Aqueduct of Valens

Tickets and tours: which to book

Nothing for the aqueduct alone is sold online, and there is no ticket. The aqueduct is a city monument that you see from the streets around it: from Ataturk Boulevard, where the arches span the road, and from Sarachane Park and the side streets to the north and south. Walking on top is forbidden.

Most visitors see it on the way to other sights. Walking tours of the old city sometimes include it as a stop between the Grand Bazaar and the Suleymaniye or the Fatih Mosque, and food tours often pass under it to the market beneath its arches. Bus tours of Istanbul usually just drive along the boulevard. Ask the guide of your old city walk whether it is on the route, or plan your own.

The best way is on foot. Start at the Sehzade Mosque, walk along the arches through the park, cross the boulevard and continue towards the Fatih Mosque, with a stop for lunch in the market streets. This takes about an hour and gives you views of both tiers of arches. For most visitors, a self-guided walk combined with a visit to the Suleymaniye is the sensible plan.

A short history

The aqueduct was begun under Constantius II and completed in AD 373 under the emperor Valens, whose name it bears, to bring water to the new capital of Constantinople. It was the last section of a vast system of channels and bridges stretching from springs in Thrace, extended in the 5th century to reach over 700 km, the longest of antiquity. The water fed cisterns and reservoirs across the city. The Avars cut it in 626, and Constantine V repaired it after a drought in 758. Later emperors maintained it until the 12th century. After 1453 the Ottomans restored and extended it, and it supplied water into the modern era. Today about 921 metres survive.

Getting there

The aqueduct is in the Fatih district, on the historic peninsula of Istanbul. The easiest way is the M2 metro to Vezneciler, then a walk of about 5 minutes west past the Sehzade Mosque. The T1 tram stops at Beyazit and Laleli, about 10 minutes away on foot. From Sultanahmet, the walk via the Grand Bazaar takes about 30 minutes. Many buses run along Ataturk Boulevard. Istanbul Airport is about an hour away by metro or taxi, and Sabiha Gokcen about an hour and a quarter by car. Driving is not advisable in the old city.

Rules and what to bring

Do not climb the aqueduct or walk on top; it is forbidden and unsafe. Take care crossing Ataturk Boulevard, using the crossings and lights. Drones are restricted in central Istanbul. Dress modestly if you visit the nearby mosques, with shoulders and knees covered, and women should bring a scarf. The market area has many cafes and restaurants; toilets are easiest to find in the mosques or cafes.

When to go

The aqueduct is visible at any time, but the streets around it are busy with traffic and shoppers from mid-morning onwards. Early morning is the quietest time, with soft light on the arches and fewer cars. Late afternoon also works well, especially for photographs from the park with the sun behind you.

The best months are April to June and September to October, when the weather in Istanbul is mild and walking is pleasant. July and August are hot and humid, so walk early or late. Winter is cool and rainy, with occasional snow, but the aqueduct looks striking in winter light. The market under the arches is busiest at lunchtime, and on Fridays the area around the mosques is crowded at midday prayer. Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the walk.