I haven't taken any audio guide. But I found the descriptions detailed enough. This is so big that it will take more than a day to explore everything. The palace is beautiful and all but the kitchen is something very fascinating. Harem is also a must visit. If you are inquisitive or a history buff you will absolutely fall in love with this place.

shantan devathiфевр. 25, 2018

Of course it is very touristy, but don't let that deter you. Go early in the morning, because then the lines for tickets aren't that long yet. Buy a ticket to the harem too! Very nice to visit and a must see when you visit topkapi. There is a lot of greenery on the palace grounds, which is especially great if the weather is nice. Cute restaurant, where you can sit next to the Bosporus and have a great view of the Asian side of Istanbul. When we were there, the self-service side of the restaurant only accepted cash, so that was a bummer.

Milou Maatjeфевр. 19, 2018

Fantastic place to visit. I have been here a few times. There are sections for: Relics of the Prophets, Treasury section with one of the biggest single piece diamonds in the world, new Ottoman gallery and several souvenir shops and a cafe with great view. There are other renovation projects also taking place - due to be completed in the next 2 years. Staff were very helpful. Allow time to get through the queues at busy periods. Tickets are 40 TL and can be purchased upon arrival.

Farzana Hussainянв. 7, 2018

STUNNING place. Just go there and marvel at the architecture, the remains for the Muslim golden age. The harem area is beautiful beyond belief. The gardens are stunning. The museums with the old things and relics are breathtaking. A whole day needed to cover the whole place. Go inside and feel like royalty.

Mariam Tariqянв. 18, 2018

Huge museum that can take a while to see. I recommend that you visit the Harem first, especially if you go in the afternoon, as they close this area first (the museum closes pretty early) You'll get amazing views of Istanbul. I recommend that you buy the audio guide as it gives you more insight into the history of the Palace. Do not miss the armoury and the Harem. The Kitchen and the room of ceramics can be skipped (in my opinion) if you are short on time.

Maria Sotoфевр. 17, 2018

Fantastic museum; lots of history. Buy the Museum Pass card; it will give you free access to Harem, and other museums (which you'll have to separately pay if you don't have the Museum Pass). Take a morning, or an afternoon, just to visit this amazing place.

Luis Silvaапр. 6, 2018

This is best is the world Some notes : 1. Better to buy museum electronic card to avoid long stay for ticket 2. Get a electronic guide inside there is some thing interesting in it

Mehdi Yousefiапр. 3, 2018

A beautiful glimpse into the opulent Ottoman empire and the intricate art, history and culture. The Palace is touristy but well worth the visit. One of the highlights was the Harem and so the extra ticket is also worth considering.

Donovan Jacobsапр. 1, 2018

The museum is well maintained. Most items available for viewing are related to Islam and historical Ottoman Islamic ceremonies. The Palace is huge but most of it is closed to visitors. The base ticket price was 40 TL at the time of my visit. I definitely recommend hiring a certified guide and pay more to learn and understand what you see. Don't forget to haggle with the guide over the extra price.

Yousef Rohanizadeganмай 16, 2018

Easily one of the highlights of our Istanbul trip, personally speaking. The history of the sultanate is fascinating enough, and take it from someone who's had no previous affiliation or interest with/ in history. The crown jewel, again personally speaking, were the artifacts belonging to the Prophets, with particular deference to the last Prophet, Muhammad, Peace be upon Him, and his companions. Really brought me home! Our tour guide, Haroon (last name unknown), was particularly magnificent in his detailed and captivating exposition of everything, down to flora, which again surprised me in how much I enjoyed it!

Ubaid M. Salimмай 16, 2018

This is truly an experience. It is best to take this destination over the course of two days at least. If you’re short on time then hire yourself a guide. You can find them hawking their services outside the Aya Sofia entrance. Well worth the price. Once inside take it slow and just soak in the atmosphere. You should really take it slow and just walk the pathways and the little books everywhere; you’ll feel transported back in time as you imagine the lifestyle lot many centuries past.

An Adventurerмай 13, 2018

It's an interesting museum in that it's a huge palace whose rooms they've converted into mini exhibits. But the admission process was SO poorly managed--for a site that's regularly visited by thousands, you'd think they'd have a better system. It was all pushing and shoving. And once you got inside, there isn't a clear pathway of how to see the museum. The rooms are sporadically on the way. It would have been way better managed if admissions was a controlled line, and each person was given a detailed brochure with the museum layout and places to see things. Furthermore, pictures weren't allowed inside the exhibits at all and this was strictly enforced by their guards everywhere. Overall, the items in the the museum were cool and the palace is beautiful, but its management need improvement.

Maria Khanапр. 16, 2018

Amazing place to visit. Lots of things you can see and experience. You need 3-4 hours for it. The queues are very long, but there is a local guy who sold us the tickets for couple of euros more so we didnt need to wait hours in the line. Wonderful lounges and summer houses with divans, kitchens where they cooked for 3000, 4000people, clocks, weapons, great views... so many things to see. Definitely worth it. We were very exhausted after it but very happy.

Lidija Liksiмай 3, 2018

A fascinating and worthwhile destination In Istanbul, the Topkapi Palace was for centuries the dwelling place of Ottoman Sultans. Topkapi Palace can be visited with the Turkey Pass, a 220-Turkish lira purchase well worth the price if you are spending more than several days in Turkey. The Museum Pass will also gain you admission to the royal harem portion of the palace, otherwise a separate and additional entrance fee. Don't miss the gardens filled with roses and the palace kitchen. In fact, for me the kitchen was the highlight of the tour. Skip the English audio tour. It contains very little information beyond what's already written on signs in English throughout the palace. Those who speak neither Turkish nor English probably would do well to rent the audio tour in their language if available.

