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    Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque

    4.4 (152 reviews)

    Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque

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    Meg T.

    The Blue Mosque was one of our first stops on our tour that day. My best advice is to wear pants that are loose and long, so everything down to your ankles is covered and you're wearing mid length sleeves on your tee shirt, not having bare shoulders. Even though my sister in law and I were wearing full length leggings they handed us both the communal skirts they give out as cover to those (men and women alike) that need it. We had both planned ahead and brought headscarves with us but there are plenty of stores directly around the mosque where women can buy a pashmina or something similar to wear, just make sure you pick one up unless you would like the communal one the hand out at the gate. Right before you enter you remove your shoes and they can be left in the bookcase on the side of the room while you visit. The mosque is gorgeous and the tile work is breathtaking. The decorated ostrich eggs that hang from the chandeliers were once upon a time used to ward off insects in the decades previous to air conditioning. It's a gorgeous space and absolutely worth a visit if you're in Istanbul.

    Amara E.

    An absolutely stunning mosque in the heart of Istanbul. Decorated inside with over 20,000 blue-toned iznik tiles, it's truly a masterpiece. Likely one of the most visited sites due to its location in Sultanahmet Square. It is an example of Ottoman commitment to Islam and a reflection of their immense wealth. Like most mosques in the city, it's completely free to enter. Women must wear a head scarf and be modestly dressed. Scarves are provided if you don't have one. The mosque is very crowded during peak hours. I've had better luck in the evening for a more peaceful experience. Worth a visit and worth the hype!

    Mikhala F.

    Absolutely stunning! I'll let the photos do most of the talking here, but if you're headed to Istanbul, you simply have to see it. It's in the same square as Hagia Sofia and other major sites, so you really can't miss it. The line will look super long, but it goes really fast! Go early if you don't want as many crowds. Inside, the architecture and detail is amazing. They have a section for tourists, and a section for regular prayer. Out in the courtyard area, they have a ton of plaques with info on the mosque and Islam which were very informative and interesting to read. Remember to be covered and bring a headscarf!

    Boon C.

    Such a big mosque in Istanbul. This is a must see mosque in Istanbul. It has six minarets towers. The name is from the blue tile inside the building. The admission is free. Dress code is enforce and shoe should be removed. The light system in the mosque is beautiful with suspended from ceiling. The mosque is open for believers to pray. It is a people mosque. Night view with the light up is beautiful. Visit takes only 30 minutes. But the line takes 10 minutes.

    Cathy C.

    Yelp Review 2025 #213: Sultanahmet/ Blue Mosque aptly named due to its blue tiled interior and upper exterior which was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I. It was constructed between 1609 and 1616. What makes this mosque unique is the 6 minarets. This is an active mosque so, dressing modestly is required (shoulders, knees and head covered for women. No leggings or tight articles of clothing) and you cannot visit during prayer times unless you're Muslim. You have to take your shoes off before entering the mosque and leave them in a little cubby. So yeah, expect to smell feet. It is free to enter. Practitioners are allowed to come in as early as 5am for the morning prayer. Visitors have limited visiting hours. Before entering the mosque itself, there are helpful signs for you to read so you can learn the basics on Islam. The whole grounds is beautiful and clean. Inside the mosque, natural lighting illuminates the place so you can enjoy the glass windows, the tiles, and the dome.

    Roger F.

    One of the more impressive Mosques we have visited. For starters, you guessed it, it's blue in color. The massive columns inside and the height of the ceiling stands out most of all. Remember to respect the culture by removing your shoes before entering. No men shorts and women need to cover their shoulders and head otherwise, entry will be denied. This is a must see and it's iconic and free to enter so make sure to visit it.

    Sydney G.

    Absolutely gorgeous! Worth the line to get in. I see why so many people recommend it. Just be wary of all the "helpful" strangers who are really trying to get you to come shop at their store after

    Jo S.

