Editor Pick
Galata Tower
- December 6, 2001
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Hajo from Witten, Germany
Once you have crossed Galata Bridge from Sultanahmet District, you enter a different world. No more great squares and splendid Ottoman architecture; instead there are small steep alleys, surrounded by medieval houses and the remains of the old Genoese city walls. Indeed this quarter was built by Genoese salesmen in the 10th century and very much resembles a medieval European town.
Half way up the hill to Beyoglu stands Galata Tower which provides one of the most beautiful views in the whole world: a panoramic round view of the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the European and Asian parts of Istanbul. On a clear sunny day, you can see as far as the Princes' Islands in the middle of the Sea of Marmara.
The view is most beautiful just before sunset, and you can finish your visit with a meal in the top floor restaurant, although this is a tourist trap and rather expensive.
From journal Insider Guide to Istanbul's hotspots