,url-https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripexpert.com%2Fimages%2Fmarker-fade%402x.png(28.983381,41.01154)/28.98010164499283,41.00848202832818,13.707737167711427/1280x214@2x?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoidHJpcGV4cGVydHdlYiIsImEiOiJja2Fud3l2MDcwbXZ0MndyeGF3eGI3ZWhzIn0.zLqNa1RECyZZadF8zfQM5w)
Blue MosquevsTopkapi Palace
Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace are both recommended by writers. On balance, Topkapi Palace ranks slightly higher than Blue Mosque. Topkapi Palace is ranked #1 in Istanbul with recommendations from 9 reviewers such as Frommer's, Concierge and Afar Magazine.
Blue Mosque
Frommer's
Lonely Planet
Fodor's
Let's Go
Michelin Guide
Afar Magazine
Time Out
Travel + Leisure
Sultanahmet, Istanbul 222, Turkey
From $0/night
Frommer's "This grand bubble of masonry, one of the great and defining features of Istanbul's skyline, was constructed between 1609 and 1617 by Sultan Ahmet I." Full review
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"With his eponymously named mosque, Sultan Ahmet I (r1603–17) set out to build a monument that would rival and even surpass the nearby Aya Sofya in grandeur and beauty." Full review
Fodor's "Only after you enter the Blue Mosque do you understand the name... this mosque feels gloriously airy and full of light." Full review
Let's Go "Intricately decorated with the blue Iznik porcelain tiles responsible for the mosque’s name, this mosque feels a bit like being inside a colossal blue china teapot." Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"This jewel of the 17C has retained its vocation as a place of worship... the over-riding effect here is one of grace and solemnity." Full review
Afar Magazine "Adorned with over 20,000 blue hand-crafted Iznik tiles, stained-glass windows and the golden brushstrokes of a 17th-century calligrapher, the Blue Mosque is the legacy of Sultan Ahmet I (1590-1617)." Full review
Time Out "Situated opposite the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque is still a functional mosque and visiting is forbidden during prayer times." Full review
Travel + Leisure "One of the most recognizable landmarks in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque is a beacon in the city skyline. It is known for its gorgeous domes and six soaring minaret towers."
25 Best Things to Do in Istanbul
September 28, 2023
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."