David Baylyмай 28, 2018

I haven't taken any audio guide. But I found the descriptions detailed enough. This is so big that it will take more than a day to explore everything. The palace is beautiful and all but the kitchen is something very fascinating. Harem is also a must visit. If you are inquisitive or a history buff you will absolutely fall in love with this place.

shantan devathiфевр. 25, 2018

Of course it is very touristy, but don't let that deter you. Go early in the morning, because then the lines for tickets aren't that long yet. Buy a ticket to the harem too! Very nice to visit and a must see when you visit topkapi. There is a lot of greenery on the palace grounds, which is especially great if the weather is nice. Cute restaurant, where you can sit next to the Bosporus and have a great view of the Asian side of Istanbul. When we were there, the self-service side of the restaurant only accepted cash, so that was a bummer.

Milou Maatjeфевр. 19, 2018

Fantastic place to visit. I have been here a few times. There are sections for: Relics of the Prophets, Treasury section with one of the biggest single piece diamonds in the world, new Ottoman gallery and several souvenir shops and a cafe with great view. There are other renovation projects also taking place - due to be completed in the next 2 years. Staff were very helpful. Allow time to get through the queues at busy periods. Tickets are 40 TL and can be purchased upon arrival.

Farzana Hussainянв. 7, 2018

STUNNING place. Just go there and marvel at the architecture, the remains for the Muslim golden age. The harem area is beautiful beyond belief. The gardens are stunning. The museums with the old things and relics are breathtaking. A whole day needed to cover the whole place. Go inside and feel like royalty.

Mariam Tariqянв. 18, 2018

Huge museum that can take a while to see. I recommend that you visit the Harem first, especially if you go in the afternoon, as they close this area first (the museum closes pretty early) You'll get amazing views of Istanbul. I recommend that you buy the audio guide as it gives you more insight into the history of the Palace. Do not miss the armoury and the Harem. The Kitchen and the room of ceramics can be skipped (in my opinion) if you are short on time.

Maria Sotoфевр. 17, 2018

Fantastic museum; lots of history. Buy the Museum Pass card; it will give you free access to Harem, and other museums (which you'll have to separately pay if you don't have the Museum Pass). Take a morning, or an afternoon, just to visit this amazing place.

Luis Silvaапр. 6, 2018

This is best is the world Some notes : 1. Better to buy museum electronic card to avoid long stay for ticket 2. Get a electronic guide inside there is some thing interesting in it

Mehdi Yousefiапр. 3, 2018

A beautiful glimpse into the opulent Ottoman empire and the intricate art, history and culture. The Palace is touristy but well worth the visit. One of the highlights was the Harem and so the extra ticket is also worth considering.

Donovan Jacobsапр. 1, 2018

The museum is well maintained. Most items available for viewing are related to Islam and historical Ottoman Islamic ceremonies. The Palace is huge but most of it is closed to visitors. The base ticket price was 40 TL at the time of my visit. I definitely recommend hiring a certified guide and pay more to learn and understand what you see. Don't forget to haggle with the guide over the extra price.

Yousef Rohanizadeganмай 16, 2018

Easily one of the highlights of our Istanbul trip, personally speaking. The history of the sultanate is fascinating enough, and take it from someone who's had no previous affiliation or interest with/ in history. The crown jewel, again personally speaking, were the artifacts belonging to the Prophets, with particular deference to the last Prophet, Muhammad, Peace be upon Him, and his companions. Really brought me home! Our tour guide, Haroon (last name unknown), was particularly magnificent in his detailed and captivating exposition of everything, down to flora, which again surprised me in how much I enjoyed it!

Ubaid M. Salimмай 16, 2018

This is truly an experience. It is best to take this destination over the course of two days at least. If you’re short on time then hire yourself a guide. You can find them hawking their services outside the Aya Sofia entrance. Well worth the price. Once inside take it slow and just soak in the atmosphere. You should really take it slow and just walk the pathways and the little books everywhere; you’ll feel transported back in time as you imagine the lifestyle lot many centuries past.

An Adventurerмай 13, 2018

It's an interesting museum in that it's a huge palace whose rooms they've converted into mini exhibits. But the admission process was SO poorly managed--for a site that's regularly visited by thousands, you'd think they'd have a better system. It was all pushing and shoving. And once you got inside, there isn't a clear pathway of how to see the museum. The rooms are sporadically on the way. It would have been way better managed if admissions was a controlled line, and each person was given a detailed brochure with the museum layout and places to see things. Furthermore, pictures weren't allowed inside the exhibits at all and this was strictly enforced by their guards everywhere. Overall, the items in the the museum were cool and the palace is beautiful, but its management need improvement.

Maria Khanапр. 16, 2018

Amazing place to visit. Lots of things you can see and experience. You need 3-4 hours for it. The queues are very long, but there is a local guy who sold us the tickets for couple of euros more so we didnt need to wait hours in the line. Wonderful lounges and summer houses with divans, kitchens where they cooked for 3000, 4000people, clocks, weapons, great views... so many things to see. Definitely worth it. We were very exhausted after it but very happy.

Lidija Liksiмай 3, 2018

A fascinating and worthwhile destination In Istanbul, the Topkapi Palace was for centuries the dwelling place of Ottoman Sultans. Topkapi Palace can be visited with the Turkey Pass, a 220-Turkish lira purchase well worth the price if you are spending more than several days in Turkey. The Museum Pass will also gain you admission to the royal harem portion of the palace, otherwise a separate and additional entrance fee. Don't miss the gardens filled with roses and the palace kitchen. In fact, for me the kitchen was the highlight of the tour. Skip the English audio tour. It contains very little information beyond what's already written on signs in English throughout the palace. Those who speak neither Turkish nor English probably would do well to rent the audio tour in their language if available.

David Baylyмай 28, 2018