Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, Harem & Blue Mosque Tour
Recommended by 94% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace are two of the city’s unmissable cultural and historic sites. Focusing on these two places will allow you to concentrate on their beauty and unique histories at leisure, without rushing on to other sites. Save time by skipping the ticket line in Topkapı Palace with priority access, definitely a bonus whether it’s your first time in Istanbul or you’re a repeat visitor.
- Receive personalized attention on a small-group tour
- As this is a walking tour, you can explore at an unhurried pace
- See Istanbul’ two of most in-demand attractions, all in half day
- Enjoy a memorable trip
What's Included
- Small Group
- Professional Guide
- Topkapi Palace and Harem entry ticket (*if all-inclusive option selected)
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratitudes
- Admission Fee - Topkapi Palace€55.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Foodie-ist Cafe and BrasserieAlemdar, Muhterem Efendi Sk. No:13 Zemin kat, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Meet your guide outside 'FOODIE-IST CAFE AND BRASSERIE,' just a 2-minute walk from the (T1) Sultanahmet tram stop. Your guide, easily identifiable by their tour guide badge, will be waiting for you at the cafe entrance.
End point
- Topkapı PalaceCankurtaran, Topkapı Sarayı, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
The tour ends in the last courtyard of the palace. After the guided tour, guests can continue visiting the large exhibition halls.
Itinerary
1
Blue Mosque
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
TopkapI Palace
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Sogukcesme Sokak (Pass By)
3
Sultanahmet Square
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Sultanahmet District
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Modest clothing should be preferred when visiting the Blue Mosque. Shorts for men or women should be below the knee. Women cover their heads and exposed shoulders with a scarf or shawl, skirt should be below the knee. For those who do not have suitable clothes, stands are available at the entrance. Overalls and headscarves are provided for free of charge.
- IF ALL INCLUSIVE OPTION IS NOT SELECTED: Entrance to Topkapı Palace (55 EUR per person) is not included in the tour price. Once you pay your entrance fee (cash in Turkish Lira) to your tour guide, you will have the privilege of skipping the ticket queue. Please take this into consideration and have the entrance fee ready.
- ⚠️ Please arrive at least 5 minutes before the activity starts as finding a taxi and traffic congestion are always a problem.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 88 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Kai, Apr 2026
The guide Erol Ütgün was amazing, very friendly, very knowledgeable and took the time to answer all our questions. The tour was more like walking with a friend, filled with laughter and no rush.
Keith_F, Feb 2026
My guide, Erol Ütgün, was exceedingly knowledgeable and attentive. I felt like a learnt so much, and the 3.5 hours we were together flew by. Really enjoyable tour, I would recommend.
karymjoaquim, Nov 2025
Great experience. Guide was very knowledgeable and patient.
The itinerary was good, not too long, and, fortunately, we were the only ones in the tour.
Charles_K, Nov 2025
It was very difficult to find the rendezvous point due to Istanbul's confusing streets and alleys. We had to get help from numerous locals, in fact one of whom called our guide and escorted us to the meeting spot.
Evette_W, Oct 2025
Our tour guide was 30 minutes late. It was very crowded so hard to see everything. She was a good guide except for being late.
Susan_T, Sep 2025
Our tour guide Kim was a wealth of information not just on the Palace and the Mosque but of the whole history of Istanbul and Turkey. We were the only ones who signed up for this tour and were so surprised that they did not cancel. So we actually had a private tour. Highly recommend this tour because Kim led us through all the buildings and especially knew what was not to be missed. We just followed along without any worries about where to go. Would highly recommend this tour. Be prepared for a lot of walking and a lot of steps.
Tarek_F, Jun 2025
Our guide was nice but the tour ended up being 3 hours, not 4 and it didn’t feel worth the cost. That said, depending on the included admission fee and the fact that you skip the line, maybe that’s worth it. For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Danielle_E, Jun 2025
Kim was an amazing guide. We really enjoyed our time with her. She was very knowledgeable. The Palace is a must see!
Antonio_S, May 2025
Huseyin was a wonderfully knowledgeable tour guide. He went out of his way to help with everything from flight issues to restaurant recommendations. His expertise on the subject matter was impressive, and he was also incredibly personable and easy to talk to.
Carol_C, Apr 2025
Not to be missed , the private guide was well worth the money, she was very well informed & a credit to the company
Hilary_L, Mar 2025
Erol Utgun was an exceptional guide. His historical knowledge as well as information about the two sites was excellent. We enjoyed his company and would definitely use him again if we return to Istanbul.
rama_k, Dec 2024
Great trip and guide Tolga was helpful and informative. The art and architecture are amazing and unmissable. The treasury collection is an absolute WOW!
