Is Hagia Sophia free to enter?

Hagia Sophia is a mosque; foreign visitors enter the visitor gallery with a paid ticket, while worshippers enter free. Check the official site for the current price and visiting hours.

Is the Blue Mosque free?

Yes. The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque) is free to enter outside prayer times. Dress modestly; scarves are available at the entrance.

How much is the Museum Pass Türkiye in 2026?

€165 for 15 days from your first visit, covering more than 350 museums and archaeological sites, according to muze.gov.tr on 8 October 2026.

How much is the entrance fee for Ephesus?

€40 for foreign adult visitors, with the Terrace Houses an extra €15 (official prices checked 8 October 2026).

Can I pay entrance fees by card?

Yes, most museum and site ticket desks accept cards, and e-tickets are sold on muze.gov.tr and in the official Museums of Türkiye app.

Turkey Entrance Fees 2026 and the Museum Pass Explained

Ticket prices for foreign visitors at Turkey's top museums and ancient sites, checked on 8 October 2026, plus which Museum Pass saves you money.

October 8, 2026 · 5 min read

Turkey Entrance Fees 2026 and the Museum Pass Explained

Most state museums and archaeological sites in Turkey charge foreign visitors a ticket priced in euros — for example Ephesus €40, Pamukkale-Hierapolis €30 and Göreme Open-Air Museum €20 — while mosques are free. If you'll visit several sites, a Museum Pass (from €65 to €165) can save money and queue time.

We checked every price below on the official ticket pages on 8 October 2026. Prices change, sometimes during the year, so treat them as a planning guide and confirm on the official site linked from each of our place pages before you go.

How do tickets work for foreign visitors?

Museums and archaeological sites run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism publish one price for foreign visitors, usually in euros; you can pay at the desk by card or buy e-tickets on muze.gov.tr and in the official Museums of Türkiye app. Palaces run by the National Palaces administration (such as Topkapı and Dolmabahçe) and private museums set their own prices, usually in lira.

Turkish citizens and residents pay lower local prices, and many places offer reductions for students and children — ask at the desk with your ID.

What do Istanbul's top sights cost?

Foreign adult prices from the official pages, checked 8 October 2026.

Topkapı Palace: 2,750 TRY (combined ticket; see the official site for what it includes).
Hagia Irene: 1,050 TRY.
Dolmabahçe Palace: 2,000 TRY (closed on Mondays).
Beylerbeyi Palace: 800 TRY (closed on Mondays).
Galata Tower: €30.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums: €15.
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum: €17.
Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam: €10.
Rumeli Fortress: €6 (closed on Mondays).
Theodosius Cistern (Şerefiye): 900 TRY.
Istanbul Modern: 1,000 TRY; Pera Museum: 450 TRY (both closed on Mondays).
Hagia Sophia: foreign visitors enter the upper gallery with a paid ticket; the Basilica Cistern is also paid — check their official sites for today's price.
Free: the Blue Mosque, Süleymaniye, Rüstem Pasha and other mosques (outside prayer times), the Grand Bazaar (closed on Sundays) and the Spice Bazaar.

Topkapı Palace

Historic & Cultural · Fatih

Topkapı Palace, the Ottoman sultans' palace for centuries, deserves at least half a day — arrive at opening time.

Go to Topkapı Palace

Galata Tower

Historic & Cultural · Beyoğlu

Galata Tower is included in the Museum Pass İstanbul; with the pass, entry has to be before 18:14.

Go to Galata Tower

What do Cappadocia's sites cost?

These four alone add up to €58; the Museum Pass Cappadocia costs €65 and covers more than 10 sites for 3 days, so it pays off as soon as you add one more site.

Göreme Open-Air Museum: €20.
Derinkuyu Underground City: €13.
Kaymaklı Underground City: €13.
Zelve Open-Air Museum and Paşabağları (Monks Valley): €12.

Churches of Göreme

Museums · Nevşehir

The open-air museum's rock-cut churches are the region's most-visited site; go at opening time.

Go to Churches of Göreme

What do Ephesus, Pamukkale and the Aegean cost?

