Istanbul: Guided Topkapi Palace Tour with Fast Track Entry
- 2h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Topkapı Palace is unique because it is a modular, decentralized city-palace built around four sprawling courtyards, rather than a single massive, European-style monolithic building. Serving as the political nerve center and private home of the Ottoman Sultans for nearly 400 years (1465–1853), it offers a raw, authentic look into imperial history, preserved architectural evolution, and some of the world's most valuable treasures.
Inclusions
What's included
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- Small group walking tour experience
- Museum entrance fees for Topkapi Palace
What's not
- Meals, drinks, or personal expenses
Itinerary
After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453 Faith (the Conqueror) Sultan Ahmet moved the throne of the Ottoman Empire to this city. Me first palace he set up was in the middle of the city. The second was built in 1470 and has been called Topkapi Palace since recent history.
Hagia Irene (also known as Aya İrini in Turkish, meaning "Divine Peace") is the oldest known Byzantine church in Istanbul and the second-largest surviving one after Hagia Sophia. Located inside the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace, it holds a unique place in history because it was never converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of 1453. Today, it functions as a museum and exceptional concert hall, protected as part of the UNESCO World Heritage site
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 55
- 40
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- 10
Ratings come from 5 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- The meeting time is 15 minutes before the schedule in front of Sultan Ahmet III. Fountain.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 10 travellers
- Operated by
- Velena Travel
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Istanbul
- Its from-price is 39% below the median of the 3649 experiences we list in Istanbul.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 1316 of 3649.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Istanbul
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, with Byzantine and Ottoman monuments, busy bazaars and ferries crossing between continents.
The historic peninsula holds the greatest landmarks. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome face each other in Sultanahmet, the Basilica Cistern lies beneath the streets, and Topkapı Palace spreads across the hill above the Golden Horn. A short walk away, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar have traded for centuries, and Süleymaniye Mosque, built by the great Ottoman architect Sinan, crowns one of the city's seven hills.
Top-ranked sights in Istanbul: Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi), Bosphorus, Bosphorus Bridge (Bogazici Koprusu).
Special offers in Istanbul
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
