Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, Harem & Blue Mosque Tour
- 3h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace are two of the city’s unmissable cultural and historic sites. Focusing on these two places will allow you to concentrate on their beauty and unique histories at leisure, without rushing on to other sites. Save time by skipping the ticket line in Topkapı Palace with priority access, definitely a bonus whether it’s your first time in Istanbul or you’re a repeat visitor.
Inclusions
What's included
- Topkapi Palace and Harem entry ticket (*if all-inclusive option selected)
- Professional Guide
- Small Group
What's not
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratitudes
- Topkapi Palace
Itinerary
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque by many tourists has five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes with traditional Ottoman architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period.
Topkapı Palace was the seat of Ottoman Empire more than 380 years where 24 of 36 Sultans lived and ruled their land. The palace was transformed into a museum in 1924 and now one of Turkey’s richest museums with its permanent and temporary exhibition halls. Buildings and courtyards, including a treasury, apartments, bathhouses, harems, and an armoury, holy relics section, not to mention imperial halls, kitchens and royal chambers that make a visit into Topkapi’s inner walls one of the world’s great wonders. Treasures within include 13th-century Japanese porcelain, weaponry used by the Ottoman army, 86 carat 4th biggest diamond of its kind and world famous Topkapi Dagger any many more..
This is a small street with beautiful historic houses which are leaning against the wall of Topkapi Palace. Sogukcesme means, the cold fountain in English and street is named after the fountain situated at its end.
This beautiful square and a great place to make a stop, relax and take photos of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
"Sultan Ahmet Center", the heart of the "Old City" from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled.
The Church of Divine Wisdom, a fifteen hundred years old splendid monument, is a must see in Istanbul, built to be the world’s largest place of worship by Emperor Justinian in 532 AD
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.7
- 576
- 48
- 32
- 21
- 12
Ratings come from 89 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
- Meet your guide outside 'FOODIE-IST CAFE AND BRASSERIE,' just a 2-minute walk from the (T1) Sultanahmet tram stop. Your guide, easily identifiable by their tour guide badge, will be waiting for you at the cafe entrance.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 8 travellers
- Operated by
- Local Tour Guide Istanbul
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee. For those who do not have suitable clothes, stands are available at the entrance. Overalls and headscarves are provided for free of charge.
- IF ALL INCLUSIVE OPTION IS NOT SELECTED: Entrance to Topkapı Palace (55 EUR per person) is not included in the tour price. Once you pay your entrance fee (cash in Turkish Lira) to your tour guide, you will have the privilege of skipping the ticket queue. Please take this into consideration and have the entrance fee ready.
- ⚠️ Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the activity starts as finding a taxi and traffic congestion are always a problem.
How it compares in Istanbul
- Its from-price is 57% below the median of the 3649 experiences we list in Istanbul.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 275 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.
