The place is truly "like in the movies." A beautifully preserved palace and many pavilions, a large garden, small queues at the entrance, security checks, cameras, everything is as safe as possible. There are several coffee shops and souvenir shops. Excellent exposition and exhibitions. You can take an audio guide in more than 10 languages. You get your passport or driver's license as collateral, then you get it back on an individual card. Don't worry about the documents, I've tried it myself.
Of course, everyone should visit!
A historical place.
The scale is amazing.
You can't get around everything in one day.
Everything is expensive and rich)))
An audio guide is not interesting) take guided tours with some interesting person to tell legends and stories)))
Dollars were not accepted at the checkout, so I had to look for an exchanger at 9 a.m.
The entrance fee is not cheap 2t lira.
But for this price, we didn't even see the Sultan's chambers ((( the most after the harem....very sorry. They were under restoration. Of course, no one notifies about this at the checkout.
There are a lot of people even out of season. Groups of foreign tourists crowd the narrow corridors of the palace, even in the morning.
It is a very beautiful and interesting palace. A wide exhibition of various items belonging to the ruling dynasties of the Ottoman Empire, from kitchen utensils to jewelry and weapons. Well-preserved buildings, Sultan's harem. The garden is very beautiful and well maintained. You can safely spend the whole day in the palace and enjoy its beauties. And from the walls of the palace there is a stunning view of the Bosphorus.