Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Topkapi Palace
Photos & Highlights
- Explore daily life and intrigue in the Ottoman court including the famous Harem
- Led by an Ottoman scholar
Select a date
Tour Description
Topkapi Palace was the epicenter of royal intrigue, home to scheming concubines, all-powerful sultans, and occasional fratricide. Set strategically at the mouth of the Golden Horn, the imperial palace illustrates the inner workings of the Ottoman Empire. On this 3-hour Topkapi Palace Tour, we'll join a local historian for an in-depth exploration of the building's vast architectural and political history.
The Palace Of A Vast Empire
In its prime, the Ottoman Empire stretched from Yemen to Croatia to Iran. The conquest of Istanbul in the 15th century announced Ottoman dominance. This tour uncovers the links between the empire's history and Topkapi Palace, its beating heart. Exploring the intricate rooms of the palace, we will discover the machinations of court life and the broad power of the sultans. We will also visit the Harem, one of the palace's most celebrated sites, designed by renowned Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan.
Topkapi Palace Tour
Topkapi Palace is unlike other European palaces—the design is pure Ottoman, with the vast open layout reflecting the needs of the Ottoman court. The opulent blue tiles of the Harem and inner rooms, the gilded details on walls, and the sweeping views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn emphasize the grandeur of the Empire, while hiding the many stories of intrigue and violence that happened here. From the Harem wives whose only path to power was to give birth to the future Sultan, to the eunuch guards imprisoned in the Harem, to the artisans and soldiers from all corners of the empire, many people inhabited many worlds within this one complex.
Discover Ottoman History
Depending on the expert’s area of expertise and the interests of the group, the focus of the walk could tend toward the architecture and symbolism of the complex, the political history of the Ottomans, or daily life in the court. Regardless of the chosen course—and, often, we pursue many—the palace itself serves as the anchor and text for this riveting exploration of Ottoman history.
Is there a dress code for your tours in Istanbul?
The sites visited on this tour are considered holy places. Shoulders and knees must be covered. Dresses and shorts must be below knee level, and shoulders must be covered (zip-on jackets or scarves are acceptable). We recommend bringing along scarves or shawls to be able to cover those body parts.
Are tickets to the Topkapi Palace included in the tour price?
Yes, you are prepaid for the tour and the tickets. Your guide will purchase the correct ticket on-site for you.
We are traveling with our kids. Is this tour the right choice for us? If you are traveling with kids between the ages of 6 and 12, we recommend you check out our Topkapi Palace Tour for Kids.
Are tickets to the Topkapi Palace included in the tour price?
Yes, you are prepaid for the tour and the tickets. Your guide will purchase the correct ticket on-site for you.
We are traveling with our kids. Is this tour the right choice for us? If you are traveling with kids between the ages of 6 and 12, we recommend you check out our Topkapi Palace Tour for Kids.
Is this tour accessible for people in wheelchairs? Some areas of the palace are accessible with a wheelchair, and the palace has a toilet accessible for disabled visitors. The Portrait Chamber is not accessible by wheelchair, but the Harem is accessible. The palace does not have wheelchairs available to rent; you will have to bring your own.
Can we add a car service to drive us from our hotel to the start of the tour?
Yes, absolutely. You may add a car service directly at checkout, or simply send us an email, and we will be happy to arrange it for you. Please note that due to new regulations at the Port of Istanbul, we are unfortunately unable to offer pick-up services directly from the port. However, if your hotel is located within Istanbul, we will be very happy to accommodate your transfer needs and ensure a smooth start to your tour.
Can we add a car service to drive us from our hotel to the start of the tour?
Yes, absolutely. You may add a car service directly at checkout, or simply send us an email, and we will be happy to arrange it for you. Please note that due to new regulations at the Port of Istanbul, we are unfortunately unable to offer pick-up services directly from the port. However, if your hotel is located within Istanbul, we will be very happy to accommodate your transfer needs and ensure a smooth start to your tour.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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168 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Although Melike knew a lot about the palace, she seemed irritated by some of our questions and often said - "Wait! We'll talk about that later." That felt off-putting. And we sometimes felt she disdained us. For those of us really interested already, her tour was engaging but she didn't work very hard to make it interesting for all of us.
Mary anne
Reviewed on:
Jul 7, 2014
Everything worked. No problems meeting our docent, Ebru, and she was so good. We learned a lot about Turkish history -- past and current and she told us interesting stories and answered all our questions.
Bonnie
Reviewed on:
May 23, 2014
The docent had poor people engagement skills, to the point I felt he was rude and disinterested in engaging with the group. He basically was a human audio tour guide. I was disappointed but more embarrassed for other people on the tour who tried to engage with him for questions and were dismissed so we could move on to the next number on our audio guide. Apologies for my frankness however this was not a context experience, not because the docent doesn't have knowledge but because he was unable to tell the story in a manner that encouraged discussion. One of the great things about context tours is the ability to engage with docents on many levels of discussion regarding the subject matter and things related to it.
Emma
Reviewed on:
May 23, 2014
