/
Turkey
/
Istanbul
/
Tours & Activities
/
Tour of The Ottoman Court From Istanbul: Topkapi Palace and Rustem Pasha Mosque
4 h
About this activity
The tour begins around 1-1:30pm, depending on pickup location: you'll drive in climate-controlled comfort to the ancient Sultanahmet district for your first stop, the Topkapi Palace.
Explore the glorious grounds, with views across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia, serene pavilions, and commanding halls and courts. Admire collections of porcelain, costumes, and weaponry, and marvel at the Imperial Treasury, home to a wealth of gold and jewelry. As you wander, your guide will explain the history of the empire, and the lives of the sultans who occupied this grand palace.
Next, hop back in the vehicle to drive to the 16th-century Rustem Pasha Mosque. This small but perfectly formed religious monument is one of the great achievements of the architect Mimar Sinan, and was built in honor of Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha. As you admire the hand-crafted Iznik tiles, learn how Rustem Pasha rose from humble beginnings to achieve great power, marry the sultan's daughter, and conspire with her to have her brother murdered.
Read more
Show less
Explore the glorious grounds, with views across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia, serene pavilions, and commanding halls and courts. Admire collections of porcelain, costumes, and weaponry, and marvel at the Imperial Treasury, home to a wealth of gold and jewelry. As you wander, your guide will explain the history of the empire, and the lives of the sultans who occupied this grand palace.
Next, hop back in the vehicle to drive to the 16th-century Rustem Pasha Mosque. This small but perfectly formed religious monument is one of the great achievements of the architect Mimar Sinan, and was built in honor of Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha. As you admire the hand-crafted Iznik tiles, learn how Rustem Pasha rose from humble beginnings to achieve great power, marry the sultan's daughter, and conspire with her to have her brother murdered.
Included
- Professional guide
- Pickup and drop-off from selected hotels or central meeting point
- Transport
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Additional
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Dress code is smart casual
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
85%
Reviews
Collections
This experience is part of these collections
You may also like
See all 34 Collections
Click to discover other experiences
See all
Collections
Hagia Sophia
32 Activities
Collections
Boat Yacht Cruise
132 Activities
Collections
Bazaar
41 Activities
Collections
Highlights of Istanbul
103 Activities
Collections
Gallipoli
42 Activities
Collections
Troy
40 Activities
Collections
By Night
31 Activities
Collections
Ephesus
69 Activities
Collections
Cappadocia
84 Activities
Collections
Original
33 Activities
The local agency with which Viator is working is horrible Travelium. They wouldn't pick us up from our hotel said too far, even though it was 25 min away from Topkapi. They changed meeting point twice and told us to wait for our guide at 12:30 there. The guide showed up at 2pm and said he wasn't sure why we received these instructions. It was very frustrating. The tour itself was not very informative. The guide got us through the main visitors' line and got tickets. He then only showed us around the gardens and pointed out which places we should see i.e. kitchens, harem, armory, etc.. This lasted about 1 hour, then he left us to our own devices in the middle of the gardens. I honestly didn't learn much from him. Also, the point that is not stressed enough during the tour is that you need a separate ticket for harem - be aware of that. Interestingly, the guide also said we no longer needed our tickets and collected them from us before he left. It seemed very suspicious. I would recommend to simply get your own tickets to the palace - no need to waste time at meeting points and extra money on a guide that does not tell you much. Please note that Rustam Pasha Mosque is closed for renovation tombs of Sultans in Hagia Sophia visited instead - not that special and crown jewels and dress exhibit at Topkapi also closed for the next 2 years nothing offered instead. I think this needs to be communicated prior to the tour and it was not! I was very disappointed with this tour.