Landmarks

Topkapi Palace & Harem Skip-the-Line Tickets with Audio Guide

Hagia Irene in the first courtyard of Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, with historic architecture.

Topkapi Palace courtyard with ornate tile walls and arched walkway, Istanbul.

Tour group with guide at Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, near ornate tiled wall.

Visitor using audio guide at Topkapi Palace, Istanbul.

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Audio guide

Enhance your experience with multilingual audio guide

Avoid long waiting lines and enter the 15th-century palace of Topkapı at ease with this skip-the-line ticket. Spend time exploring Istanbul’s most celebrated attraction, and explore the lavish collections of Ottoman Turkey’s famed sultans.

4.1/5

(7,092)

Giulia

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Excellent solution for Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern tickets. For the palace, there is an escorted entrance up to the Harem: in our case, everything was handled well, we entered at 9:30 so we did not find too much of a line. The visit to the palace, following the audio guide's description, is very nice. The outside gardens are very impressive. For the Cistern basilica we found a bit of a line to get in (12:30): the visit went well, the light effects in the water and between the columns of the cistern are beautiful. Super recommended activity.

Aisha

Aug 2025

Verified booking

4/5

It was a wonderful experience. An initial glitch regarding the guided tour but the issue was resolved quickly. Topkapi palace was grand. Every section was amazing, absolutely loved the holy relics section. Our guide Busa was very good and knowledgeable, she answered all the questions. You need almost half a day to see the whole palace but it is worth it.

Stephen

Sep 2025

Verified booking

4/5

Topkapi Palace and Harem are amazing. So beautiful. So much to see. We spent the day there. There was not much provision for providing catering. Take some food with you. We were so glad we went. Not to be missed. The entry process is laborious, but you just have to accept that. Getting the ticket in advance did help.

Skip the lines and fall in love with the incredible 15th-century Topkapi Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, marveling at the expensive tastes of the Ottoman sultans.

See priceless jewels, rich living quarters, and beautiful architecture. Learn more with an audio guide available in 5 languages.

Explore the peaceful gardens, pavilions, hidden sanctuaries, kitchens, and more.

Elevate your experience by upgrading your ticket to enjoy a guided tour of Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace with an English-speaking guide.

Fun fact: The Byzantine Church of Hagia Eirene was located in the first courtyard of the palace but was converted into an armory.

Skip-the-line entry into Topkapı Palace

Access to Harem Museum

Audio guide in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

The services of a representative who will lead you to the entrance

2-hour guided tour of Topkapi Palace & Basilica Cistern with entry tickets (optional)

English-speaking guide (optional)

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

4.1
7,092 reviews
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These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
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What our guests say
Giulia
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Excellent solution for Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern tickets. For the palace, there is an escorted entrance up to the Harem: in our case, everything was handled well, we entered at 9:30 so we did not find too much of a line. The visit to the palace, following the audio guide's description, is very nice. The outside gardens are very impressive. For the Cistern basilica we found a bit of a line to get in (12:30): the visit went well, the light effects in the water and between the columns of the cistern are beautiful. Super recommended activity.
Mininder
Oct 2025
Verified booking
3/5
The skip the line part was good. Starting at the harem was. Good choice. Unfortunately, the Audio guide was horrible. It was difficult to navigate, did not follow a sequence. The place itself was poorly organized. Could not tell where we were or what we were seeing throughout. We walked through harem and then saw the diamond and left. Part of this was palace itself and its lack of signage and partly your audio guide not matching what signs there were.
Ana
Oct 2025
Verified booking
3/5
The place on itself was absolutely incredible and 100% a place to visit when going to Istanbul. It was a shame the lack if organisation from the company as they took us in a rush from the meeting point to the harem entrance because they were late, despite having elder people in the group that were struggling to catch up.
George
Oct 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Truly an amazing place with lots of interesting parts courtyards and exhibitions. This part for me was simply walking around the palace and getting a feel as to how it would've been when it was fully operation consultants guards unique and the harem
Maria
Oct 2025
Verified booking
4/5
The reservation and accompaniment to enter all good and easy. What I didn't like was the audio guide. In lio locate each place and poor explanation, it was better to read the signs.

As the Turkish sultanate's home for centuries, Topkapı Palace offers a crash course in the history of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire. Visiting this landmark is considered to be an absolute must and one of the best things to do in Istanbul. The best part? With this handy ticket, you get to skip the lines (and the heat) outside the palace and learn about the monumental structure in the language of your choice with the audio guide, which is available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

The Topkapı Palace was once the crown jewel of the Ottoman Empire. You can see its lavishness reflected in its opulent architecture - something you would only associate with the sultans of history's most powerful empires. Today, it is Turkey's most important cultural icon and an awe-inspiring monument.

The Combo: Topkapi Palace & Basilica Cistern Guided Tour

Embark on a guided tour of the Basilica Cistern and Topkapi Palace, starting with the iconic Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground water reservoir located in the heart of Istanbul. Then, explore Topkapi Palace, the world's largest and oldest palace, once the heart of the Ottoman Empire. Discover its treasury and exotic buildings while enjoying panoramic views of the Golden Horn.

Topkapi Palace

Monday	09:00am - 04:45pm	last entry 03:45pm
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	09:00am - 04:45pm	last entry 03:45pm
Thursday	09:00am - 04:45pm	last entry 03:45pm
Friday	09:00am - 04:45pm	last entry 03:45pm
Saturday	09:00am - 04:45pm	last entry 03:45pm
Sunday	09:00am - 04:45pm	last entry 03:45pm

Basilica Cistern

Monday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Tuesday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Wednesday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Thursday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Friday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Saturday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm
Sunday	09:00am - 10:00pm	last entry 06:30pm

What to bring

Please bring your headphones to listen to the audio guide.

Additional information

Note that you will be able to enter the Topkapi Palace only with a representative. Meet your host at the meeting point, who will then take you inside the palace.

Be sure to arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time.

The audio guide app is available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. You'll find instructions on how to use the audio guide app in your ticket voucher.

Please note that there is limited internet at the museum/pier so download the audio guide app before your visit. The app does not require internet once it has been downloaded (ensure your GPS is activated).

Enter the palace and stay as long as you want until its closing time of 5pm.

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the meeting point.

Please note you cannot go directly to the Topkapi Palace. A representative will take you to the palace after you meet them and redeem your voucher.

Meeting point

Show your ticket at Chimney Bistro.

Address: Cankurtaran, Soğuk Çeşme Sk. No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye.

Get directions to the meeting point