Topkapı Palace

For four centuries, the sultans of the Ottoman Empire lived, governed, schemed, ate, prayed, and occasionally murdered their brothers in this sprawling palace complex on the First Hill between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. Topkapı was the political heart of an empire that, at its peak, stretched from Vienna to Baghdad.

The Harem is the highlight for most visitors — the private quarters of the sultan's family, organized around a series of courtyards lined with İznik tiles. Entry to the Harem requires a separate ticket on top of palace admission (or buy the Museum Pass Istanbul which covers both). Allow 3-4 hours for the full site.

The Imperial Treasury holds the Topkapı Dagger, the 86-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond, and the emerald-studded Topkapı Sword. The views over the Bosphorus from the Fourth Courtyard are worth the climb. Don't skip the Audience Chamber where the sultan received foreign ambassadors.

Closed Mondays. Skip-the-line tickets can be bought online through the official museum portal, which saves a 30-minute queue in season.