Which places in Istanbul have audio guides?
This collection includes 10 free guides, covering places such as Basilica Cistern, The Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace. Open a guide from the list to explore its sections.
What to see in Istanbul
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace, the Grand Bazaar and Galata: Mappu's 3-day itinerary for Istanbul covers them day by day. Plan the trip around your own dates, then listen to the free audio guides or follow a self-guided walk when you get there.
Self-guided walks in Istanbul
Free audio walks that connect the guides below into one route, with a map, distances and walking times.
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
4 stops · about 1.4 km · about 20 min on foot · about 27 min of audioBlue Mosque → Basilica Cistern → Hagia Sophia → Topkapı PalaceFree audio at every stop, or walk it with MappuSee the route
Grand Bazaar to Aksaray, Istanbul
3 stops · about 1.6 km · about 20 min on foot · about 21 min of audioGrand Bazaar → Laleli Mosque → Aksaray Valide Sultan MosqueFree audio at every stop, or walk it with MappuSee the route
Photo attribution
- Blue Mosque: Paul Bill
- Grand Bazaar: Morgan Sand / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Audio guides in Istanbul
Basilica Cistern
TurkeyThe Blue Mosque
TurkeyDolmabahce Palace
TurkeyGalata Tower
Turkey
Grand Bazaar Istanbul
TurkeyHagia Sophia
Turkey
Laleli Mosque
TurkeyAksaray Valide Sultan Camii
TurkeyTopkapi Palace
Turkey
Yıldız Hamidi Mosque
Turkey
Photo attribution
- Basilica Cistern: Martin Casagrand
- The Blue Mosque: Paul Bill
- Dolmabahce Palace: Sofia Karageorgiou
- Galata Tower: Osman Köycü
- Grand Bazaar Istanbul: Morgan Sand / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Hagia Sophia: Lewis J Goetz
- Laleli Mosque: Yair Haklai / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Aksaray Valide Sultan Camii: OMAR SABRA
- Topkapi Palace: Haroon Ameer
- Yıldız Hamidi Mosque: AT44 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Istanbul 3 days: Lewis J Goetz
Planning a trip to Istanbul?
Get your plan
Mappu sketches your days free in the chat, no account needed. Then take the full plan with you:
- Weekend trip, €9.99: Your day-by-day plan plus 2 live walks
- Save your trip’s free guides on your phone in the Mappu app: they play with no signal
Questions about audio guides in Istanbul
Can I use the Istanbul guides without an account?
You can read the published guides and use their browser audio player for free without signing in. Creating a new guide for another place in Mappu is a separate feature and may use credits.
Which languages are available for the Istanbul guides?
The guide text is available in English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Japanese and Traditional Chinese (Taiwan). Use the language menu to switch versions. Audio playback depends on the voices available in your browser.
Do the Istanbul audio guides include entry tickets?
No. These guides describe individual places and do not include admission tickets, reservations or a guided group visit. Check the venue’s official information for current visiting arrangements.
Useful for your visit
Tickets, tours and practical extras for this trip, from Mappu's partners.
- Fast-track entry to Topkapi Palace with an audio guideGetYourGuide · Partner(opens the partner's site in a new tab)
- Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia tour with entry ticketGetYourGuide · Partner(opens the partner's site in a new tab)
- Fast-track entry to the Basilica Cistern with audio guideGetYourGuide · Partner(opens the partner's site in a new tab)
Partner links (Airalo, Amazon, Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Klook, Tiqets, Trip.com, Viator, Welcome Pickups): if you book or buy through them, Mappu may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.