the cool air beneath its towering domes. After years of scaffolding, the restored interior glows with fresh paint and polished marble, revealing details that were hidden under decades of soot.

Admire the famous blue Iznik tiles

Look up at over 20,000 hand-painted tiles covering the walls and arches. Your guide explains the tulip and carnation motifs, showing how each tile was fired in kilns 150 miles away, then carried to Istanbul and fitted by master craftsmen.