A top sight in Istanbul. I liked the walk through that you do through the main building. There…read moreare no photos allowed but it's a huge palace like something you would see in Europe. Outside there are some beautiful views of the coast and city and lovely gardens to walk through. I bought my tickets that day it wasn't too long in the morning. Like any other place, you have to go through security and another line for tickets and then another to enter. It was my favorite place to visit. In the spring the tulips were nice.

This is a must-see in Istanbul!…read more LOCATION It's in a different area than the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia so it takes a bit of a tram ride, but it's worth it. TIMING We were not prepared for the sheer size of this palace. Holy COW. We came midday with a few other things to do in the area, and could have left much more time to go slower but still very much enjoyed spending ~2 hours here. This palace is soooo huge, and they have different areas throughout the buildings with exhibitions and displays. See as many as you can! I recommend starting on the right side and working back and around from there. ATTRACTIONS Most of the attraction is the sheer magnificence of the interior decor and design in the palace: chandeliers, stunning rooms and spaces, and lots of art. NO PICS?!? The biggest bummer and reason for docking a star: NO PHOTOS?! You're telling me you're gonna show me the most magnificent castle and I can't take a pic?! That was a huge bummer. You can be sneaky but they do have guards everywhere. What's the harm in a little no-flash memory of the space? AMENITIES They have a cafe and a restaurant onsite, as well as restrooms and some gardens with benches to relax. You'll need it from walking around the massive palace!

Absolutely stunning! Hagia Sofia, I was not familiar with your game. It was so interesting to see…read morehow much Christian influence and history is here, which I had no idea about. Our ticketing and entrance process was smooth, though busy - expect lines if you don't go right away in the morning or near closing. Wear clothes that cover your shoulders, chest and knees - and a scarf for covering your head for ladies. They do have some there if you need one. The space is huge! Down on the main floor is just for practicing Muslims to pray, so the space accessible to guests in the higher area. They did have a few spots where you can get audio info, but it was pretty limited info and more of a description of what you're seeing. The ticket covered admission to the museum (not attached, another building) that was VERY helpful and informative! We did that second but wished we'd done it first. Such a stunning space with a ton of history. An absolute must in Istanbul!

This is an Orthodox Church that convert to mosque. This may be happen during Ottoman era in 1453…read more This history site is classified as museum and it is classified as Ayasofya Cami. You need a ticket to visit for non Muslim visitors. You can buy the combo ticket with Hagia Sophia museum or building visit along. Price is not cheap. The interior can spot some mosaic tile with orthodox figures. The ticket only allows second floor visit. The wall is kind of cover up with huge platt. You won't see the wall painting. However you can see how big is the dome. Visit take you one hours.

This is a must see attraction…read more Really pointless to review it since it is common knowledge how impressive it is.

Spectacular palace that takes hours to explore. We had two hours here, which is not nearly enough…read more We went through as part of a Viator tour group, which was a mistake. Viator is generally great, but this group consisted of like 60 people. Entering one by one, and validating each ticket by the guide took SO long. We spent most of the time doing this rather than explore the site itself. I recommend going through a smaller tour group. The guide went through just a few general comments and we were on our own to explore. Once inside, there's an option for a long and short tour. We opted for the latter because we were running out of time. The rush didn't give the museum justice. The palace had rooms that showed the history of life (some rather tough) at the time. The gardens and view of the city were amazing. Allow plenty of time.

Basilica Cistern is so stunning! I had NO idea what to expect, but had heard this was a must-see in…read moreIstanbul. LOCATION It has a prime location right in the square near Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque. It's underground so you won't see much above ground/a huge building, but you'll see the line forming. PRICE Tickets are NOT cheap at around 30 euro, but for us, it was a highlight so was worth it. The line was quite scary, but it moved rather quickly! You can also buy skip the line tickets if you've got a busy day. HISTORY This is a large underground water resovoir with huge vaulted ceilings and hundreds of Roman-style columns. It still holds a bit of water inside, and learning about the history with the plaques onsite and the audioguide was seriously impressive! INSIDE It's just magnificent walking on the platforms through the space, admiring the sheer magnitude of the columns. They've done a great job of uplighting, and the lighting changes every few minutes to give different perspectives and ambiance. They also have some cool art installations here that add to the space! This is a photo op heaven, and we never felt crowded inside as there was plenty of walkway and you cover a lot of ground inside. A must do in IST!

Yelp Review 2025 #227:…read more The line here gets really wild! It wraps around the building and to neighboring businesses. The good thing is I got a skip-the-like ticket so, I zipped right in. From outside, it looks like a basic building but once you enter and take the stairs to go down to the cistern, it's like a different world and a different time. Cisterns like this were constructed hundreds of years ago to collect rainwater which can be used for cooking/ drinking or flushing the toilet. This one was built in 6th century. It has about 300+ marble columns. Keep an eye out for the more ornate columns and the 2 upside down Medusa heads. It's quite cool but slightly muggy down in the cistern. Be prepared to wait for clear shots as it is crowded and everyone wants to take pictures (some take hundreds of selfies). They did a good job with the lighting creating a dramatic effect. It costs under $25 for a tourist ticket and it's much cheaper for locals. I was able to finish my visit in 30 minutes. It's worth a visit.

This museum is located behind Topkapi Palace so if you are going there, you might as well come…read morehere. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the other museums and features artifacts from nearly all periods and civilizations in history. The history of coinage, archaeological artifacts, and Greek statutes, this museum is a must see. I would suggest going early in the morning to beat any crowds.

