Visit Topkapi Palace | Timings, Location, Tips, Nearby & More

• While there is no strict dress code while visiting Topkapi Palace, shorts, skirts, and sleeveless or strapless clothing are not allowed inside the Sacred Relics room. 
• It is also advisable to dress modestly, particularly when visiting the Imperial Harem.
• Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees is recommended when you visit Topkapi Palace. 
• This is especially useful if you’re planning to visit Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque, both active places of worship, on the same day as your Topkapi Palace visit.

Wheelchair accessibility: The Topkapi Palace complex is partially accessible to wheelchairs or strollers.

• The main entrance, pathways, courtyards, and some buildings are accessible by wheelchair.
• However, many of the structures within the palace complex are not navigable by wheelchair due to their historic layout and construction.
• Some of the accessible buildings may also have elevated marble slabs at the threshold/entryway, making them challenging to navigate. 

Note: Visitors with disabilities can enter the palace free of charge

Pets: Pets, including service animals, are not allowed within the Topkapi Palace premises.

• Audio guides: Audio guides are available in various languages, including English, Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.
• Coffee shop: The Topkapi Cafe is located next to the Imperial Gate (Bab-ı Hümayun), where you can stop for coffee and light snacks.
• Restrooms: These are located near the main entrance of the palace complex, in the first courtyard.
• Shop: You can buy Topkapi Palace souvenirs, merchandise, and memorabilia at the museum shop, located in the first courtyard near the main entrance.

• Arrive at the palace early on the day of your visit. Security queues usually get longer as the day progresses, particularly during the peak season.
• Entry is free for children below the age of 6 years, Turkish nationals below the age of 18, and visitors with disabilities. International students aged 12–24 years can enjoy discounted entry with a valid student ID card.
• Photography and video filming are not permitted inside most of the palace buildings. However, you’re free to take pictures and videos in the courtyards.
• It is highly recommended that you familiarise yourself with the layout of the complex with a map before your visit. While there are information boards throughout the premises, the complex is vast, and it’s best to note the locations of the attractions within that you want to explore.
• Explore the Harem section first for a quieter experience. It is usually less crowded as it requires an additional ticket, and most people tour the other buildings first before visiting it.
• Don’t miss seeing the Baghdad Pavilion in the fourth courtyard, with its stunning decor and intricate Iznik tilework. It also offers magnificent views of the Golden Horn, the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus Strait, and across the water to the Asian side.
• Once you exit the palace, re-entry is not possible on the same ticket.

• Topkapi Cafe: If you want to grab a quick snack and something to drink before or after your palace visit, head to the on-site Topkapi Cafe near the Imperial Gate. It’s a great spot to relax and have some Turkish coffee in the historic surroundings.
• Fuego Cafe & Restaurant: Fuego cafe and restaurant is known for its fusion of Mediterranean and Turkish cuisines as well as their kind wait staff. The grilled eggplant with lamb, Turkish salsa, and vegetarian vegan moussaka here are crowd favourites.
• Carlos Terrace Restaurant: A highly recommended dining spot, Carlos Terrace offers excellent seafood with popular dishes like calamari, mixed fish platter, and Iskendar kebab. Apart from its attentive service and friendly staff, this eatery is also known for its gorgeous views: the Blue Mosque on one side and the Golden Horn and the Marmara Sea on the other. 
• Matbah Restaurant: Head to Matbah Restaurant for authentic Turkish-Ottoman cuisine, with dishes prepared from centuries-old traditional recipes. Their lamb shank, veal kebab with herbs, hummus, and sailor's roll with honey are favourites with diners.

• Budget stays: Sarnıç Hotel, Sultan House Hotel, Sultanahmet Hotel Han 
• Mid-range hotels: Sirkeci Mansion Hotel, Armada Hotel, Istanbul, Radisson Hotel Istanbul Sultanahmet
• Luxury stays: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet, Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Mula Hotel

• Hagia Sophia: Built in the 6th century AD, the Hagia Sophia has been a church, a mosque, a museum, and is now a mosque again. With its grand dome, stunning mosaics, and Islamic inscriptions, its architecture reflects a fusion of Byzantine and Ottoman styles. It has stood as the symbol of Istanbul's heritage for nearly 1,500 years. 
• Blue Mosque: The Blue Mosque, officially called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, is named after the thousands of stunning blue Iznik tiles that decorate its interiors. With its large domes and six graceful minarets, it embodies the elegance of Ottoman architecture.
• Basilica Cistern: The 6th-century Basilica Cistern served as a source of water for the Byzantine-era Great Palace of Constantinople. Explore this ancient underground reservoir with its atmospheric lighting and fascinating features like the Weeping Column and Medusa’s Heads.
• Galata Tower: The medieval Galata Tower has served many purposes, including a surveillance tower, prison, lighthouse, and now a museum. Its observation deck offers stunning bird’s eye views of the city.