Istanbul Sightseeing Pass for 120+ Attractions 1 to 7 Days
- DurationValid for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days, as chosen
- Open onDaily; Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, Dolmabahce Palace on Mondays and Yildiz Palace on Wednesdays; the Galata Tower, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia tours do not operate on Fridays
- Meeting pointNo single meeting point: show the digital pass in the app on your phone at each attraction; hosted entries and scheduled tours have their own meeting points and times listed in the app
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Overview
This digital sightseeing pass gives one-time entry to more than 120 attractions, tours and experiences in Istanbul for the number of days you choose, from one to seven. The default option is the three-day pass, the length that suits a typical city break. It covers the six big landmarks, with Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahce Palace with audio guides, hosted entry to Topkapi Palace and guided tours of the Basilica Cistern and the Blue Mosque, plus the Maiden's Tower, the Çamlıca Tower observation deck, a Golden Horn and Bosphorus cruise, a sunset yacht cruise and a dinner cruise with Turkish shows, museums, a whirling dervishes show, a Turkish bath, the Princes' Islands tour with lunch, walking tours and an airport shuttle. Everything runs from an app on your phone.
Highlights
- One digital pass for 120+ attractions, tours and experiences across Istanbul
- Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque tour included
- Bosphorus cruises: Golden Horn and Bosphorus cruise, sunset yacht cruise and dinner cruise with shows
- Maiden's Tower, Çamlıca Tower observation deck and the Princes' Islands tour with lunch
- Audio guides in 25 languages including Arabic, with WhatsApp traveller support in English
- Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days; the three-day pass is the default
- Discounted unlimited public transport card for the metro, tram and ferries
- Hosted entry at the busiest sites, so you join the host instead of the ticket queue
Full Description
The Sultanahmet landmarks: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and the Cistern
The pass earns its keep in Sultanahmet, where the four great monuments stand within a few hundred metres of each other. Hagia Sophia, the sixth-century cathedral that became an imperial mosque and is a mosque again today, is included with an audio guide that explains the dome, the mosaics and the calligraphy. The Blue Mosque opposite, with its six minarets and twenty thousand Iznik tiles, is visited on a guided tour scheduled outside prayer times, and the Basilica Cistern, the Byzantine reservoir with 336 columns and the Medusa heads, is also seen with a guide.
The Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern tours do not operate on Fridays, so plan Sultanahmet for another day and keep Friday for the Bosphorus. The audio guides work on your phone in 25 languages, and a hosted entry at Hagia Sophia means you join the host at the stated meeting point instead of queuing for a ticket.
The palaces: Topkapi, Dolmabahce, Beylerbeyi and Yıldız
Istanbul's imperial palaces are expensive to visit one by one, and the pass includes four of them. Topkapi Palace, seat of the Ottoman sultans for almost four centuries, is included as a hosted entry without the Harem; it is closed on Tuesdays. Dolmabahce Palace, the marble residence built on the Bosphorus shore in the 1850s, comes with an audio guide and is closed on Mondays. On the Asian shore, Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer palace where visiting monarchs were lodged, and Yıldız Palace on the hill above Beşiktaş, closed on Wednesdays, complete the set.
With a three-day pass our Istanbul team suggests Topkapi on the Sultanahmet day, Dolmabahce on the Bosphorus day and Beylerbeyi on an Asian-side afternoon with Üsküdar and the Çamlıca Tower. Each palace is a one-time entry; check the schedule in the app before you go.
The Bosphorus: cruises, the Maiden's Tower and the towers
Three cruises are included: a daytime Golden Horn and Bosphorus cruise with audio guide from the old-city quays, a sunset yacht cruise along the European shore and a Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish folk shows in the evening. From the water you see Dolmabahce, Ortaköy, the two bridges, Rumeli Fortress and the Asian shore in one sweep. The Maiden's Tower, the small islet off Üsküdar, is included with its boat and audio guide, and Rumeli Fortress, built in 1452 for the siege of Constantinople, is a separate entry on the European shore.
For views from above, the pass includes the Çamlıca Tower observation deck on the Asian side, the highest point in the city, and the Galata Tower tour (not on Fridays). Reserve the cruises and the dinner cruise in the app in advance, especially in summer and at weekends.
Museums, neighbourhoods and the Princes' Islands
Beyond the headline monuments, the pass opens the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum on the Hippodrome, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums below Topkapi, the Chora Church with its Byzantine mosaics and frescoes near the land walls, and the Süleymaniye Mosque walking tour on the Third Hill. Guided walks through the old quarters of Fener and Balat on the Golden Horn and a general Istanbul highlights tour are included, as are a Turkish coffee workshop in the old town and a traditional Turkish bath.
For a day away from the traffic, the Princes' Islands tour with lunch takes the ferry to the car-free islands in the Marmara Sea. Families have the Istanbul Aquarium and a children's play centre; the whirling dervishes ceremony in a historic mansion is an evening for everyone. Most included meals are halal, as is normal in Istanbul.
How the pass works in practice
The pass is entirely digital: after booking you download the app, activate the pass and show it on your phone at each attraction. Some sites use hosted entry, where you meet a host at a set meeting point and time and enter together, and several tours have fixed departure times, all listed in the app together with opening hours, closed days and reservation requirements. The pass days count as calendar days, so start early on the first day. A discounted unlimited public transport card for the metro, tram, funiculars and ferries can be added, and WhatsApp support in English answers questions during your stay.
