Guides · Türkiye
Istanbul tickets
Ticket and booking rules for Istanbul: timed entries, closing days and official links, checked September 2026.
Checked September 2026 against official sources
Istanbul
Bookings and opening rules
Follow the official link before you buy. Full walking days: Istanbul itinerary.
Tickets and opening days
- Hagia Sophia: since January 2024, foreign visitors pay €25 for the visitor route through the upper galleries, entered separately from the worshippers' entrance.Source: Middle East Monitor · checked Sep 2026
- Topkapı Palace is open 9:00–17:00, with ticket sales ending at 16:00, and is closed on Tuesdays.Source: Topkapı Palace Museum · checked Sep 2026
- Dolmabahçe Palace is closed on Mondays.Source: Milli Saraylar · checked Sep 2026
On the day
What to watch at each stop
Hagia Sophia
- €25 visitor route for foreign visitors
Topkapı Palace
- Closed on Tuesdays
Grand Bazaar
- Closed on Sundays
Dolmabahçe Palace
- Closed on Mondays
Questions
Quick answers
Which sights close on certain days?
Topkapı Palace closes on Tuesdays, Dolmabahçe Palace on Mondays and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays, so check the day of the week before you fix the order of your days.
Can tourists visit mosques during prayer times?
No. Mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers, and the Blue Mosque stays closed to tourists on Friday mornings. Plan mosque visits for the morning or mid-afternoon.
The days these rules belong to
3 days in Istanbul
Istanbul's great sights sit on both sides of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, so each day stays on one shore. Day one is Sultanahmet, from Hagia Sophia to Topkapı Palace; day two runs through the Grand Bazaar and Süleymaniye to Galata and İstiklal; day three follows the Bosphorus by palace, mosque and ferry to the Asian side. Check the closing days before you fix the order.
