Independent guide
Booking on this site, palace hours and visiting tips. We are not the official museum and not affiliated with Milli Saraylar.
No. topkapipalace.org is an independent ticket and visiting guide. We are not Milli Saraylar, not the official museum, and not affiliated with palace administration.
Official gate tickets are sold at the palace windows. Skip-the-line and guided-tour tickets on this site are fulfilled by partners. After you book, the confirmation email is your contract with that operator — not with us and not with the palace.
No. We cannot change, refund or reissue a partner booking. Use the operator contact in your confirmation email for dates, names, cancellations and refunds.
Questions about this website? Write to [email protected] or use the contact form. We do not answer on behalf of palace ticket offices or security.
Current prices (2026):
Window prices are set by Milli Saraylar and can change. The 2,750 TL ticket does not skip the line. Book skip-the-line on our tickets page.
Yes on the official 2,750 TL combined window ticket: palace + Harem + Hagia Irene. Older “Harem extra” prices are out of date.
Skip-the-line Fast-Track 30-minute entry does not include the Harem. Choose the Complete Tour for hosted Harem access with a live guide.
Yes. Skip-the-line tickets on this site are booked online through partners. Advantages typically include:
You can also buy the official combined ticket at the palace windows. We are not the official museum ticket office. Compare options.
Choose the Complete Tour if you want hosted Harem and Hagia Irene access with a live guide. Choose Fast-Track Entry for a lighter visit with a multilingual audio guide.
The window ticket is cheaper in cash terms, but you queue for tickets. See the full comparison on the tickets page.
Yes. Both skip-the-line options on this site offer free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.
Already booked? Contact the operator in your confirmation email — we cannot process refunds here.
No. Ticket lines can be skipped, but airport-style security is mandatory for everyone. In high season or on religious holidays it can take 20–40 minutes.
Rules have changed more than once. Historically the pass covered the main palace but not always the Harem. Confirm at the gate what it covers that day.
If you are buying a pass mainly for Topkapi, compare it with 2,750 TL plus any skip-the-line fee. Skip-the-line tickets on this site are sold separately from the pass.
Hours are set by Milli Saraylar and can change on religious holidays:
Closed on Tuesdays, and typically the first morning of major religious holidays. Last entry is usually about one hour before closing. The Harem and Hagia Irene can close earlier than the courtyards.
More practical details: visiting information.
Plan according to what you want to see:
Allow at least 3 hours for the main courtyards, treasury and sacred relics. Add 1–2 hours if the Harem is a priority — visit it first, as it can close earlier.
Usually quieter:
Usually busier: weekends, Turkish national holidays, cruise-ship days, and 10:00–14:00. Tuesday is closed, so Wednesday mornings can still be busy.
The palace is in Sultanahmet, on Istanbul’s historic peninsula:
Parking in Sultanahmet is limited; public transport is usually easier. From Istanbul Airport, HAVAIST buses run toward Sultanahmet. A map is on the visiting information page.
Your host is a tour partner, not palace museum staff. Exact details are in your confirmation email.
Book on the tickets page.
Fast-Track Entry & Audio Guide (from €68): hosted skip-the-ticket-line entry plus an audio guide app in 25 languages. Harem is not in the 30-minute entry (only in the optional 1.5-hour highlights tour).
Complete Tour: Harem & Hagia Irene (from €74): priority entry with a live English- or Spanish-speaking guide, including the Harem and Hagia Irene. About 2.5 hours. Not suitable for wheelchair users or strollers.
It depends on the product you book, not on a palace-run service from this website:
The official window ticket does not include a guide. More on the audio guide page.
The palace is a historic complex with limited wheelchair access. The first courtyard is generally easier; many indoor rooms, the Harem and the Treasury involve stairs or uneven surfaces.
We cannot arrange on-site assistance, ramps or special entry — that is handled by palace staff, not by this website. The Complete Tour on this site is not suitable for wheelchair users or strollers.
Ask museum staff at the gate on the day, or check Milli Saraylar for the latest access rules.
Yes, families visit every day. Children under 6 typically enter free at the official windows with a passport. Student discounts need a valid international student ID. Online skip-the-line products have their own child rates at checkout.
Plan 3–4 hours. Strollers are difficult in the Harem because of stairs. The Complete Tour is not suitable for strollers.
Palace rules (set by the museum, not by this site) typically include:
Useful to bring: ID or passport, comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, a water bottle, and a camera (no flash in many indoor rooms).
Usually not allowed: large bags, food (except water), tripods and professional camera kits, weapons, and pets except service animals. Follow signs and staff instructions on the day — rules can change.
Personal photos without flash are usually allowed in courtyards and many exhibition halls. Photography is typically prohibited in the Sacred Relics section and anywhere marked “No Photography”.
Commercial or professional shoots need permission from Milli Saraylar, not from this website. We cannot issue photography permits.
Yes — independent cafes and restaurants operate on the palace grounds (for example Konyalı). They are not run by this website. Outside food is generally not allowed on the grounds.
Sultanahmet has many restaurants a 5–10 minute walk from the entrance.
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Steps from Topkapi Palace & Blue Mosque. From €5/bag/day with €3,000 protection.
Book skip-the-line tickets online, or contact us about this website. For an existing booking, use the operator in your confirmation email.