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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 07 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Dana Facaros

In 1453, Mehmet the Conqueror found the old Byzantine Great Palace uninhabitable, so he built a new one – the opulent Topkapi Palace – which set the style and remained the seat of power for centuries.

Other more flamboyant Sultans followed suit, no expense spared, in building their own palaces and monuments. The result was a legacy of 11 extravagant palaces, reaching a dizzying level of crystal chandelier splendour in the Dolmabahce Palace. Some of the palaces are summer houses and mansions, one (the Ciragan Palace) is now a 5-star hotel, but many are retained as museums.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price from: £2
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around
Waterfront palace flanked by trees on a sunny day
Experience

Beylerbeyi Palace

Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey

Built in 1865 by Sultan Abdulaziz (1830–1876) as a summer residence and to entertain guests – Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and French Emperor Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie, both visited. Today, the main structure and harem sections are open to visitors.

Best for ages: 18+ | £3

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Rectangular waterfront palace with gate leading directly onto water
Experience

Kucuksu Palace

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey

On the lesser-explored Asian side of Istanbul, Kucuksu is petite but lavishly furnished, with crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces and Persian rugs. It’s open to the public as a museum.

Best for ages: 18+ | £1

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Ruins of former palace
Experience

Tekfur Palace

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey

One of the city’s oldest and best-preserved Byzantine palaces, the Tekfur Palace aka ‘Palace of the Porphyrogenitus’ now lies abandoned, with ruins for visitors to explore.

Best for ages: 18+ | £2

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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Guided Istanbul Tour: Bosphorus Cruise with Dolmabahce Palace Ticket

Guided Istanbul Tour: Bosphorus Cruise with Dolmabahce Palace Ticket

Istanbul

Explore the Dolmabahçe Palace and get caught up in the royal past of Ottoman Empire. With this guided tour, visit the palace without waiting...

€60 | Rating 4.1 / 5 [20 ratings]

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Istanbul Small-Group Tour Including Dolmabahce Palace and Luxury Transport

Istanbul Small-Group Tour Including Dolmabahce Palace and Luxury Transport

Istanbul

Discover Istanbul’s artistic and historical gems on a half-day city tour with luxury transport by Mercedes minivan included! With a local gu...

$70 | Rating 4.76 / 5 [17 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Topkapi Palace and Harem guided tour with skip-the-line tickets

Topkapi Palace and Harem guided tour with skip-the-line tickets

Istanbul

Discover the history and myths of Ottoman Istanbul with a small-group guided tour from an expert guide Get priority admission tickets and a...

€79 | Rating 4.81 / 5 [38 ratings]

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Topkapi Palace & Surroundings Private Tour With Locals

Topkapi Palace & Surroundings Private Tour With Locals

Istanbul

There's plenty to see inside and outside of the Topkapi Palace. And with a skip the line ticket, you're set to enjoy this attraction to the ...

€103 | Rating 4.33 / 5 [6 ratings]

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Four Seasons Istanbul Sultanahmet

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.3 miles]

Superbly staffed, relaxing oasis in an unbeatable location – the luxury choice in central Sultanahmet.

Official star rating:

Sirkeci Mansion Hotel

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.5 miles]

Convenient for the major sights and plugged into Turkish culture, this charming, historic hotel is ideal for families and first-timers.  

Official star rating:

Yasmak Sultan Hotel

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.6 miles]

Close to Istanbul’s top sights, this friendly hotel with a spa and rooftop restaurant is a dream for first-time visitors. And good value too.

Official star rating:

Hotel Ibrahim Pasha

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.8 miles]

This stylish, friendly and affordable boutique hotel is in sights-packed Sultanahmet, perfect for first-time visitors.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Istanbul

Marmara Region, Turkey

Exotic, inexhaustible and dynamic – East meets West head-on in this mesmerising city metropolis, famed for its extraordinarily rich history, superb food and shopping, and mind-blowingly magnificent, over-sized mosques.

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Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Hagia Sophia

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.3 miles]

A masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, this world-renowned 6th-century marvel encapsulates the essence of the lost Ottoman Empire. Initially a cathedral, it’s now a museum as well as a functioning mosque – and a must-see in Istanbul.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Blue Mosque

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.5 miles]

The greatest of Istanbul’s Ottoman mosques, beautifully decorated with thousands of handmade ceramic tiles, the Blue Mosque combines Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic architecture.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..

Mosaic of man's face
Experience

Great Palace Mosaic Museum

Istanbul , Marmara Region , Turkey[1.5 miles]

Lovely, lively 5th and 6th-century AD mosaics depicting nature, animals and people from the palace of the first Byzantine Emperors.

Best for ages: 18+ | £2

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Exterior of white museum with trees lining the entrance
Experience

Museum of Turkish Islamic Arts

Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[1.7 miles]

One of the world’s finest collections of Islamic-influenced glassware, rugs, ceramics, metal work and ethnographic items.

Best for ages: 18+ | £4

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Islamic man with traditional dress smoking shisha, drinking tea
Experience

Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[2.3 miles]

Super authentic spot near the Grand Bazaar where you can smoke nargile (a water pipe or hookah) and drink tea in the courtyard of a mosque from 1709.

Best for ages: 18+ | £5

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View down a covered market with tourists and locals shopping at stalls
Experience

Kadikoy Market

Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[3.1 miles]

Located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, Kadikoy Market is Istanbul’s foodie central, a gastro-riot of local produce including seafood, fruit and vegetable stalls, herbs, spices and cheeses.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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