Topkapı Palace tickets and Harem
Topkapı Palace was the home of the Ottoman sultans for about four hundred years. Here are the ticket types, what each one covers and what to know first.
Photo: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ticket options compared
What each kind of ticket lets you see, and how the options differ in price and cancellation terms.
| Option | What’s included | Good for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palace ticket | Entry to the courtyards, the treasury, the sacred relics rooms and the terraces over the Bosphorus. | A first visit at your own pace | Book now |
| Palace with Harem | The palace plus the Harem, the private quarters of the sultan’s family. Check whether your ticket includes it. | Seeing the finest rooms in the palace | Book now |
| Guided tour | Entry with a guide who explains how the court lived and worked, usually with a faster entrance. | Understanding what you are looking at | Book now |
| Combination ticket | Topkapı Palace together with Hagia Sophia or the Basilica Cistern, which are a short walk away. | Seeing several sights in one day | Book now |
Check live prices
Open each option to see the price and the cancellation terms for your date.
About Topkapı Palace
Mehmed the Conqueror began the palace in the 1460s, soon after taking Constantinople, and sultans lived here until the middle of the nineteenth century. It grew as a series of courtyards, each more private than the last.
The treasury shows jewelled objects from the Ottoman court, among them the Topkapı Dagger and the Spoonmaker’s Diamond. Nearby rooms keep relics sacred to Muslims.
The Harem is a separate maze of tiled rooms, baths and courtyards where the sultan’s family lived. Many visitors find it the most memorable part.
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Good to know
Opening hoursOpen every day except Tuesday. Closing time changes with the season, so check your date.
How long to allowAbout three hours with the Harem. The palace is large and spread over four courtyards.
Security and bagsThere is an airport-style security check at the gate. Travel light, as there is a lot of walking.
With childrenThe courtyards and gardens give children room to move. The treasury rooms can be crowded and slow.
Nearby
Hagia Sophia
The 6th-century domed church that became a mosque. Visitors enter the upper gallery on a ticket.
Basilica Cistern
An underground Byzantine reservoir of columns and water, opposite Hagia Sophia.
Gülhane Park
The old palace gardens, now a public park beside the walls. Free to enter.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Three museums beside the palace, with finds from across the former Ottoman lands.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Harem included?
It depends on the ticket. Some tickets cover the palace and the Harem together and some sell the Harem separately. Check before you book.
Is Topkapı Palace open every day?
No. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Do I need to book ahead?
It is not required, but the ticket queue is long in the busy months, so a ticket bought ahead saves time.
Is a guide worth it?
Yes, if you want to understand how the palace worked. The rooms have little explanation on the walls.