    Blue Mosque was on the top of my list of tourist attractions in Istanbul, I was very excited to check it out. It surely didn't disappoint with its majestic, impressive architecture that overwhelms your tourist senses. It is my favorite mosque we have visited in Istanbul. Tip- you will have to take your shoes off, some wear something easy to put on and off. For ladies- bring a scarf, you will need one (pack it in your purse for the whole time you visit Turkey, in case you'll want to pop in a mosque along the way). We were here in the spring, so we were wearing jeans, but shorts and short skirts/dresses won't work in the summer. You need long pants/skirt to visit. It is a working mosque, so they close it for prayer a few times a day, so check the schedule ahead of time. Open daily! Free to visit! Located in Sultanahmet Square in the historic district. Easy to spot! You'll recognize it immediately! I jumped in and was determined to visit before next praying session. It was built by 1617 during the time of Sultan Ahmed. It is crowded, a line, but it moves fast. It's awe inducing, so big, huge ceiling, beautiful painted and decorated with Iznik tiles, so fresh and vivid like it was renovated yesterday. It is a classic example of Ottoman architecture and it is one of the most iconic image of Istanbul.

    Mary D.

    If you ask a local where the Blue Mosque is they will look at you funny....because well they have a lot of them. They call this one The Blue Mosque because it has the most blue in it. Blue was a hard color to come by as it came from crushed up Lapis Lazuli gemstones. It is breathtaking. Shoes must be removed inside and knees, shoulders and hair should be covered for all women. Cats are welcome inside and you will see them bask in the beauty of the architecture. Cats are well revered in Turkey. If you're ever in a place and do t see any, you should probably leave the area immediately.

    Sara G.

    This architectural show-off is officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque but that's boring so everyone calls it the Blue Mosque for a reason: it's basically dipped, stuffed, soaked, and marinated in blue tiles. And not just one shade of blue. No, no, this place flexes with five distinct hues, like it's the Taylor Swift of mosques and every blue got a solo. Cerulean, turquoise, cobalt, your ex's eyes, it's all here. This spot was built between 1609 and 1616 under Sultan Ahmed I who apparently said let's go broke in style. The mosque was meant to show the world that the Ottoman Empire could still throw down some serious architecture. And throw down they did with six minarets, which caused drama because the Kaaba in Mecca only had six at the time so cue up the awkward eye rolls. To resolve this, Ahmed just paid for a seventh minaret in Mecca like the ultimate keep the change power move. Inside? Oh, just 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles that glimmer in natural light like they're on the shopping network. And one of those tiles, just one, is apparently worth $250,000. It's beautiful. I don't think I'll ever see red or green again without whispering traitor. I walked in a full-spectrum human, and I left Team Blue for life. Remember that you are going to be looking up until your neck protests.

    A miniature
    Cassandra H.

    We got there as soon as it opened so the queue wasn't too bad. We didn't have any problem getting admitted as we wore the right clothes. The mosque itself is beautiful. I've never been to one before but it's incredibly detailed.

    Kate P.

    Stunning! Must visit while in Istanbul. The sheet size of the place is incredible, and the colors and details inside are a feast for the eyes. The mosque has shoe storage spaces and will lend you a headscarf if you don't have your own head covering. It was quite busy--be prepared for crowds!--but everything was organized nicely and the line moved fast.

    Rohan D.

    One of the three must-see Istanbul mosques, this one might be the most beautiful. Try to see it both by day and at night. The visit will be somewhat marred by the barrage of huckster tour guides, large annoying tour groups with loud bad guides, and the crowds but going in the off season and when it's raining or very cold makes it much better. Bring cat food, lots of nice Muslim cats to meet and make friends with. Ignore the scammers pretending to be security, there's always an entrance (south entrance) where you can respectfully enter to see inside and it is breathtaking. After, walk around to the West entrance where proper Muslims enter, that entrance is the most richly decorated. The grounds make for a very pleasant walk. This early 17th Century mosque has six minarets, might be the most brilliant masterpiece of the Ottoman era. Sultan Ahmed I ordered construction in what was then the center of Istanbul. He is buried in a mausoleum just outside the mosque walls. The architect, Sedefkar Mehmed Aga achieved what is widely believed to be the perfect proportions.

