Tourist Rip-Off – Avoid Istanbul Welcome Card!
We paid €130 per person in advance (€260 for two people), while the individual entrance tickets would have cost us approximately €115 per person.
The advertised benefit of skipping the queues is misleading. You don’t actually skip the waiting time – you simply have to wait in their office to collect your tickets. So there is no real time saved.
But the worst part was the Topkapi Palace ticket. When we arrived at their office to collect our pre-paid tickets, we were told that access to the Harem was NOT included and that we would have to pay extra for it.
This is absolutely unacceptable. The Harem is arguably the most important and interesting part of Topkapi Palace. If it is excluded, this should be made crystal clear before customers pay €130 per person – not sprung on them as an additional charge when they are already standing in the office to collect their tickets.
This is a complete tourist rip-off: overpriced tickets, misleading promises, unnecessary waiting and unexpected extra charges.
Save yourself the money and frustration. Buy your tickets directly from the official ticket offices.
I strongly recommend avoiding Istanbul Welcome Card!
Oguzhan is AMAZING! We reached out to him after hours since we had just booked Basilica Cistern's tickets and were standing outside it. He was so helpful, picked our call right away on WhatsApp. Was extremely courteous and sent the tickets right away. Literally in 2 minutes we were inside. He saved our trip tbh since we had to travel a long way to visit Basilica.
I have visited Istanbul several times over the years, and every visit reminds me why it is one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
Istanbul is a unique city that connects two continents, Europe and Asia, and combines thousands of years of history with modern life. Originally founded as Byzantium, later known as Constantinople, and today Istanbul, the city has served as the capital of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, making it one of the most historically important cities on Earth.
What I love most about Istanbul is its incredible atmosphere. Everywhere you go, you can feel the history, culture and energy of the city. From the magnificent Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque to Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar and the Bosphorus, there is always something extraordinary to discover.
The food is excellent, the people are welcoming, and the city never sleeps. Whether enjoying a traditional Turkish breakfast, drinking tea overlooking the Bosphorus, walking through the historic streets of Sultanahmet or exploring the modern districts, Istanbul offers unforgettable experiences for every visitor.
I particularly enjoy the unique mix of cultures, religions and traditions. Few cities in the world can tell such a rich story spanning more than 2,500 years.
During my visits, I have always found Istanbul to be vibrant, inspiring and full of life. It is a city where history meets the future, where East meets West, and where every corner has a story to tell.
Thank you to the people of Istanbul and Türkiye for preserving such a remarkable city and sharing it with visitors from all over the world.
Highly recommended to travellers, families, history lovers and anyone seeking one of the world's great destinations.
A lot packages to choose from and good price. The skip the line feature definitely save time for us. The customer service is fast to response and helpful.
I took a sunset tour with my extended family of 11, we had a boat only for ourselves and the crew was very professional, kind and funny. My teenager kids were enthusiastic, so was my 80 years old mum. The boat was very nice with two floors, snacks and drinks were worth the price. Awesome memory
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