Dolmabahce Palace & Uskudar Tour: Ottoman Architecture and Local Culture Exploration

Immerse yourself in the rich Ottoman architecture and local culture on a tour of Dolmabahce Palace and Uskudar. Explore historic mosques, visit a local fish market, and marvel at the grandeur of the palace. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the fascinating history of the Ottoman Empire.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Dolmabahce Palace - Dolmabahçe Palace was built between the years 1843 and 1856.
What's Included
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Dolmabahce Palace entrance fee included
  • English-speaking licensed professional guide
  • Roundtrip boat transfer between Europe & Asia
  • Complimentary hotel pickup & drop-off for central locations
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Personal expenses
Additional Information

Our journey begins at the 16th-century Şemsi Pasha Mosque, constructed by the famous Ottoman royal architect Mimar Sinan for Grand Vizier Şemsi Pasha. We then move on to take in the sights of Üsküdar, which features the Yeni Valide Mosque, also from the 18th-century. Next, we gaze upon yet another iconic Mimar Sinan structure, the Mihrimah Sultan…

Location
Üsküdar
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.9
(19 Ratings)
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1 star
Kborysh
Oct 13, 2021
It is a wonderful tour, especially if you are tired of the hills :) - This tour is not rushed. The content is fully consistent with the description. This tour combines great impressions of the places visited, a walk along the Bosphorus, and interesting facts and stories from a tour guide. Furkan (our guide) is an interesting and educated storyteller with deep knowledge of the history of the country and the city, culture. His story was interesting and not boring. 5 stars! Thank you Furkan!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ami
Apr 3, 2019
Excellent Day - My family had a lovely day visiting the Dolmabahce palace with its amazing architecture and beautiful surroundings/gardens. We were provided with an audio device which gives you detailed history on this lovely ottoman building and its rooms. Pictures are not allowed inside.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sanaabdullah_k
Sep 18, 2017
Very personalised tour as we were... - <p>Very personalised tour as we were only 3 people on the group. The guide was really sweet. Camlica Hills offers great views over both european and asian side of Istanbul. Good place for picnic on top of the hill. The weather was lovely for the tour. And Dolmabahce Palace is a jewel in the crown for Istanbul, however the locals do not like the history associated with it but it is definitely a must visit for all tourists!</p>
Review provided by Viator
Terry
Jul 22, 2016
I really like the tour guide. He... - <p>I really like the tour guide. He was knowledgeable and very likeable.<br/> The palace was very beautiful.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Muhammadtariq_z
Apr 19, 2016
It was wonderful.....Dolmabahce... - <p>It was wonderful.....Dolmabahce Palace is beautiful. Our guide Elliyan I think was very knowledgeable and friendly. The bus driver too was a friendly and a patient man. The way he navigated the big bus through the narrow streets of Istanbul was amazing.</p>
Review provided by Viator
Omar
Oct 17, 2016
Pros: <br/> Very friendly... - <p>Pros: <br/> Very friendly guide<br/> Location, we got to see a new area</p> <p>Cons:<br/> Time, we started a bit late and we spent most time on the road<br/> we had to go through most of the sites quickly so it was more of a glimpse</p>
Review provided by Viator
Flerida_g
Jul 13, 2019
Half day tour of Dolmabahce Palace - It would have been nice to see all sections of the palace, but the tour guide seemed to think we did not have time.
Review provided by Viator
Basel
Aug 21, 2015
the guide was unfriendly and the... - <p>the guide was unfriendly and the Camlica hill we drove for a long time to reach it and the view was not worth the hassle.</p>
Review provided by Viator
2019kate57
Oct 26, 2019
A waste of a day. - I picked this tour because it was advertised as a 5 hour trip. Allowing for an hour each way, I assumed we would have 3 hours at the palace. However, we were just an add-on to another tour, so we were driven to where they were having lunch which was an endless drive from our hotel and had to wait until 1.45 to start the tour although the advertised starting time was 12.30. After a stop in a panoramic area for 15 minutes we retraced our steps back to the Dolmabahce Palace and had 1 hour of a rushed guided tour with a guide who was less than informative. 15 minutes free at the end of the 45 min guided tour did not give us enough time to even walk around the Palace. I rate this trip as a total disappointment.
Review provided by Viator
Nasir
Aug 18, 2017
253 for 4 adults and 5 children for... - <p>253 for 4 adults and 5 children for approx 40mins of actual tour is a rip off, not worth a spend at all! We expected a full bus but only 1 other person joined us after about 40minutes of travel from our hotel and during that journey the tour wasnt with us and we were sitting in the bus not knowing where we are going, not a single word from the driver.</p> <p>This was advertised as 5 hour tour but only 40mins was the actual tour and another 60 mins on the road. Supposed to visit Dolmabahce Palace instead they took us to Chora Museum that was under major refurbishment/restoration work and I would say only 20 of the area was open and rest 80 was unaccessible because of the restoration work. We traveled over the Bhohsporus bridge but no commentory from the tour guide, i.e. history.</p> <p>This wasn't a tour but a very expensive taxi service!!</p>
Review provided by Viator
From $181
up to 6 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).