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





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Price found within the past 48 hours. Click for updated prices.


Armada Istanbul Old City Hotel
Sultanahmet
Price was ¥380,074, price is now ¥319,332 per person
¥319,332
per person
Nov 16 - Nov 21
found 1 day ago
Roundtrip flight included
Tokyo (TYO) to Istanbul (IST)
9/10 Wonderful! (1,007 reviews)
Very nice and clean. Good staff and the breakfast is crazy good.
Reviewed on Sep 12, 2025

Divan Istanbul
Taksim
Price was ¥385,448, price is now ¥346,382 per person
¥346,382
per person
Nov 16 - Nov 21
found 1 day ago
Roundtrip flight included
Tokyo (TYO) to Istanbul (IST)
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,009 reviews)
it was my bithdau and also my husband birthday hotel gifted us a birthday cake also 50% discount on spa
so friendly staff compering other 5 star hotels in istabbul room was big and lots of space for our staff , we have stay 14 days and we enjoyed our stay highly recommended
Reviewed on Oct 7, 2025
Browse tours and tickets to explore Basilica Cistern
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Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table
Activity duration is 3 hours
9.0 out of 10 with 109 reviews
Free cancellation available
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Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table
Activity duration is 3 hours
9.0 out of 10 with 109 reviews
Free cancellation available
Private & custom tours
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Istanbul Highlights Private Tour: Hotel Pick-Up & Drop-Off
Activity duration is 7 hours
Free cancellation available
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Cappadocia Magic : 2 Days Travel Package with Balloon Ride Option
Activity duration is 2 days
Free cancellation available
Adventure & outdoor
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Istanbul: Zipline Adventure with Bosphorus View
Activity duration is 15 minutes
Free cancellation available
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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Seven Hills Palace & Spa
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GLK PREMIER Acropol Suites & Spa - Special Class
Akbiyik cad. No:21, Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Istanbul
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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