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    Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque

    “This is an impressive landmark that is over 400 years old and is still a functioning mosque.”

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Suleymaniye Hamam

    Suleymaniye Hamam

    4.9(15 reviews)
    1.5 km•Süleymaniye Mh., Hoca Gıyasettin, Beyazıt
    •₺₺

    It was just terrific. They explained everything. You have to be comfortable with nudity, your own,…read moreand the scantily dressed woman who is scrubbing and helping you (if you are a woman). But I would do it again in a heartbeat, so relaxing.

    The Suleymaniye Hamam was a cultural experience, that's for sure…read more I wanted to try a genuine Turkish bath, and the Sulimaniye Hamam is not only one of the oldest ones in Istanbul, it's also one of the few that allows co-ed bathing. In fact, it requires you come with a partner to partake. So I coerced my husband into coming along and made reservations for a Turkish bath. We arrived early but they took us right away. You are given a changing room (shared with your partner) and asked to dress in a bikini for women (they give you shorts and a top if you don't bring your own) and a towel for men. You're also given some very uncomfortable wooden sandals. A side note here: They made my husband leave his glasses in the changing room, which left him functionally blind. The glasses WOULD have steamed up in the bathing room, but I think that would have been preferable to him not being able to see at all, AND we saw another person wearing glasses in there. (OK, I saw another person wearing glasses in there--husband saw nothing.) So if you wear glasses and want them on your face for the bath, do it. After changing, you're brought into a large steam room for about 30 minutes to wait for your bath. There's a large heated marble square in the center of the room to sit on, and sinks around the perimeter of the room for you to fill bowls with water to splash yourself. Each of the four corners of the room is a treatment area, with two benches and two sinks. When it's your turn, the bathers will call you in to a corner and begin the treatment. The treatment consists of exfoliation with a loofah, followed by laying down on the table to be scrubbed all over with bubbles. They work on your back first, then your front. The scrubbing includes a little bit of massage, which was nice. Then, you are splashed with clean water to rinse the soap, and moved back to the area next to the sink where they shampoo your hair. Finally, you are splashed with progressively colder water until you're completely rinsed and soap-free. The last part of the experience is getting dry. The bathers bring you into a side room and wrap you in Turkish bath towels. They do not like it if you try to wrap yourself, I learned. Finally, you're brought into a room with benches and tables where you can order coffee, tea, water, or other refreshments. After our sweaty bath experience, all we wanted was water and more water. When you're done, you go back to your changing room, get back into your clothes, and that's it. You can pay for your refreshments on the way out (you pre-paid for the treatment) as well as leave any tips in a designated box. Pro tips: Bring something to hold back your hair if it's long. Bring makeup wipes since any makeup you're wearing will smear. Bring deodorant to reapply, as well as any hair products or makeup you might need, unless you plan on going straight back to your hotel. They do have blow dryers available for use at the hamam. As I said at the beginning, this was a cultural experience. I didn't find it relaxing exactly, especially since I wasn't sure what was going to happen at any given time. I'm glad I went, but I probably won't seek out a Turkish bath experience here at home.

