Walk past ticket queues and show your mobile QR code at the entrance.
Listen to a curated audio guide in 25 different languages
A host or greeter will meet you at the meeting point.
Meet your host at the Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III for your Topkapi Palace visit. After assisted entry, explore the palace independently at your own pace with the included audio guide.
Discover Topkapi Palace’s historic courtyards, imperial buildings, collections, gardens, and viewpoints while learning about Ottoman history and palace life.
Continue to the Basilica Cistern, located nearby in Sultanahmet, and meet your guide at Roots and Roasted Cafe, where they will be waiting with a white flag.
Join a guided visit inside the Basilica Cistern and discover its ancient columns, atmospheric underground setting, Byzantine engineering, and famous Medusa head bases.
Experience two different periods of Istanbul’s history in one convenient combo: the Ottoman Empire at Topkapi Palace and Byzantine Constantinople beneath the Basilica Cistern.
Please note that Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, while the Basilica Cistern guided tour included in this combo is not operated on Fridays.
Topkapi Palace: Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III
Open in Google MapsSultan Ahmet Sultanahmet Meydanı Topkapı Sarayı, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul
Your guide will be waiting for you in front of the Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III at least 15 minutes before the tour starts, holding a a white flag with the Istanbul Tourist Pass® and istanbul.com logos. From there, your guide will take you on a short 1-minute walk to the main entrance gate (Bab-ı Hümayun) of Topkapi Palace.
Basilica Cistern: Roots and Roasted Cafe
Open in Google MapsBinbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd no:10/1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul
Meeting Point is the Roots and Roasted. The tour guide will be holding a white flag with the Istanbul Tourist Pass® logo for easy recognition.
For hosted entry at Topkapi Palace, meet your guide 15 minutes before your scheduled entry time; your guide will be holding a white flag.
Please note that the Outer Treasury, parts of the Matbah-i Amir Kitchens, and the Audience Hall are currently closed. Other sections remain open.
Security checks are mandatory at both attractions, and waiting times may increase during peak hours or busy seasons.
Visitors may be asked to show a valid ID or passport at the entrances for age or ticket verification purposes.
Each attraction allows single entry only; re-entry is not permitted once you exit the site.
