Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post! If you’re thinking of visiting Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, keep reading. In this post, I’ll go through a little bit of what to expect when you pay a visit. Topkapi Palace is located in the Fatih area of Istanbul and is very easy to access by public transport. It is a very important site in Istanbul and gives a great insight into the history of Istanbul and the sultans who ruled throughout history.
Upon Arrival to Topkapi Palace
When you arrive at Topkapi Palace, walk through main gates and pass through a security point put your phone into the box.
As of January 1st 2024, it now costs 1500 Turkish lira to enter and this includes the Harem as well. Further information about that and Topkapi Palace is available here. Prior to this, it was 950 Turkish lira to enter the palace and ‘skip the queues’. I opted not to visit the harem on this occasion. There is a kiosk before entering you can go to. This was a nightmare as the card transaction didn’t work. It ended up being a waste of time.
My suggestion would be to go to the ‘manual’ ticket desk to purchase your tickets. In addition, a free audio tour is available with a deposit of your passport. This is something that I usually like to go for because it’s typical that I won’t have a clue about the history of a place unless I did it in school. Unfortunately on this occasion, the self-service desk put me off this.
Once you have paid for your tickets and have access to the Topkapi Palace, you’ll be able to pass through the four different courtyards. Each courtyard has different things worth seeing. I’m going to be very honest, I’m not a historian and I would feel like a total fraud if I was posting the historical facts in this post. However, if you’d like more historical information, this is all available here.
The Grounds
There are several courtyards which have some very well kept gardens. Within each courtyard, there are maps and signposts placed around different parts. This will make it easier for you to decide which part to visit next.
The Palace
Each area is full of incredible, well-preserved artefacts. It’s also very interesting that a lot of the history is so recent and there was a lot of influence from Arab states and Europe. My personal favourite parts were there different clothing worn by various members of the palace throughout the generations, along with the various ornaments on display.
The museum do a great job of showing the change in styles over different periods of history. Also, the ceilings in the interior of many of the buildings have some exceptional designs. Finally, there are some really nice view of Istanbul and the Bosphorus River as you go to the end of the site. Hopefully it’s a clear day when you visit!
How much time is needed?
In terms of time, I feel like I took my time when visiting. However, I also left out the harem. I was at the main entrance for 12:20pm and I exited at 2pm so just under two hours. You could definitely take longer if you wanted. Furthermore, a lot will depend on the crowds on the day you decide to visit.
Tour Options
If you would rather go with a tour group, there are two options which you may like to consider from Klook and TripAdvisor.
Thank You!
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy some other posts I have written. Stay posted for more upcoming posts about Turkey in the coming weeks!