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    Suleymaniye Hamam
    Suleymaniye Hamam
    Suleymaniye Hamam

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    Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı - The men's side

    Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı

    4.7(55 reviews)
    0.2 km•Cankurtaran, Cankurtaran Mh.
    •₺₺₺

    This was by far my favorite activity I did while I was in Istanbul. I went for the full Ab-i Hayat…read morepackage, but they were doing a special of 10% off appts before 1:00 pm so it ended up being $315 dollars. My partner in the process was Selda and she was AMAZING!!! Honestly she made the entire experience. She was respectful but funny and really helped me feel confident and lose my nervousness since it was my first time and I had no idea what to expect. They also gave me a full bar of their soap plus a Turkish towel in a cute bag. After the "wet" portion of the experience, before the oil massage upstairs, I sat in a nice little relaxing area and was brought some sherbet tea, water, and Turkish delight while I rested. Services i got: - Traditional full body scrubbing in the warmest quarter. - Organic Lavender Extract and Sea Salt Refreshing hand and foot peeling. - full body clay mask. - Relaxing bubble wash ritual on the warm marble stone. - Hair wash ritual with redbud scented shampoo. - Aromatherapy Massage with redbud scented oil in the private massage room. - Fresh and dried fruits to finish off the experience. Overall the entire experience took about 2.5 hours and left me feeling so refreshed.

    BEST EXPERIENCE EVER! This is seriously a MUST in Istanbul. You will not be disappointed…read more I did a decent amount of research on the best hammam to try in Istanbul, and there's a reason this is so beloved. LOCATION This is prime location near Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque, and this hammam building itself has a TON of history. It's stunning! OFFERINGS They do massages as well, but the main thing here is the hammam experience. If you don't know, it's a communal style body washing experience that typically means washing on hot marble stone with running water sinks, being soap-foam massaged and scrubbed by an attendant, and bathhouse style ambiance. PRICE They have tiered pricing options from 110-330 euros, and we opted for something in the middle that included the hammam experience being scrubbed and bubble soap foam massaged by the attendant, a face mask and hair wash, and treats post-experience. EXPERIENCE This was pure luxury! You start in the stunning lounge area and get changed into the robe in the changing rooms that have a traditional look. The space is large and even with a few others during the same time and an attendant, it wasn't awkward or uncomfortable at all. It started with being washed and washing myself, then a face mask, then a face mask and hair wash + scrub with a sandpaper-like glove by the attendant in a more private section. Then, I came out to the main area on the central marble slab for the soap foam massage which was amazing - I've never felt more exfoliated and clean! I ended with a face mask sheet and treats including sherbet drink, tea and Turkish delight in the main room. I got to take home the soap and scrubber glove complimentary as well. A treat from start to finish!

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    Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı
    Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı - Changing room for Ab-I Hayat treatment

    Changing room for Ab-I Hayat treatment

    Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı

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    Ayasofya Müzesi

    Ayasofya Müzesi

    4.6(240 reviews)
    0.5 km•Cankurtaran Mh., Sarayburnu, Cankurtaran

    Absolutely stunning! Hagia Sofia, I was not familiar with your game. It was so interesting to see…read morehow much Christian influence and history is here, which I had no idea about. Our ticketing and entrance process was smooth, though busy - expect lines if you don't go right away in the morning or near closing. Wear clothes that cover your shoulders, chest and knees - and a scarf for covering your head for ladies. They do have some there if you need one. The space is huge! Down on the main floor is just for practicing Muslims to pray, so the space accessible to guests in the higher area. They did have a few spots where you can get audio info, but it was pretty limited info and more of a description of what you're seeing. The ticket covered admission to the museum (not attached, another building) that was VERY helpful and informative! We did that second but wished we'd done it first. Such a stunning space with a ton of history. An absolute must in Istanbul!

    This is an Orthodox Church that convert to mosque. This may be happen during Ottoman era in 1453…read more This history site is classified as museum and it is classified as Ayasofya Cami. You need a ticket to visit for non Muslim visitors. You can buy the combo ticket with Hagia Sophia museum or building visit along. Price is not cheap. The interior can spot some mosaic tile with orthodox figures. The ticket only allows second floor visit. The wall is kind of cover up with huge platt. You won't see the wall painting. However you can see how big is the dome. Visit take you one hours.