Is the Istanbul pass worth it? For a visitor who plans to see the big palaces, take a cruise and visit several museums in two or three days, the answer is usually yes; for a one-day stop, compare it with the individual tickets on this site.
Itinerary
- After bookingYou receive instructions to download the pass app and activate your digital pass for the chosen number of days; plan your visits in the app and reserve the cruises and shows that need it.
- Day 1 suggestion: SultanahmetHagia Sophia with audio guide, the Blue Mosque guided tour, the Basilica Cistern tour, Topkapi Palace hosted entry and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum; a whirling dervishes show in the evening.
- Day 2 suggestion: the BosphorusThe Golden Horn and Bosphorus cruise in the morning, Dolmabahce Palace with audio guide in the afternoon, the Galata Tower tour, and the sunset yacht cruise or the dinner cruise with shows.
- Day 3 suggestion: the Asian side or the islandsThe Maiden's Tower and Çamlıca Tower observation deck with Beylerbeyi Palace, or the Princes' Islands tour with lunch; a Turkish bath to finish.
- Longer passesAdd the Chora Church, the Archaeological Museums, the Fener and Balat walk, Rumeli Fortress, Yıldız Palace and the Turkish coffee workshop; use the airport shuttle on departure day.
What's included
- Digital pass valid for 1 day with one-time entry to each included attraction
- Hagia Sophia entry with audio guide, Topkapi Palace hosted entry (without the Harem) and Dolmabahce Palace entry with audio guide
- Guided tours of the Basilica Cistern and the Blue Mosque
- Maiden's Tower and Camlica Tower observation deck with audio guide
- Bosphorus cruises: Golden Horn and Bosphorus cruise with audio guide, sunset yacht cruise and dinner cruise with Turkish shows
- Museums, a whirling dervishes show, a Turkish bath, the Princes' Islands tour with lunch, walking tours and an airport shuttle
- Audio guides in 25 languages including Arabic
- WhatsApp traveller support in English and a discounted unlimited public transport card
Not included
- Harem section of Topkapi Palace
- Repeat entries to the same attraction
- Food and drinks, except where stated for an experience
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Is this right for you?
Great for
- First-time visitors who want the highlights
Think twice if
- You prefer short outings — this takes 7 days
Meeting point
There is no meeting point for the pass itself: after booking, our Istanbul team sends you the instructions to download the app, and you show your digital pass on your phone at each attraction. Hosted entries and scheduled tours (for example Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and the cruises) have their own meeting points and departure times listed in the app, and a few experiences must be reserved in the app in advance. Security checks apply at every monument.
Important information
- Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days; the pass is used through the app on a charged smartphone
- Each attraction is a one-time entry unless the app states otherwise
- Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, Dolmabahce Palace on Mondays and Yıldız Palace on Wednesdays; the Galata Tower, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia tours do not operate on Fridays
- Check meeting points, opening hours and tour schedules in the app before each visit; some experiences need advance reservation
- Security checks are mandatory everywhere and waiting times vary; you avoid ticket queues, not security queues
- Children may be asked for a passport or ID at museum entrances to confirm their age
- Dress modestly at the mosques: shoulders and knees covered, hair covered for women
- The Harem of Topkapi Palace is not included; some upgrades are offered in the app at a discount
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private experience?
It is an individual digital pass: you visit at your own pace, and the included tours, cruises and shows are shared with other pass holders and visitors.
How long is the pass valid?
For the number of days you choose, from one to seven; the three-day pass is the default option on this page.
Is hotel pickup included?
No; you move around Istanbul yourself, and the pass can include a discounted unlimited public transport card for the metro, tram and ferries, plus an airport shuttle.
What is included?
One-time entry to more than 120 attractions and experiences, including Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, the Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque tours, three Bosphorus cruises, the Maiden's Tower, museums, a dervishes show, a Turkish bath and the Princes' Islands tour, with audio guides in 25 languages and WhatsApp support.
Is the price per person or per group?
Per person, for each pass length; the booking panel on this page shows the current price of each option.
Is the Istanbul pass worth it?
If you plan to visit the palaces, take a cruise and see several museums over two or three days, it usually saves money and queueing; for a single site, book the individual ticket on this site instead.
Does the pass let me skip the lines?
You skip the ticket lines at the included sites, and hosted entry at the busiest ones means you enter with a host; the security check applies to everyone.
Is it suitable for children and for reduced mobility?
Children use the pass like adults and may be asked for ID to confirm their age; most sites are wheelchair accessible, while the cistern and some towers have stairs.
What should I bring?
A charged smartphone with the app and internet, headphones for the audio guides, comfortable shoes, modest clothing for the mosques and ID for everyone.
Which days are the attractions closed?
Topkapi Palace on Tuesdays, Dolmabahce Palace on Mondays, Yıldız Palace on Wednesdays, and the Galata Tower, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia tours do not operate on Fridays; the app shows the latest schedule.
What happens in bad weather?
The monuments and museums are open whatever the weather; if a cruise is cancelled because of a storm, it is moved to another departure within your pass days.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose the number of days and the start date on this page and send the booking; our Istanbul team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes and sends the app instructions.
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