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Topkapi PalacevsBasilica Cistern
Both Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern are rated very highly by professional reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Topkapi Palace ranks significantly better than Basilica Cistern. Topkapi Palace comes in at #1 in Istanbul with praise from 8 reviews including Concierge, Let's Go and Frommer's.
Topkapi Palace
Fodor's
Concierge
Lonely Planet
Let's Go
Michelin Guide
Afar Magazine
Time Out
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
Independent Show All Reviews
Babıhümayun Caddesi , Istanbul, Turkey
From $0/night
Fodor's "Few other royal residences match this hilltop compound when it comes to mystery, intrigue, and the lavish intricacies of court life." Full review
Concierge "If you're stuck for time, limit yourself to the main palace and the harem, the most intimate and personal rooms used by the sultans and their many, many women."
i
Avoid going on weekends or during peak periods of the day so you miss the busloads of people who move in flocks around the grounds in a veritable babel of chattering languages.
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"This opulent palace complex is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's royal residences put together." Full review
Let's Go "The views are luxurious, the buildings overwhelmingly crafted, and the treasures outrageous. " Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"In the harem of Topkapi Palace visitors are plunged into a mythical Orient of a thousand and one treasures and as many fantasies." Full review
i
Visit the unmissable Treasury and its masterpiece: a 250kg solid gold throne encrusted with diamonds and emeralds.
Afar Magazine "Topkapi Palace was where the Sultans lived for most of their 600 year rule over the Ottoman Empire." Full review
i
If you go, don't miss the exquisite collection of jewels in the Treasury.
Time Out "Its extensive rooms, chamber houses and fascinating objects, including the 86-carat Spoonmaker’s Diamond, make the museum a must-see... it is a also home to a rotating cast of temporary exhibitions." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Mehmet the Conqueror moved into Topkapi Palace—a complex of pavilions, kiosks, kitchens, barracks, and sleeping quarters arranged around a vast courtyard and set on the Seraglio peninsula—in 1453" Full review
i
Don't miss the spectacular view of the Bosporus and European Istanbul from the tip of the peninsula.
Travel + Leisure "Construction on Topkapi Palace began in 1453, when the Ottomans took Constantinople...the Harem requires an additional ticket, but it's worth it, with its magnificent blue-tiled walls and chambers."
Istanbul Travel Guide
August 16, 2021
Independent "This sprawling complex was the residence of the Ottoman sultans for around 400 years before the extravagant European-inspired Dolmabahçe Palace took over in the 19th century."
Basilica Cistern Fodor's Lonely Planet Travel + Leisure Let's Go Time Out Afar Magazine Michelin Guide Travel + Leisure
Imran Oktem Cad. No:4 D:5 Sultanahmet, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey
From $0/night
Fodor's "A journey through this ancient underground waterway takes you along dimly lit walkways that weave around 336 marble columns rising 26 feet to support Byzantine arches and domes." Full review
i
Come early to avoid the long lines and have a more peaceful visit.
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"When those Byzantine emperors built something, they certainly did it properly!" Full review
Travel + Leisure "Eighty-two feet below Istanbul is a 450-foot-long, 213-foot-wide former royal reservoir." Full review
Let's Go "Built more than 1400 years ago under the direction of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian—the same guy responsible for the Hagia Sophia—this underground cistern once stored water for the whole city." Full review
Time Out "One of Istanbul's most intriguing attractions." Full review
Afar Magazine "A city as ancient as Istanbul has many layers of history, and you’ll have to go below the surface to see the Basilica Cistern, the largest of the underground cisterns." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"What the Ottomans called Yerebatan Sarayi (Sunken Palace) is in fact a 6C Byzantine underground cistern that supplied water to the palace of Emperor Justinian." Full review
Travel + Leisure "The primary water reservoir for Constantinople, the Basilica Cistern is cathedral-esque and a sight to see...it is supported by 336 columns and can hold up to 17.5 million gallons of water."
25 Best Things to Do in Istanbul
September 28, 2023
