Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
- Topkapi Palace
Photos & Highlights
- Explore daily life and intrigue in the Ottoman court including the famous Harem
- Led by an Ottoman scholar
Select a date
Tour Description
Topkapi Palace was the epicenter of royal intrigue, home to scheming concubines, all-powerful sultans, and occasional fratricide. Set strategically at the mouth of the Golden Horn, the imperial palace illustrates the inner workings of the Ottoman Empire. On this 3-hour Topkapi Palace Tour, we'll join a local historian for an in-depth exploration of the building's vast architectural and political history.
The Palace Of A Vast Empire
In its prime, the Ottoman Empire stretched from Yemen to Croatia to Iran. The conquest of Istanbul in the 15th century announced Ottoman dominance. This tour uncovers the links between the empire's history and Topkapi Palace, its beating heart. Exploring the intricate rooms of the palace, we will discover the machinations of court life and the broad power of the sultans. We will also visit the Harem, one of the palace's most celebrated sites, designed by renowned Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan.
Topkapi Palace Tour
Topkapi Palace is unlike other European palaces—the design is pure Ottoman, with the vast open layout reflecting the needs of the Ottoman court. The opulent blue tiles of the Harem and inner rooms, the gilded details on walls, and the sweeping views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn emphasize the grandeur of the Empire, while hiding the many stories of intrigue and violence that happened here. From the Harem wives whose only path to power was to give birth to the future Sultan, to the eunuch guards imprisoned in the Harem, to the artisans and soldiers from all corners of the empire, many people inhabited many worlds within this one complex.
Discover Ottoman History
Depending on the expert’s area of expertise and the interests of the group, the focus of the walk could tend toward the architecture and symbolism of the complex, the political history of the Ottomans, or daily life in the court. Regardless of the chosen course—and, often, we pursue many—the palace itself serves as the anchor and text for this riveting exploration of Ottoman history.
FAQ
Is there a dress code for your tours in Istanbul?
The sites visited on this tour are considered holy places. Shoulders and knees must be covered. Dresses and shorts must be below knee level, and shoulders must be covered (zip-on jackets or scarves are acceptable). We recommend bringing along scarves or shawls to be able to cover those body parts.
Are tickets to Topkapi Palace included in the tour price?
Yes, you are prepaid for the tour and the tickets. Your guide will purchase the correct ticket on-site for you.
We are traveling with our kids. Is this tour the right choice for us? If you are traveling with kids between the ages of 6 and 12, we recommend you check out our Topkapi Palace Tour for Kids.
Are tickets to Topkapi Palace included in the tour price?
Yes, you are prepaid for the tour and the tickets. Your guide will purchase the correct ticket on-site for you.
We are traveling with our kids. Is this tour the right choice for us? If you are traveling with kids between the ages of 6 and 12, we recommend you check out our Topkapi Palace Tour for Kids.
Is this tour accessible for people in a wheelchair? Some areas of the palace are accessible with a wheelchair, and the palace has a toilet accessible for disabled visitors. The Portrait Chamber is not accessible by wheelchair, but the Harem is accessible. The palace does not have wheelchairs available to rent, you will have to bring your own.
Where You'll Start
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158 Reviews
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This is an absolutely must-see tour— the palace is stupefyingly beautiful, and our guide was so knowledgeable that she made the history come alive!
Sandy
May 7, 2025
We were so fortunate to have Duygu as a guide. My husband and I chose this and another tour for a short travel stop in Istanbul. Duygu’s knowledge and interest in her subject are obvious and she is able to impart and convey these in an easy, friendly and informative way. Topkapi Palace is beautiful and most interesting and Dyugu was able to answer our numerous questions with ease and the confidence that comes with expert knowledge. She also seemed quite happy to help us with information about life in current day Türkiye, even providing us with a travel card to enable us to travel on public transport rather than having the expense of catching a taxi to and from our accommodation for another excursion we were doing with her the next day. She seemed totally invested in making sure we were comfortable with the walking speed of the tour. My husband uses a walking stick for longer walking excursions and Duygu was not fazed by this and accepted our walking pace, giving no indication of any negative effect on the overall pace of the tour. We would be more than happy to have her as a guide again.
Susanne and Peter
Sydney, Australia.
Susanne
May 6, 2025
The single best tour I have had in Turkey over two separate visits. We saw much that I had never seen. And I learned much that I didn’t know. A warm, personable and fascinating guide. I cannot recommend him Highly enough
Curtis
Apr 4, 2025
