Plan your visit
What to know before you go
The nine palaces share one operator and most of the same rules, with a few exceptions that catch people out. Here they are in one place.
Where the palaces are
All nine on one map. Pick a palace to see it on Google Maps, get directions from where you are, or open a ready-made route.
Topkapı Palace
Fatih · European side · Closed: Tuesdays
Closing days
Most sites close on Mondays. Topkapı closes on Tuesdays and Yıldız on Wednesdays.
Ticket offices are open from 09:00 to 17:00. The operator does not publish a separate closing or last-entry time, so arrive well before the office shuts.
On public holidays most sites are closed on New Year’s Day and on the first day of each of the two religious festivals, and open on the other holidays.
Tickets and passes
Every site sells tickets at its own gate. All except Topkapı are also sold on the National Palaces e-ticket system; foreign visitors buy there under the English “Foreign Visitor E-Ticket”.
The National Palaces Full Pass covers Dolmabahçe and the other palaces and pavilions but not Topkapı, and not the Küçüksu picnic grounds.
Gate tickets are valid for a week at most sites; at Topkapı and Yıldız only on the day they are bought. Online tickets cannot be cancelled or changed.
Müzekart and discounts
The Müzekart is valid at the National Palaces sites with exceptions: the Harem and Hagia Irene at Topkapı, the Selamlık at Dolmabahçe, and the Harem, Hasbahçe and Küçük Mabeyn at Yıldız.
Children up to six enter free everywhere. Students up to 25 with a student card get a reduced ticket; foreign students need a physical ISIC card and pay twice the reduced rate.
Visitor rules
Food and drink, pushchairs and pets are not allowed inside. Large backpacks, suitcases and umbrellas go to the cloakroom.
Stay on the marked route and do not touch the collections. Indoor photography rules have changed during 2026; follow the signs at each palace and never use a flash.
Picnics are not allowed in the palace gardens, except in the Küçüksu picnic grounds.
Grouping the sites
Beşiktaş: Dolmabahçe, Yıldız and the Ihlamur Pavilions are close together — but remember Yıldız closes on Wednesdays and the other two on Mondays.
Asian shore: Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu and Beykoz Mecidiye lie along the Bosphorus road, in that order going north.
Topkapı is on its own in Sultanahmet, next to Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern. Aynalıkavak is on the Golden Horn, and Maslak well to the north.
Guides and audio guides
Where an audio guide is offered it is included with every ticket type. Müzekart holders cannot use it.
Groups of more than eight with a guide must use headsets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Topkapı Palace part of the National Palaces Full Pass?
No. The operator states that the Full Pass excludes Topkapı, and Topkapı is not sold on its e-ticket system. It is sold at the palace and through authorised resellers.
Which palaces can I book online?
All nine except Topkapı are sold on the National Palaces e-ticket system. Topkapı and Dolmabahçe can also be booked through authorised resellers.
Are the palaces open on Mondays?
Only Topkapı and Yıldız. Topkapı closes on Tuesdays and Yıldız on Wednesdays; the other seven close on Mondays.
Can I take photographs inside?
The rules are set by the operator and changed in 2026. Follow the signs at the entrance; flash is never allowed and costumes or wedding outfits are not admitted.