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Dolmabahce Palace vs Rumeli Fortress

Both Dolmabahce Palace and Rumeli Fortress are highly recommended by professional travelers. On balance, Dolmabahce Palace is the choice of most reviewers compared to Rumeli Fortress. Dolmabahce Palace ranks #7 in Istanbul with endorsements from 7 reviewers such as Concierge, Lonely Planet and Fodor's.

Dolmabahce Palace
Dolmabahce Palace
9 / 10
Dolmabahce Besiktas Istanbul, Istanbul 34357, Turkey
From $0 /night
Fodor's Fodor's
"The name Dolmabahçe means "filled-in garden," from the fact that Sultan Ahmet I (ruled 1603–17) had an imperial garden planted here on land reclaimed from the sea." Full review
Concierge Concierge
"Often overlooked by visitors, this is one of Istanbul's most lavish and extravagant attractions."
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"These days it’s fashionable for architects and critics influenced by the less-is-more aesthetic of the Bauhaus masters to sneer at buildings such as Dolmabahçe." Full review
Let's Go Let's Go
"It has 285 rooms, 68 toilets, 44 halls, and six hamams." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
2 Stars
"Generously deployed pomp and riches... provide a certain cohesion, in which it's possible to conjure up the decadent life of a sultan." Full review
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Rumeli Fortress
Rumeli Fortress
8 / 10
Tarabya Yenikoy Cad., Istanbul, Turkey
From $0 /night
Fodor's Fodor's
"Built on a hill overlooking the water, Rumeli Hisarı is the best preserved of all the fortresses on the Bosphorus and well worth a visit." Full review
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"Just before the Fatih Bridge are the majestic structures of Rumeli Hisarı and Anadolu Hisarı (Fortress of Anatolia)." Full review
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
"In the stranglehold that eventually throttled Constantinople in 1453, the Rumeli Hisar (castle) served as the lynch pin." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
1 Star
"The towers and crenellated walls of the imposing ramparts of the Rumeli Hisari (1452) can be seen on the European shore of the Bosphorus, resembling a long stone snake." Full review
Time Out Time Out
"Visitors can explore the many towers of the fortress and enjoy a spectacular view of the Bosphorus and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge." Full review
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