The “Sunken Palace” is one of the most striking remnants of Byzantine Constantinople and is the largest of hundreds of ancient underground reservoirs in Istanbul.
Basilica Cistern Tours





Visit Basilica Cistern
Plan a trip to see Basilica Cistern
Price found within the past 48 hours. Click for updated prices.

Carina Gold Hotel and Restaurant
Sultanahmet
Price was ¥402,632, price is now ¥203,752 per person
¥203,752
per person
Mar 25 - Mar 30
found 1 day ago
Roundtrip non-stop flight included
Osaka (KIX) to Istanbul (IST)
9.6/10 Exceptional! (605 reviews)
Very clean. Courteous staff. Excellent location. Very good breakfast. I would come back without hesitation.
Reviewed on Jan 11, 2026
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Reviews of Basilica Cistern
4.4
Top Destination
3/5 - Okay
Verified traveler
it cost 20 lira and i spent 15 minutes here. it is cool to see the history and a few photo but not worth a second trip.
4/5 - Good
Rusty
Saw aa special on Discovery or Nat Geo and thought this was great. I was a little disappointed after view the show, but still amazed at the work and the craftsmanship that went into building this place. The old saying, they don't build them like this anymore holds true for this place. Probably not a good place for young kids, it is dark and damp and when the tour groups come, it gets crowded quick
4/5 - Good
Verified traveler
Under reconstruction- wait a few years to come.
3/5 - Okay
Verified traveler
This is a quick 15-20 minute visit. It is across the street from the Hagia Sofia. We paid 10 or 15 lira per person to enter. It is dark and wet. Unfortunately, it is very poorly lit. We had been excited to see it since we knew a scene from a Bond flick was shot there, however, you can't really see much of anything. If you use flash, you can get a few shots of columns. There are two columns with Madusa heads for bases. The sign it nowhere near them. Everyone took pictures of blackness looking for them. It was funny because I asked a worker to find out that they were at the very end before turning around and coming back out. If you want to appear really smart and knowledgeable, tell everyone who is bewildered looking for them that they are at then end.
5/5 - Excellent
lee
Went on my last trip here, very interesting and a cool respite for a hot day. Worth a stop.
4/5 - Good
HijabNomani
A lot of it is under construction. Walk to the end to see the Medusa heads.
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Best Lodging Options Near Basilica Cistern
Check availability on hotels close to Basilica Cistern

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Divanyolu Cd. Alemdar Mah. Istanbul Istanbul

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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
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