Guided Tours

Guided Tour of Topkapi Palace Museum & Harem with Skip-the-Line Tickets

Guide Explaining to Tourist about Topkapi

Relish an insightful tour of the Topkapi Palace and its harem with exclusive fast track tickets. Get a chance to see all of its rooms, galleries, and gardens, and learn the story of the harem firsthand from an expert historian guide!

Highlights

Explore the home and headquarters of the Ottoman Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Avoid the long queues and get easy entry into Topkapi Palace with skip-the-line tickets.
With an English-speaking historian guide by your side, delve into the rich history and culture of the Topkapi Palace.
Discover one of Istanbul’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and explore its expansive museum collection along with the Harem section.
Learn more about the sights you see from an immersive audio guide.

Inclusions

1-hour tour of Topkapi Palace
Skip-the-line entry
All-area access including Harem
Expert English-speaking historian guide
Audio guide
2-hour Historian Guide (Optional)

Cancellation policy

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Reviews

4.2

3K ratings

5/5

1.9K

4/5

469

3/5

118

2/5

158

1/5

278

4/5

Oct, 2024

Skipping the queue was really handy and having the guide was great. Just to manage expectations he got us through the security areas and then told us a bit about the history of the palace and surrounds. That was great. He pointed out significant collections to go to but didn't take us there himself. That makes sense given it's only a one hour tour. It's a big complex and a lot to see. There were no audio headsets either so you really had to get close to listen which was a bit difficult in a big group.

Aakriti

3/5

Oct, 2024

Our guide himself was amazing, no complaints. However we thought it was a guided tour of the palace but it ended up being a tour to the garden where he explained all the rooms and then left us after 45 mins to visit each attraction.

Brenda

3/5

Oct, 2024

I loved the building, the architecture, I would have liked to hear what the inscriptions said. I had hoped to see the harem, I'd been there long ago, and have forgotten it. The treasuru was excellent, that part was without a guide, but a guide could not have helped in the narrow corridors. I am so glad I went.

Peter

3/5

Oct, 2024

The tour was fine. The moderate review is because of the poor meeting place (Topikapi Cafe). Our plan was to have breakfast there (between 9:00-10:00 am), as our tour would start at 10:00 am. However, there was no breakfast option. The staff told us to wait for 15 minutes, but after 15 minutes it turned out there was still no breakfast option. Moreover, the cappuccinos were obscenely expensive (7 euros per cup). I would do something about this, because it reflects on the tour.

View original review in Dutch

Pritesh

5/5

Oct, 2024

Overall it was quite informative and tour guide gave detailed explanation. I did not realize that the entrance ticket was not included in the tour, until the end.

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Your Experience

The Topkapi Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire during the 15th and 16th centuries. The palace complex houses hundreds of chambers, rooms, and gardens, and the most important ones are accessible to the public. Your ticket includes a fast track admission into the historic attraction, saving you nearly 2 hours of time With an expert historian guide by your side, you can learn some of the greatest secrets of the Ottomans.

The tour will begin at the Topkapi cafe/Meeting Pub OUTSIDE Topkapi Palace. You will hear engrossing tales as you pass through each of the famous gates and learn surprising facts and details of legendary figures.

The final stop is at the Imperial Harem, where your guide will entertain you with some more legends and myths about the attraction. By the end of the tour, you will have had a much better understanding of Ottoman history!

Know Before You Go

Important Information

Don't forget to carry your camera with you.
Wear comfortable footwear as there is a moderate amount of walking involved.
While the ticket ensures that you skip the entry lines, you cannot avoid the security lines. This can take up to 30 minutes during peak season.
Audio App for IOS & Android is available in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish & Turkish.
Children will be asked to present their valid passports at the entrance of the museums in order to validate their age.
Please note that this attraction cannot be accessed directly by presenting the digital Pass at the museum. You need to enter with the tour guide.
It is mandatory for guests to use a headset during the tour. For this reason, be sure to bring your ID card with you when you come to the Topkapi Palace Tour. ID cards will be taken during the use of the headset and will be returned at the end of the tour.

My tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly
Please display the voucher on your mobile phone along with a valid photo ID at the meeting point
If you have purchased reduced-price tickets, please carry a valid photo ID for verification
Please ensure that you arrive at least 15 minutes in advance to avoid any delays

Meeting Point

Meet your Istanbul Welcome Card Tour Guide at the "Topkapi Cafe / Meeting Pub" OUTSIDE Topkapi Palace, across the Carpet Museum.
Please note you cannot go directly to the Topkapi Palace. Meet your guide at the meeting point, who will then take you to the palace

Get Directions to the Meeting Point