Recent Traveler Reviews
Here is a selection of the most recent reviews of the Istanbul Ottoman Relics Half-Day Tour: Topkapi Palace and the Mosque of Soleman the Magnificent submitted by actual travelers. Read what travelers liked, what they loved, and what they thought could be improved.
Easiest way to beat the serpentine queues - the sights are magnificent.
Reviewed by: Krishnan Vaitheeswaran, Australia, May 2011
Very interesting. Unfortunately very crowded. Difficult to see anything and no time for the harem because of the waits. Not the tours fault. It is what it is.
Reviewed by: HANNA L, November 2011
Enjoyed this trip and the guide was very good as he had a lot of knowledge about the Topkapi Palace, however, we did not stay for very long at the other site, Mosque of Soleman. I thought the tour was too short, it should have gone on for another hour. However, overall it was good and I recommend the guide.
Reviewed by: Paul C, United Kingdom, June 2010
This is surely not a popular tour and I could guess why so.
--This tour is done thru a third party so there are many inconsistencies in viator itinerary and what the third party provides you.
a.Guide was told to do either Rustam Pasha Mosque OR Sulemaniye Mosque.On showing the itinerary though she took us to Sulemaniye.
b.As per viator itinerary there is Grand Bazaar involved but guide told us it was not so..We didn't mind as we had Hagia Sophia tour the other day and anyway it was being covered in there.
c.There was some itinerary change of which we had no prior information.She came on Monday morning instead of afternoon. Thankfully it was early and we had not made any other plans having arrived just the day before. So we went ahead..
--Guide was poorly informed giving us facts like spoon diamond is called so as its shaped like spoon. When asked about architecture of Sulemaniye Mosque,its typical ottoman.Well I already know that don't I..
--Guide didnt even take us inside the state rooms/treasury rooms.I could see other guides in there explaining stuff to visitors.
I was not happy with this tour and the quality of guide made me believe I could have been the guide myself.
Reviewed by: sinha.sangita, January 2012
I was very disappointed with this trip.Firstly it was nearly an hour late starting. Then we were brought to a very small Mosque for about ten minutes. Then on to the Palace were the guide told us where the different things were,gave us nearly no information and told to go off and do our own thing and meet back at the bus at 4. The whole tour took about 2 hours.The guide a nice person but not much good as a guide. Very bad value for money.
Reviewed by: Maria M, Ireland, April 2010
84 reviews
244 reviews