BUCKET LIST
THIS TOP TOURIST SPOT CHARGES MORE FOR ENTRY THAN BURJ KHALIFA
Istanbul's Topkapi Palace is the costliest royal palace to visit and the seventh most expensive tourist attraction globally. Image credit: HAROON AMEER on Unsplash.
Among the world's famous castles, palaces, and religious landmarks, an unexpected leader emerges when it comes to admission prices.
Istanbul's Topkapi Palace charges $64.63 for a standard ticket, making it the costliest royal palace to visit and the seventh most expensive tourist attraction globally.
Is it on your bucket list?
The former seat of Ottoman sultans now requires a higher entry fee than iconic palaces such as Versailles and Windsor Castle, and even famous landmarks like Sagrada Família and Burj Khalifa. Once a symbol of imperial power, Topkapi now stands out for another reason: the price of stepping through its gates.
That’s the outcome in a PlayersTime survvey as Canadians and millions of travelers worldwide pack up their bags and head out to popular destinations, with international tourism continuing to grow, despite economic uncertainty.
Here are the world’s most expensive tourist entrance tickets in 2026 (all prices in USD):
The Moai of Easter Island (Rapa Nui, Chile) - $102.92
Nazca Lines (Nazca, Peru) - $85.00
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt (New York City, United States) - $83.84
Top of the Rock (New York City, United States) - $81.66
Petra - Main Trail (Petra, Jordan) - $70.52
Edge Hudson Yards (New York City, United States) - $70.18
Topkapi Palace (Istanbul, Turkey) - $64.63
Burj Khalifa (Dubai, United Arab Emirates) - $54.19
Menara Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - $54.18
Schönbrunn Palace (Vienna, Austria) - $50.78