Ephesus: €40; the Terrace Houses inside Ephesus: €15 extra.
Ephesus Museum in Selçuk: €10.
Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis (one site): €30. The Antique Pool is a separate ticket.
Aphrodisias: €12.
Pergamon Acropolis: €15.
Troy archaeological site: €27; Troy Museum: €27.
Bodrum Castle (Museum of Underwater Archaeology): €20.
Didyma, Temple of Apollo: €6.

Ephesus

Historic & Cultural · Selçuk

Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean; start early to beat the heat and the cruise groups.

Go to Ephesus

Pamukkale

Nature & Adventure · Pamukkale

The white travertine terraces of Pamukkale share one ticket with the ancient city of Hierapolis above them.

Go to Pamukkale

What do Antalya's ancient sites cost?

Aspendos theatre: €15.
Perge: €11.
Side Museum: €5.
Myra (rock tombs and theatre): €13; St Nicholas Church in Demre: €17.
Olympos: €10.
Termessos: €3.
Hadrian's Gate in Antalya's old town is free to walk through.

Aspendos

Historic & Cultural · Serik

Aspendos has one of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere — the stage building still stands to its full height.

Go to Aspendos

What about central, eastern and south-eastern Turkey?

Göbekli Tepe (Şanlıurfa): €20; Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum: €10.
Zeugma Mosaic Museum (Gaziantep): €12.
Mount Nemrut: €10 (seasonal opening hours).
Ani archaeological site (Kars): €8.
Ishak Pasha Palace (Doğubayazıt): €3 (closed on Mondays).
Sümela Monastery (Trabzon): €20.
Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Ankara): €12; Anıtkabir is free.
Hattusa (Boğazköy): €3; Çatalhöyük: €5.
Mevlâna Museum in Konya: free.

Göbekli Tepe

Historic & Cultural · Haliliye

Göbekli Tepe's carved stone pillars are among the oldest known monumental structures in the world.

Go to Göbekli Tepe

Cathedral of Ani

Historic & Cultural · Kars

The medieval city of Ani sits on a plateau above the Akhurian gorge, roughly 40 km from Kars.

Go to Cathedral of Ani

Which Museum Pass should I buy?

Official prices and validity on muze.gov.tr, checked 8 October 2026. Each pass lets you enter each covered site once, starting from your first visit.

Quick rule: add up the single tickets you will really buy. For an Aegean trip, Ephesus (€40), the Terrace Houses (€15), the Ephesus Museum (€10) and Pamukkale-Hierapolis (€30) already make €95 — the price of the Aegean pass — before you add Aphrodisias, Pergamon or Bodrum Castle.

Passes are not valid for night-time museum openings, and private museums are not part of them — check the official list of covered sites. MüzeKart is the annual card for Turkish citizens; visitors buy the Museum Pass.

Museum Pass Türkiye: €165 for 15 days, more than 350 museums and sites nationwide — for long trips across several regions.
Museum Pass İstanbul: €105 for 5 days, 13 museums in Istanbul.
Museum Pass Cappadocia: €65 for 3 days, more than 10 museums and sites.
Museum Pass The Aegean: €95 for 7 days, more than 40 sites in İzmir, Aydın, Muğla and Denizli.
Museum Pass The Mediterranean: €90 for 7 days, more than 40 sites in Antalya, Mersin, Adana and Denizli (the Hierapolis Antique Pool is not included).

Money in Turkey

How can I save time at the ticket desk?

Buy e-tickets or your Museum Pass online on muze.gov.tr or in the Museums of Türkiye app.
Arrive at opening time; the big sites are calmest in the first hour.
Check the closing day: many palaces and museums close on Mondays, the Grand Bazaar on Sundays.
Carry a card and a little cash; most desks accept cards.
Bring your student card or ID if you may be eligible for a reduction.

Prices are one part of the plan; opening days and the best time to arrive matter just as much. Each of our place pages shows the visit information we have, with the date it was checked.

Sources

This article was written by the TripNVB team from our own data: places, locations and facts come from our records. Check opening hours and prices on each place's page before you go.