Ready for TV-land in real life? I love the fact that this tour brings you to actual Kuruluş Osman sets (not just a quick photo stop), and I also like that your day includes lunch plus live show time on the film plateau. The one thing to factor in is that the most fun extras—like horse riding and paid photo packages—cost extra.
I’m also a fan of the pacing. The schedule is built around a main, long set visit, with shorter breaks to keep the day from feeling like a sprint. With a maximum group size of 28 and an air-conditioned vehicle, it’s the kind of outing that works even if you don’t want nonstop walking.
In This Review
- Quick hits before you go
- How the day runs from Taksim to the sets
- Taksim Square meeting point and the Europe-to-Asia switch
- The short Istanbul stop: open areas where scenes are made
- Kuruluş Osman filming location: the 5-hour heart of the tour
- Castle and house set areas: how scenes translate in real space
- The live performances on the plateau: when it gets loud and real
- Ataturk Kultur Merkezi finish: wrapping up and timing your next move
- Price and value: what you get for $120.16
- What’s extra on-site: souvenirs, photography, and horse riding costs
- Who this tour fits best (and who should reconsider)
- Should you book this Ertugrul and Osman Ghazi Movie Set Tour?
- FAQ
- How long is the Ertugrul and Osman Ghazi Movie Set Tour?
- What time does the tour start?
- How much does the tour cost?
- Is lunch included?
- Do I need to arrange my own transport to the meeting point?
- Where do I meet the group?
- Is the tour offered in English?
- Is there a limit on group size?
- What movie set admission is included?
- Are horse riding and professional photos included?
- What should I know about weather?
Quick hits before you go
- Real filming locations for Kuruluş Osman, including set castles and house areas
- Lunch included, so you’re not hunting food mid-day
- Short live performances on the plateau (about 15–20 minutes within the show time)
- Small-group feel with a max of 28 travelers
- Europe to Asia transition as part of the transfer plan
- Optional extras cost more (horse riding and professional photography)
Still deciding? Here is how a few Istanbul favourites compare with this one:
How the day runs from Taksim to the sets
This tour starts at 10:00 am and runs about 8 hours total, ending back at the same meeting area. Expect a set-focused day with a few shorter sightseeing moments, then a big chunk at the filming sites. You’ll also have enough time built in to watch performances without rushing from one thing to the next.
The flow is simple: you meet in Taksim, travel across the city, spend the day at the Kuruluş Osman filming area, then finish with a meet-back window around 19:00–19:30 at Ataturk Kultur Merkezi. If you’re choosing this tour as a dedicated TV-series day, the length feels right: long enough to feel like you truly visited a production world, not just touched it.
Because the tour operates in English and uses a mobile ticket, you can keep your planning pretty light. Just make sure you show up at the correct meeting point early enough to get checked in and settled before departure.
Taksim Square meeting point and the Europe-to-Asia switch
Your day begins at Taksim Square, in front of the main door at Ataturk Culture Center. From there, the group heads from the European side to the Asian continent, which is more than a transfer—it’s part of the experience. It helps you feel like you’re moving into a different world before you ever reach the filming plateau.
You’ll also get an easy start: one segment is only about 30 minutes and is marked as free admission. That’s useful if you’re arriving a little stiff and you want the day to warm up gently rather than immediately dropping you into a long walking session.
Practical tip: if you hate arriving late, aim to be at the meeting point a few minutes early. With popular meeting areas like Taksim, being on time keeps the whole day smoother for you and the group.
The short Istanbul stop: open areas where scenes are made
After the first segment, there’s another brief stop related to filming activity in Istanbul. This one is about 15 minutes, again listed as free admission, and it’s designed to give you context for how the production uses different types of locations.
This part is short on purpose. The tour saves your time for the main filming area, where you’ll actually spend hours seeing sets up close. Think of this segment as orientation: you get a sense that the production doesn’t rely on one single location type.
If you like understanding the behind-the-scenes side of a show—how productions use real places—this quick stop helps. If you prefer straight to the main action, it still does the job without dragging the schedule.
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Kuruluş Osman filming location: the 5-hour heart of the tour
This is the main event: the tour spends about 5 hours at the actual Kuruluş Osman filming location, with admission included. This is where your viewing shifts from seeing hints of production work to actually experiencing it like a set visitor.
A longer block matters. You don’t just arrive, take photos, and leave. You get time to wander through filming areas, watch how scenes are staged, and settle into the pace of a working production space. For fans, it’s also the point where the stories you know start feeling more grounded because you’re looking at the real built sets and surrounding areas.
Potential drawback: five hours is a lot if you’re the type who gets bored on tours. But if you love shows like Ertugrul and Osman Ghazi, this is the segment you’ll feel most satisfied by. It’s also the time when you’re most likely to spot details you’d miss on a shorter outing.
Castle and house set areas: how scenes translate in real space
After the main filming block, you move through additional Kuruluş Osman set areas, including castle/house locations. This segment is about 1 hour, with admission included, and it’s designed for “walk through the scenes” style sightseeing.
One hour is enough to feel the difference between set dressing and real architecture. Even if you’re not a total architecture nerd, it helps you understand scale—how big walls, doors, and courtyards need to be so actors and camera angles can work.
Photo note (without getting too gear-obsessed): this is a good place to capture wide shots and character-relevant angles. The tour also offers paid professional photography as an extra, starting at 15 euro, so if you want curated portraits with production-style backdrops, you’ll have time to decide later.
If you prefer fewer photo breaks and more simply watching how locations are used, you can keep this stop casual and just enjoy the atmosphere.
