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

(7,143)

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.

Chambault

Oct 2025

Verified booking

5/5

Entry to both sites was very easy, thanks to HEADOUT's booking system. In particular, entry to the cathedral cistern was immediate, even though there was a long queue of visitors without tickets. The only criticism is that the explanations for obtaining the audio guides were not clear enough. We thought we'd be given a device, but the application on the phone is simple and doesn't require special headphones. Overall, a good experience

Maria

Nov 2025

Verified booking

4/5

Positive experience, the checkpoint was a tad difficult to reach but once found we were escorted inside by a guide who also understood Italian. The checkpoint staff was extremely friendly and helpful even at the end of the visit to the Topkapi Palace and Harem, helping us to get the accesses to the Cistern, which in our case were included in the purchased package, on line. Excellent experience.

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
7,143 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
Maria
Nov 2025
Verified booking
4/5
Positive experience, the checkpoint was a tad difficult to reach but once found we were escorted inside by a guide who also understood Italian. The checkpoint staff was extremely friendly and helpful even at the end of the visit to the Topkapi Palace and Harem, helping us to get the accesses to the Cistern, which in our case were included in the purchased package, on line. Excellent experience.
Maria
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
SCAMMERS.......They are a disaster I arrived late because of my delayed flight I called customer service explaining this with proof and asked to pass my tour for the next day and they told me that I had to get another ticket again! They don't think about the customer, only about their own profit, don't hire these people! My score was 1 and they would not let me send review so I had to put 5 !!!! The worst these people rip you off!
Cristina
Nov 2025
Verified booking
4/5
A little bit confusing the group formation at the entrance of Topkapi, very easy at the Basilica Cistern. Good guide at Topkapi, excellent at Basilica. We would like to have a little more time available between the visits, we skiped some Topkapi objectives at our own time because of the lines at the entrance. Both objectives definitely worth a visit.
Maria
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
The palace and the cistern are both very special experiences, and I felt like I was taking part in a private tour. I was able to go back to certain points and listen to the accompanying commentary again. I highly recommend it.
Angèle
Nov 2025
Verified booking
5/5
Very practical. We wait a few minutes in a sun café near the palace and the guide takes us into the palace and directly to the harem. Then we're free for our visit - perfect!

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