I would also consider this a must-see in Istanbul, it's quite a collection of artifacts across the…read morelong history of what is now Turkiye and what was the Ottoman Empire. The descriptions are in Turkish and English, you really don't need a guide, so ignore them around the entrance. I can tell from the YELP reviews over time and from the new appearance of many of the rooms that there's been quite a bit of improvement over time. This started out as a sarcophagi museum but expanded, the collection still seems to be expanding. It was nice to visit here after having seen Ephesus, Bergama, and Sagalassos; and I would very much like to return to Turkey to visit some of the many other Greek and Roman sites. There are two other must-see museums in Istanbul, Topkapi Palace and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art. Topkapi is much more expensive than the other two, we only realized too late to get the museum pass that will really save you money if you're going to visit these and other museums. Allow at least 3-4 hours here, and bring some cat treats to make friends with the felines in front.

If you spend time in Istanbul you end up back in the ancient past. Once you've seen too many…read moreOttoman era mosques and Roman era ruins, it's time to see a very unique collection of modern and contemporary art in a most artistic 21st century building, itself a work of art. Impressive sculptures in front, awesome view of the Bosphorus from the terrace and one of the more affordable admission prices in town. Fear no Art.

Located in the cruise ship port, this is a super modern museum with lots to see…read more I enjoyed the photography exhibition best. The upper and lower terraces have amazing views and worth every penny. Two floors of viewing. Sculpture. Painting. Mixed media. Photography. Textiles. The works on display and well done although by the time we finished my head hurt. Not too expensive and well positioned to get those cruise dollars.

While the Hagia Sofia was undergoing extensive renovations inside and outside, the Blue Mosque was…read morefully open making it the go to big mosque in Sultanahmet. From the outside the minarets and domes were very impressive especially with the blue color theme. Everyone entered the central courtyard where it was lined with information (and people ready to answer questions) about the prophet, religion, Quran and more. From the courtyard, there were two entrances with the main one reserved for worshippers. The visitor entrance required an exit from the courtyard towards the back. The queue was not too bad but there was one check for proper dress (headscarf or skirts were loaned to those found non-compliant) and another stop to remove shoes (needed to hand carry it throughout the mosque). Once inside about half the area was blocked off for worshippers. It was pretty crowded inside but people eventually moved. The low hanging lights did have some blocking effects on overall photos but the amazing details of the stained glass windows, tiles, Arabic lettering, and more surrounded us. The massive supporting columns and domed ceilings that soared above also contributed to the immense space. The Blue Mosque was free to enter but since it's an active mosque it does close to visitors during prayers so plan accordingly. A don't miss when visiting Istanbul.

Absolutely breath taking. I went in and said my prayers…read more It's a beauty and I love the people go there with respect regardless of background & religion. It is free to the public but does close sporadically throughout the day for prayers and cleaning.

This is a gorgeous museum in a beautiful historic building in the Pera neighbourhood of Beyoğlu…read more It's free on Fridays late in the afternoon, but make sure you go a bit early because there's usually a line. I was really astounded how beautifully curated the exhibitions are and it was all absolutely fascinating and so well done. There are several floors. I saw some incredible ceramics and artwork by Turkish artists from the 19th century. They have a few exhibitions going on at the same time. So much to see. There's also a wonderful and nicely decorated elegant restaurant downstairs that has fantastic fresh lemonade and delicious meatballs!

This endearing little art museum has a small entrance fee that is worth it to see the famous…read more"Tortoise Trainer" by Osman Hamdi Bey. You'll see copies of it all over Turkey, but this is where the original hangs. It's a unique and peculiar collection of art, some contemporary, some modern, a little classic, and an exhibit of weights and measures. Nice gift shop. Their coffee shop is also worth a visit on its own. Not far from the Pera Palace Hotel, so you can combine a visit to this museum with High Tea in Agatha Christie's old haunt.

Underneath Istanbul are many ancient cisterns to help store water thousands of years ago. This one…read moreis an alternative to the Basilica Cistern and cheaper to get in. Go inside and purchase tickets. It's around $25, but much cheaper for locals. (As it should be.) Walk down the stairs to the dark space where a light show plays for around 10 minutes. It's a unique experience but worth it only once in my opinion. It is wild to think this cistern was lost for years before rediscovered.

It's okay, unless you're easily impressed with light shows (which honestly could be better here)…read more The cistern is very small and there's not much to do for more than 15 mins. For the money, go to the Basilica Cistern aka Yerebatan Sarnici.

Beylerbeyi Palace is the Ottoman Empire's version of I need a break from my other palaces. Nestled…read moreon the Asian side of the Bosphorus, this 19th-century marble mansion was Sultan Abdülaziz's idea of a chill summer home. Because Topkapi, Dolmabahçe, and oh, five hundred other residences just weren't quite breezy enough. Built in the 1860s, this place screams French glam meets Turkish flair, all chandeliers and lion statues, because subtlety is for peasants. It hosted imperial yacht guests like Empress Eugénie of France, who allegedly scratched a mirror in a fit of palace envy. And the kicker? The empire was already spiraling into debt. But hey, if you're going down, might as well go down with a killer sea view. Ace job, Sultans. Next time maybe try Airbnb to try to offset expenses.

So this was just okay and unless you are in the area I would not bother trekking out here just for…read morethis. Located in the Üsküdar district, this Baroque Palace was built in 1861 as a Summer palace. The areas inside are pretty restricted and roped off and you basically wander in the hallways peering into highly, way over the top ornate rooms. It just was not my thing. I mean do I really want to see where royals dropped a deuce? but I digress. Also no photography allowed inside for???? Reasons The gardens are just okay as well. The views from the waterline of the straight and Marty's bridge are spectacular, but can be seen just about anywhere from the many parks that dot the coast. There is a significant transport hub and you can take one back (which we did) to the main ferry terminals once you are done.