Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul

In my opinion, this is the most impressive and most beautiful palace in Istanbul. The location right next to the water and the stunning coronation hall make it special. It’s definitely a must-see in Istanbul.

I have a MuzeKart which allows free admission to the grounds of the palace and the art museum. The art museum is extensive and took me nearly 2 hours to explore. Its a nice insight into Turkish art. The building itself was the home of the princes and it is very beautiful too. The grounds are pretty and nice to walk around. There are several cafés on-site. I didnt visit any of them but they all looks really delicious.Id say you could easily plan on spending several hours here if you plan to visit all of the residences and museums on-site.

Fantastic collection of art, paintings, only one bad thing: you cant make photos, it would be honest to inform people BEFORE they buy a rather pricey tickets! I made some anyway but I felt like criminal instead a visitor admiring beautiful art. Just forbid to use flash instead!

Ill preface this by saying that I love art and history. But wow, was this place boring. It was endless walking through ostentatious displays of power and wealth. It would have been more interesting had there been details and respect given to the artisans who created all the different pieces - but no. We just kept winding up and down an endless maze of the same old, same old. The ceilings were amazing, though, but we couldnt take pictures through most of it. Expensive cafes, and bad ventilation inside the palace.

I didnt go inside because I had no TL with me, only Dollars. I am so sad that I had no chance to see that magical place from the inside. However, it was one of the most beautiful places in Istanbul. This palace took my breath.If you are in Istanbul and want to visit it, make sure you have enough Turkish liras before you go, it is worth it.

Breathtaking palace, beautiful interiors and very organized security.The audio guide was very helpfulPictures are not allowed inside but we managed to snap a few

Stunning modern Palace of the last ottoman Sultans. The buildings and grounds are beautiful but unfortunately you can only photograph the exteriors and not the interiors. There are several cafes within the grounds and plenty of toilet facilities also. You have to head towards the painting museum to get round the sea facing side of the Palace, but its well worth the walk.

This place is worth seeing. We arrives early in the morning and didn’t have to wait. The stairways are even mire stunning in person!

The entry price was great. It also includes an audio guide which needed a deposit (100€/£/$ or an ID card which is returned upon leavingit was very informative and the grounds are lovely. I felt like I had gone back in time with how descriptive the audio guide was. The gardens were relaxing and the view of the Bosporous from the outside garden was amazing, as well as the view from the bedrooms.

It is not only a place but also so historic.If you visit here, you can gather so many experiences about Ottoman Empire as well as modern turkey. If you have museum card-30 you will visit all of the place in this area rather than selamlık.

One of the most beautiful palaces I have been too, a must visit if you come to Turkey. It’s truly stunning & has a lot sites inside the palace where you can discover Turkish history & their way of life.

This palace served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 AD until 1922 AD. It has become a museum of tourism and is well worth a full day visit. You will be amazed by the Ottoman architecture, decorations, doors, walls, ceramics, gold, gardens and furniture.

This palace is an amazing historical place, a must visit when you go to Istanbul. Parking lot is available next to the palace, the ticket line is long but quick, if you are a student make sure to bring your student ID for a discount. It is located on the European side of Istanbul, it was the main administrative center of the Ottomans from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922.

It’s good for taking pictures and if you like visiting heritage buildings you will be paid 300 Tl and 70 Tl for kids which i think is too much for this kind of activity compared to the prices for Turkish citizens which is 40 Tl

If you are in Istanbul this is a must place to see. The palace is built in barocque and rococo style. Theres many, many beautifully furnished rooms, with beautiful chandeliers, ceilings...One of the bigest chandelier in the world is located there, weighs 4.5 tones.Taking photos and recording inside the palace is not allowed.Go and see it, you wont be disappointed.

Marvelously, extraordinarily, magnificent !! What a lavish place to visit. The sense of history literally pops out of every single detail in this place. Make sure youre wearing comfy clothes and shoes as the tour may take 4 hours at least! Better to come as early as possible to avoid long ticket lines, or purchase your tickets online. Also, early arrival gives you the advantage of relaxing in the gardens and wander around without having to control time. Loved every single bit of it!