The live performances on the plateau: when it gets loud and real
The day’s energy peaks during the set-show segment. There’s a 45-minute block tied to live performances, with admission included. The tour also specifically mentions live show watching time on the film plateau of about 15–20 minutes, so you’ll likely spend part of this period actively watching the performances and part of it taking in the stage setup and surrounding set atmosphere.
This is the moment that converts a filming-location visit into something more like a themed event. You’re not only looking at where scenes are built—you’re seeing staged storytelling delivered in real time, right in the production context.
What I like about this format is the balance. Even if you’re not a superfan, the live part gives the day a clear payoff. If you are a superfan, it’s the segment that feels most like the world of the show jumping off the screen.
Plan for timing: performances can be more enjoyable when you arrive settled rather than rushing. If you’re traveling with mobility limits, this is also where being in the right spot early matters.
Ataturk Kultur Merkezi finish: wrapping up and timing your next move
The tour ends with a return meet-back around 19:00–19:30 at Ataturk Kultur Merkezi, with about 30 minutes included for the end-of-day wrap. Since the activity ends back at the meeting point, you don’t have to solve complicated last-mile logistics to get back to Taksim.
This end segment is a practical buffer. It gives you time to regroup, check your photos, and plan dinner without feeling like you’ll be stranded. If you’re pairing this with an evening plan, keep it flexible—your actual end time can shift a bit based on traffic and how the production day runs.
Tip: since this is a set-heavy tour, your energy may dip after the show and walking. Have water handy, and consider keeping your evening plan simple and nearby.
Price and value: what you get for $120.16
The price is $120.16 per person, and the value comes from what’s included rather than from what’s offered on paper. You’re getting lunch, air-conditioned vehicle transport, pick up and drop off from the meeting point, entrance fees for the movie set segments, and time to watch live shows on the plateau.
That matters because Istanbul can be expensive when you start adding up transport, separate attraction tickets, and food stops during a day tour. Here, lunch being included means you’re less likely to lose time to searching for a meal during a schedule that already has fixed set blocks.
What’s not included helps you budget realistically:
- Professional photography service starts at 15 euro
- Horse riding is 20 minutes for 20 euro
- Personal expenses
- Hotel transfers (you must reach the meeting point yourself)
If you’re a fan who will likely spend on at least one extra (photo or horse riding), the base ticket may feel more reasonable because you’ll already know where your spending will go. If you don’t want any extras, you can still have a full day without paying more than the tour cost—just expect souvenirs and optional experiences to tempt you once you’re on-site.
What’s extra on-site: souvenirs, photography, and horse riding costs
Souvenirs are part of the day’s reality, but it’s smart to go in with a budget mindset. The tour notes that some add-ons cost extra, and the experience vibe is set up for you to decide on the spot.
Professional photography starts at 15 euro. If you want a more polished set-style portrait, this is worth considering. If you’re happy with your own photos, you can skip it and focus on free photo time around the sets.
Horse riding is another optional add-on: 20 minutes for 20 euro. That’s a meaningful activity, and it can be fun if you’re comfortable with the idea of a short ride in a staged setting. But it’s still an extra charge, and it may also add another layer of waiting/coordination on the day—so don’t assume it will be quick just because it’s only 20 minutes.
My practical advice: decide early what you actually want to spend on. If you’re paying for horse riding, bring the right expectations about what “20 minutes” really means in a full tour day.
Who this tour fits best (and who should reconsider)
This tour is a strong match for fans of Ertugrul Gazi and Osman Gazi and anyone who likes seeing how TV storytelling translates into real built locations. The long set time at the filming area and the live show segment give you both immersion-by-location and the fun payoff of performances.
It can also suit travelers who don’t want a marathon. The pacing feels relaxed enough for people who want a day that isn’t constant running around, and the small group size helps keep it less chaotic.
You might reconsider if:
- you don’t care about Kuruluş Osman at all and only want general sightseeing
- you dislike spending several hours at one main location
- you’re sensitive to costs that can rise through optional extras (photos, horse riding)
- you don’t want to navigate getting to the meeting point yourself (no hotel transfer)
If you’re traveling as a couple or small group and you want one focused, themed day, this is a tidy choice.
Should you book this Ertugrul and Osman Ghazi Movie Set Tour?
Book it if you want a set-forward day with lunch included, real filming locations, and a live performance segment that makes the story feel immediate. The $120.16 price makes sense when you compare it to separate transport plus food plus paid set access.
Don’t book it if you’re looking for classic Istanbul hits like Hagia Sophia or the Grand Bazaar as your main day plan. This tour is purpose-built for the Osman world, so general sightseeing will be limited by design.
One more decision helper: since it’s offered in English and has a max group size of 28, I’d treat it as a “special interest” tour that can fill up. If you’re aiming for a specific date, booking a few weeks ahead is smart.
FAQ
How long is the Ertugrul and Osman Ghazi Movie Set Tour?
It’s listed at about 8 hours in total.
What time does the tour start?
The start time is 10:00 am.
How much does the tour cost?
The price is $120.16 per person.
Is lunch included?
Yes, lunch is included.
Do I need to arrange my own transport to the meeting point?
Yes. Hotel transfers are not included, and you need to come to the meeting point yourself.
Where do I meet the group?
The meeting point is in front of the main door at Ataturk Culture Center in Taksim Square.
Is the tour offered in English?
Yes, it’s offered in English.
Is there a limit on group size?
Yes. The maximum group size is 28 travelers.
What movie set admission is included?
Entrance fees mentioned by the itinerary for the movie set are included, and the tour includes time at multiple set areas.
Are horse riding and professional photos included?
No. Horse riding is an extra (20 minutes for 20 euro), and professional photography is also extra (starting at 15 euro).
What should I know about weather?
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
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