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    Ayasofya Müzesi
    Ayasofya Müzesi
    Ayasofya Müzesi

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    Yerebatan Sarnıcı

    Yerebatan Sarnıcı

    4.4(146 reviews)
    0.3 km•Alemdar Mh., Alemdar, Cankurtaran

    Basilica Cistern is so stunning! I had NO idea what to expect, but had heard this was a must-see in…read moreIstanbul. LOCATION It has a prime location right in the square near Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. It's underground so you won't see much above ground/a huge building, but you'll see the line forming. PRICE Tickets are NOT cheap at around 30 euro, but for us, it was a highlight so was worth it. The line was quite scary, but it moved rather quickly! You can also buy skip the line tickets if you've got a busy day. HISTORY This is a large underground water resovoir with huge vaulted ceilings and hundreds of Roman-style columns. It still holds a bit of water inside, and learning about the history with the plaques onsite and the audioguide was seriously impressive! INSIDE It's just magnificent walking on the platforms through the space, admiring the sheer magnitude of the columns. They've done a great job of uplighting, and the lighting changes every few minutes to give different perspectives and ambiance. They also have some cool art installations here that add to the space! This is a photo op heaven, and we never felt crowded inside as there was plenty of walkway and you cover a lot of ground inside. A must do in IST!

    Yelp Review 2025 #227:…read more The line here gets really wild! It wraps around the building and to neighboring businesses. The good thing is I got a skip-the-like ticket so, I zipped right in. From outside, it looks like a basic building but once you enter and take the stairs to go down to the cistern, it's like a different world and a different time. Cisterns like this were constructed hundreds of years ago to collect rainwater which can be used for cooking/ drinking or flushing the toilet. This one was built in 6th century. It has about 300+ marble columns. Keep an eye out for the more ornate columns and the 2 upside down Medusa heads. It's quite cool but slightly muggy down in the cistern. Be prepared to wait for clear shots as it is crowded and everyone wants to take pictures (some take hundreds of selfies). They did a good job with the lighting creating a dramatic effect. It costs under $25 for a tourist ticket and it's much cheaper for locals. I was able to finish my visit in 30 minutes. It's worth a visit.

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    Yerebatan Sarnıcı
    Yerebatan Sarnıcı
    Yerebatan Sarnıcı

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    St. Anthony of Padua

    St. Anthony of Padua

    4.5(2 reviews)
    3.0 km•Tomtom, Beyoğlu, Tomtom Mh.

    Our local tour guide (Safiye) took us down for a stroll on İstiklal Avenue, which is a well known…read moreshopping street in Istanbul. That included taking us inside St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church. In a City full of stunning mosques and sprinkling of Eastern Orthodox, visiting this Roman Catholic establishment kind of turned the tourist saying of "Oh Joy, another Church!" on its head. We found the interior to be very impressive and comforting. This is the largest church in Istanbul and has Italian pedigree, both in its founding and in its clergy today. Depending on the day of the week, one could attend Mass in either Turkish, English, or Italian. Pope John XXIII preached here for 10 years while he was the Vatican's ambassador to Turkey before being chosen as pope. He is known as "the Turkish Pope" because of his fluency in Turkish and his oft-expressed love for Turkey and Istanbul. Gayle and I were able to admire a statue of him installed within the church's courtyard. I also detected a bit of Byzantine/Eastern Orthodox influence within a few of the "Icons" inside the church. One was how the 3 fingers are put together to signify the Trinity, with the back 2 fingers following. And if we stuck around longer, my guess is that we might have seen people crossing themselves in either the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox mode.

    Went here for Christmas Eve service - absolutely beautiful!! Decorated to the nines both inside…read moreand out. If you're around Taksim Square on Christmas Eve, stop by for a visit at least. If you want to stay for mass on Christmas Eve, come early. 45 minutes before the service and it was standing room only. Very diverse crowd!

    Photos
    St. Anthony of Padua - Merry Christmast

    Merry Christmast

    St. Anthony of Padua
    St. Anthony of Padua

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    Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque - landmarks - Updated September 2026

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