Topkapi Palace

Went through 2 courtyards. Jewels – finally saw real stone studded ornaments. Jewel embroidered cloth. Sharp weapons. A lounging house. Rooms photograph better than looking at them. But still a very interesting place to visit. A hollowed out tree in the gardens. Great river view at cafe. $20 lira lunch for sandwich and drink.

pretty place!

1. Wear comfortable walking shoes! The grounds are immense, and you will want something comfortable to walk in.

2. Be prepared to pay two admission fees; one for the general palace with the armory, treasury, etc; and a second for admittance to the harem. The harem is a guided-tour only, and tickets are sold for an hourly walk through the harem with a guide who explains what you’re seeing.

3. Be prepared to spend most of a day; there’s a lot to see!

There are headphone sets that you can rent that will act as a tourguide while you follow a numbered map of the grounds. We chose not to use them, but we saw a number of people who did. With a decent guidebook, I wouldn’t think you needed it.

the best place eva!!