Warwick_D, Nov 2024
Honestly this tour would be a 5 stars if the guide wasn’t 40 min. late at the starting point. I think it was just a one off so I would totally recommend the tour. Guide was great.
Julie_H, Nov 2024
Kim our tour guide was knowledgeable and we learned a lot about Istanbul and Turkey that we did not know . We have trouble walking so she was very accommodating to are needs . We are so glad we took the tour instead of doing it on our own
Beau_S, Oct 2024
Tour started 15 minutes late while we waited for one guest who never showed & a family who had ordered food 5 minutes before it was meant to start, our late departure meant we ended up with barely ten minutes at the Mosque
Then two ladies decided they would join the Tour unpaid and uninvited. They were asking questions which were being answered for half an hour or so. This has never happened on a Paid Tour I have taken before. Its a shame because the guide was quite good at her job otherwise and the attractions quite interesting.
Ashley_R, Oct 2024
We loved our guide Erol. He went over all the highlights and then took time to answer any questions we had. He was very informative about the history of the Mosque and the Palace. This was a great tour and well worth the money.
Emanuela_S, Oct 2024
Knowledge tour guide we had some hiccups with booking for some participants but she handle the situation professionally. We enjoyed the Topkapi palace tour and keep Viator option for future experiences.
jschnitzer, Oct 2024
Ozturk or Ozzy was an excellent guide. He's not just very knowledgeable about Topkapi and the Blue Mosque, but also has a sense of humor. No matter how many questions I asked, he would help me through my deficits.
Topkapi is a remarkable place....and I feel much better informed now that Ozzy has walked me through all aspect of the complex.
I was especially fortunate to be the only one signed up that day. Even though it wasn't a "private" tour, it sure felt like one. It was nice skipping all the lines (except the Jewels).
I was in Turkiye almost a month and this tour was a very fitting end to a memorable experience.
Asad_Z, Oct 2024
Guide was very knowledgeable and very courteous! The depth of knowledge was commendable. We would definitely recommend him and the tour to my friends.
Gregory_J, Sep 2024
The tour was excellent and well worth doing. Our guide Keymit was perfect - very knowledgeable and so friendly, she made the day very memorable. Everything was explained perfectly well and she made sure the group’s needs were met from start to finish, including keeping a young teen interested and engaged. It felt more like walking around with a new friend than a regular tour guide experience. Five stars!
Daniel_M, Sep 2024
The palace is huge, with impressive, courtyards, buildings, tiles, and artifacts.
Views are amazing, too.
belkisa_c, Sep 2024
I booked private guide with Öztürk. He was more than amazing 🤩 his knowledge and passion about his country is incredible. I would highly recommend everyone to book him (Öztürk) you must experience Istanbul with this gentleman! Thank you 😀🙏
James_D, Aug 2024
Great tour well-timed for entry into both the mosque and the palace. Our guide was wonderful and she explained the layout of the mosque and the history of both facilities. Really great tour!
Christine_P, Aug 2024
What a majestic exploration. I like this tour. It was the ideal pacing I wanted. This was a rebooking as my previous one for that day was cancelled because of some political protests. I’m glad I changed it because we were not rushed and was given enough time to explore the site (Topkapi Palace) on our own. The Harem part was really interesting.
The Blue Mosque was splendid and we were able to get in before they close it at noon.
Our Tour Guide was very engaging and very knowledgeable. She’s a great storyteller.
Janeen_F, Jun 2024
The blue tiles in the mosque were beautiful and well preserved. Must wear a scarf even if you are wearing a hat. The Palace is huge and each room has an interesting story. Not to be missed.
Olga_K, May 2024
Out guide was terrible. She did not speak English well and did not put much effort to make her guiding interesting and I formative! We were left to look at all exhibits by ourselves, which we could've done with out any guide. T
Do not use this agency!
Andi_A, May 2024
It was okay. We didn't skip the line and still had to wait. Also, we thought this tour had tickets included but had to pay 1500 TL upon arrivial. I was definitely sure I read that it was included when I booked this tour
Albert_Y, May 2024
Our tour guide was professional, personable and gave us a great tour of Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Highly recommend!
EDward_R, May 2024
The guide was very knowledgeable and took photos of us at a few special spots. We got through most of the topaki palace grounds and were able to stay afterward to see a few more rooms. The timing was great as we got through before the bigger midday crowds
Shay_H, Apr 2024
Elif was a fantastic guide, full of information and facts. She really helped us enjoy our visit to Topaki palace and the Blue mosque.
From $65.76
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Istanbul: Topkapi Palace, Harem & Blue Mosque Tour
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