The best museum after Topkapi palace.But this palace is not the worth without a guide. Every room here has a story behind it.Recommended only with guide to know its full worth.

Breathtaking palace. The main rooms are really something else. If you go into Patrice building 45min before closing (after getting tickets and everythingit’s quite empty too

Beautiful architecture and place.The ticket seems very expensive for what you can see, do and appreciate.Translators from Turkish to any language are charged separately from the entrance fee.They have a restaurant where you can eat with a sea view.

During our visit in July 2022, most of the garden was under maintenance. The palace is magnificent in many ways!It is not allowed to take photos inside the buildings.Ticket is also not included in the Museum Pass. You can get a free audio though at the gate.

The garden and landscape is under construction… (just for your information).I definitely recommend to listen to the audio tour when you visit this palace. Amazing architecture & interior. I was amazed by all the details.Taking Pictures are not allowed inside!

Absolutely stunning!! Would highly recommend anyone visiting Istanbul to go and view this site. Its about a 10min walk from the last tram stop. Everything from the gardens to the beautiful Palace rooms on display are well worth seeing. The coffee shop on the premises was reasonably priced. Entry fee at TL300 was a bit steep in my opinion.

One of the most stunning palace ive ever been to. Its definitely crowded at weekends, consider to visit on weekdays. If you only be able to be there on weekend, make sure you come early. Definitely worth to visit

I highly recommend visiting either very early on the weekend or during a weekday, but keep in mind they close by 5pm. The interior of the palace is probably one of the most intricate and ornate Ive seen in my life. But please note that there are NO PICTURES ALLOWED in the palace - I saw and heard many people being told off and wish they would just confiscate our phones at the check-in of each entry. There is good reason for the ban on photos with your phone (flash can damage the paintings/paintso please respect the history and care for this place.

The place is filled up with antiques of Europe.It is enormous, I walked a lot.Almost 14000 steps insideThe sea scenery is amazing.But I found it ok because the artichure doesnt show Islamic culture but showed a copy of others culture.Photos are not allowed inside

Amazing place, I liked how the y preserved history and walk you through the entire experience.I wish I was allowed to take pictures (or more picturesand I wish Clicks museum was open.The cafes available inside museums park have very little options of sweets and drinks, you can’t get healthier options such as whole food or fruited.

Seeing is believing. Definitely place to go, min 3 hours. Long lines for tickets plan your time. Very beautiful palace! Ridiculous restrictions for taking pictures and photos, but everyone does. If you want people not to do that take the phones before entering, imho. Yelling no Photo! At every corner is ruined all positive feeling from the place.

Nice palace. The grand room is seriously grande. The highlight of the palace.If you are on a tour then suggest you arrive at least 15 minutes early as they often meet inside security and it takes 10-15 minutes to pass through security.Queue for tickets is about 1 hour. Cash is a little quicker than credit card but cards are accepted.No photos inside

A place which abounds in interesting stories about Turkish history and the life of the Turks. A very beautiful place. I recommend you to save time and visit the palace quietly and buy the guide device which tells you crucial informations about the history of this place.

I went to this beautiful palace first thing in the morning when it wasn’t so busy. The palace is truly massive and has many rooms, it’s takes about around 1 hour to get around the whole place! Definitely worth a visit but do go early at open time as it will be less crowded!

absolutely stunning palace, very powerful as it is the beginning of the end of the ottoman rule. definitely worth visiting.photos of the interior are prohibited and there are staff in most rooms telling people not to take photos. you can still sneak some photos for sure 😉(would advise pre buying tickets or going as a guided group because the ticket queues are hellishly long!)

Get there early- before school tours show up. The audio guide was okish, just enough information to give a context but not enough to be engaging.No photos inside, and no strollers. You must wear shoe covers inside.Be prepared for your jaw to drop, repeatedly. You definitely see where all those tons of gold and silver went to.Worth the visit!

