Choosing a Museum Pass for Istanbul

Hi everyone, In spring 2025, we’re planning a 10-day trip to Istanbul. There are several museum passes (PASS) available. I’m torn between the Istanbul Welcome Card, Istanbul E-pass, and Istanbul Museum Pass. We’ll be visiting Topkapi, Hagia Sophia, Galata Tower, etc... Based on your experiences, which of these passes would you recommend? Thanks so much!

Which Welcome Card are you talking about? I’ve been looking online, and what I’ve found isn’t great, but there are several versions, so maybe I missed something.

I’ve used the Museum Pass (formerly Muzekart) twice, and it seemed like a good balance between the number of attractions and the validity period (almost 6 days, actually). The price has gone up, of course.

The question is whether you’ll visit enough extra attractions with the e-pass to justify the price difference, and how quickly you want to visit. With the e-pass, you’ll also need to add a ticket for the Topkapi Palace harem—don’t miss that. The e-pass includes classics like Dolmabahçe, Miniaturk if that’s your thing, and the Basilica Cistern.

A quick note since most of these sites heavily promote Bosphorus cruises: all ferry companies offer 90-120 minute cruises that show everything there is to see at a bargain price (200-250 TL, so about 7-10 CAD). It’s worth taking the time for it, but you don’t need to prepay. And most importantly, there are so many great places to eat in Istanbul—don’t book a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus.

Thanks so much for your reply. Thanks for the tip about the cruises. We’ll follow your advice. We’ll find a great restaurant along the Bosphorus. Istanbulwelcomecard.com (I saw this info in a travel guide).

I’d seen this site, but there are versions ranging from 24 € to 189 €—I was wondering which one you were interested in. Public transport (metro, tram, funiculars, buses, etc.) is super cheap and easy to use (just Google "Istanbulkart").

There are thousands of great restaurants in Istanbul, but I don’t think the best ones are along the Bosphorus (though there might be some good ones in Ortaköy or on the Asian side). You’ll be spoiled for choice in the European district around Istiklal Street, the city’s most popular pedestrian shopping street. The only places we were disappointed (bad or overpriced) were in Sultanahmet, but even there, you can find good food at a reasonable price. Of course, it depends on what you’re looking for, but if you like Turkish (or Greek or Lebanese, etc.) food, you’ll be in for a treat!

Thanks for your advice. I’m going with the museum pass and Istanbulkart for public transport.

Hi there,

I can add a few things.

In Istanbul, when it comes to restaurants, it’s not so much the food that drives up the price—it’s the location, the style, the opulence, the glitz. The classics aren’t necessarily better under all that gilding, and fish are considered luxury dishes that justify a high spend. Price-wise, just a heads-up: the country is dealing with terrible inflation, and travel conditions for tourism have worsened compared to a few years ago. Restaurant prices are at European levels—or even higher—unless you stick to *lokantas* and local canteens. Alcohol, in particular, is *very* expensive, much more so than in Europe. Also, be careful with taxis: you can’t trust them anymore, and getting to/from the airport is especially painful, with guaranteed arguments. Things usually end with you tossing the amount you know you owe after rejecting their shenanigans, but it’s still unpleasant. Another issue is SIM cards—prices at the airport are sky-high, probably among the highest in the world, with what seems like collusion between the different stalls.

The city has shifted in recent years, and as Westerners, we bear a lot of responsibility for this choice. It’s now catering more to Asian, Muslim, Gulf, and Indian tourism. For example, kilometers of the Bosphorus waterfront have turned into a massive luxury shopping mall—all glitz, polished cleanliness, and high-end products. It’s the Dubai/Batumi trend, a certain style that’s spreading and turning its back on us.

I can’t say much about the classic tourist sights, but I’ve gathered they’ve also gotten very expensive. I think you can keep them to a minimum and still enjoy yourself. But that’s just my take 🙂.

On another note, I’m chiming in on a discussion between Canadians, and I know Canadians and Europeans have very different sensibilities when it comes to travel. So take what you want from this and leave the rest...

Michel

Thanks Tatra for the tips. Turkey, like Quebec, is experiencing a rise in the cost of living. After traveling in Quebec last summer, we spent more than we planned. We’ll be getting around by public transport and on foot. Several people say to avoid taxis.

We rented an apart-hotel, so we’ll cook a few meals. We’ll enjoy the good wine in Paris during the last week of our trip 😁

Hi, how was your stay in Istanbul? What did you visit, and did you end up buying a pass? What transportation did you choose from the airport to your accommodation? Thanks

Hi Libertad31, I went with the "Istanbul Tourist Pass". I made a list of places to visit and compared the prices. The Istanbul Tourist Pass was the best deal. We visited Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Rumeli Hisari, Galata Tower. We also took a cruise on the Golden Horn and Bosphorus and saw a whirling dervishes show. We walked around to rediscover the neighborhoods of my childhood.

For transport from the airport to the hotel, we used a private service recommended on Facebook: *Turkiye travelling tips and recommendations*. Have a great trip!

Thank you so much for your reply