Plan Your Visit to Topkapi Palace Museum
Learn about the Opening Hours, Best Visiting Time, Directions, & More
Immerse yourself in four centuries of Ottoman history, art, architecture and culture.
Topkapi Palace Museum, the former center of Ottoman government, education and art, as well as the sultan’s official residence, welcomes its visitors in one of the oldest parts of Istanbul. With its historic buildings, collections and nearly 300,000 archive documents, the Topkapi Palace is now one of the largest museum-palaces in the world.
We are looking forward to your visit.
The palace is open daily except Tuesdays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
CLOSED
Tuesday
Topkapi Palace Opening Hours
Opening Times: The palace is open from Wednesdays to Mondays from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Last Admission: Last entry is 1 hour before closure. The ticket office closes at 5:00 PM.
Closed Days: Topkapi Palace is closed every Tuesday, New Year’s Day, 1st Day of Ramadan Bayram and 1st Day of The Feast of the Sacrifice.
Best Visiting Time on Weekends:
Before 11:00 AM and after 4:00 PM
Best Visiting Time during Weekdays:
Before 10:00 AM and after 2:00 PM
Best Time to Visit Topkapi Palace Museum
The best time to visit the Topkapi Palace Museum is Fridays, whether it's in the morning or afternoon. However, noon is the busiest time of the day, keep that in mind.
Mondays and Thursdays are also suitable for a quiet visit, but before 11:00 AM or in the afternoon after 2:00 PM.
Topkapi Palace is generally most crowded on Wednesday and Saturdays, regardless of the time of day. If you choose to go on one of these days, either visit the palace directly at opening time or after 4:00 PM.
Sundays are also generally crowded at the palace. If you want to visit the palace on that day, you should avoid the peak times from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and go either early in the morning or in the evening.
How to Get to Topkapi Palace Museum: Map & Directions
From Sultanahmet: Topkapi Palace is located on the Historical Peninsula, in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of the Fatih district, just a 5-minute walk from Sultanahmet Square.
From Taksim: The easiest way to get from Taksim Square to Topkapi Palace is to take the funicular F1 to Kabataş. At Kabataş Station, transfer to the tram T1 and go 7 stops to Sultanahmet Station. From there, it is just a few of minutes to the palace.
From Kadiköy: It is best to take the ferry from Kadiköy to Karaköy. From there, walk 4 minutes to Karakaöy Tram Station, where you get on the T1 Tram and go 4 stops to Sultanahmet. Topkapi Palace is only 650 meters from the stop.
Topkapi Palace Online Tickets:
Top 2 Bestseller Topkapi Palace Tickets
Avoid long waiting lines and enter the 15th-century palace of Topkapı at ease with this skip-the-line ticket. Spend time exploring Istanbul’s most celebrated attraction, and explore the lavish collections of Ottoman Turkey’s famed sultans. + more details
Avoid long waiting lines and enter the 15th-century palace of Topkapı at ease with this skip-the-line ticket. Spend time exploring Istanbul’s most celebrated attraction, and explore the lavish collections of Ottoman Turkey’s famed sultans. + more details
Most Selling Topkapi Palace Guided Tours
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Best Value Combo Pass
The MegaPass is covering all top museums in Istanbul like Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace & Harem, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahce Palace. Besides these top attractions you enjoy a Bosphorus Cruise, Blue Mosque tour and you can benefit of the Hop On Hop Off Bus, Asian Side walking tour. + more details
Most Preferred Combo Tours
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Maximize savings with this 4-in-1 combo tickets & tours. Explore Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque with an expert guide! + more details