The palace itself is very interesting.The experience itself is ruined by huge guided groups, which stop wherever they please and talk for 15-20mins without letting others pass through.Pictures not allowed inside.Painting gallery was very nice and well presented.

Amazing place with stunning views. It was nice walk into history of the Ottoman empire. However, photos inside were not allowed and the cafeteria did not have good food.

Beautiful castle inside. Vibrant colors and huge! Very beautiful. Only downside for me is that you are not able to take any pictures. I would have loved to take a picture of my daughter on the steps inside the castle Arendelle memory.

One of the most beautiful places in Istanbul. This place is built really luxury. Here you can see how last Sultans lived. You need to pay entrance to visit this and you will get for free audio tour guide abaout history of palace. Taking photos inside was forbbiden when I visited this.

Stunning place, gorgeous interiors, beautiful furniture, the palace is a real treat for your eyes. Unfortunately, Photography is not allowed inside. Also the place is very crowded, better to come in the morning cause when we were leaving the palace at 1:30pm the line at the entrance was enormous!

Big palace for reasonable price considering the amount of things to see.The main hall and some dining rooms with rich decorations are nice to see, the rest is very average, without particular beauty.Interesting to see how the sultans were living in the 19th century but nothing else.Good place but not a must...

A must visit if ever you plan on visiting the Istanbul. Worth the money and time. Was gorgeous and just in awe and amazed the whole time. It is not allowed to take a picture inside the palace but theres still a lot of people who are very disrespectful about the rules even if theres signs everywhere and security keep reminding them. Highly recommended 👍

The place was magical. We didnt visit all the rooms because some of them were limited to public view. It wasnt allowed to take pictures either but eventually I was able to break a few rules :P

Lovely palace, easy to get to via the Tram.However it gets a bit boring, the rooms are repetitive and other than the crystal chandeliers it’s nothing special.The architecture on the gate is amazing though.It’s worth a visit if you have the time, if you don’t. Don’t feel as though you missed much. The topkapi palace was much better in my opinion.

This place is must go. I spent 2 hours and it was worth it.Once you are done with the tour.As you exit there’s a sea side cafe, seat relax and feel the vibes. Don’t miss it

History at its finest! Loved the combination of history and nature. Might be a bit crowded over the weekend, though. Taking pictures inside of the castle is prohibited, but the experience is still worth it giving you a sneak peak to how ottoman rulers and their families used to live. This is where founder of the Turkish Republic Ataturk has seen his last days!

This Palace is a marvel of architecture, There is a big tower in front of the palace which increases the beauty of the place. There is an entry fee for visiting the palace. The palace is about 3-4 Km from Taksim Square.Accessible to wheel chair & easy enough for kids & child.

The palace is a must see for anyone that appreciate the beauty of the city. The staff is super friendly. Not allowed to take photos inside. There are three main sections. I suggest visit them all.

Magnificent place. Inside is absolutely stunning, but youre not allowed to take pictures. So much to see and I will definitely go again. The architecture inside is gorgeous.

Definitely worth the price for the entrance ticket :easy to spend half a day in here . There are also areas of rest and cafe where you can have a coffee or actual lunch . The view from the palace on the sea is also amazing !

What a beautiful sight to behold! The fact that they were able to preserve the integrity of the palace is just astounding. Beautiful doesn’t do this justice.. If you happen to visit Istanbul, this is a must visit. Had lunch at the restaurant by the sea and my god, the food was amazing and the view was just beautiful.

Nice place. Tickets starting 90 Turkish Lira depending on what you want to visit. I recommend you to purchase the cheapest ticket, as the outside of the palace is stunning, however, the inside is nothing but empty rooms, and you are not allowed to take photos.

Beautiful, breathtaking, stunning!! Definitely get a ticket to see all of the buildings. Spent most of the day there and the water views were beautiful. The animals on site were a pleasant surprise (peacocks!along with the cafes, which had amazing deserts & drinks!