Galata Tower in the Turkish capital of Istanbul offers superb views over the city day and night. It’s a great way to get a feel for where everything is and we chose to head up the tower at dusk to see the sunset over the Blue Mosque – it was a really memorable experience.
Galata Tower is 67 metres tall and stands on a hill in the new city. The tower is actually much older than many of the things around it as it dates back to around 1348. It replaced a Byzantine tower which stood nearby and was destroyed in the 1200s. You can see why a tower would have been built on this site as it has 360 degree views. This was ideal for defence and also for a lighthouse.
The tower has two lifts which will take you up to the restaurant level. After that, there are winding stairs to take you the extra couple of flights to the viewing level. A small door gives access to the balcony outside and you’ll find it really is quite small with only just enough room to squeeze past other people. It was really busy at dusk and you might prefer to head up the tower at a less-busy time. There is a one-way system in operation and in general people move around at the speed of the person in front of them.
Galata Tower is open daily from 8.30am to 11pm. Adult admission is 30 Euros (2025 prices). You can skip the admission price by eating in the restaurant, which even serves breakfast.
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: Galata Kulesi (Galata Tower), Buyuk Hendek Cad., Istanbul, Turkey
Tel: +90 212 293 8180
Email: info@galatakulesi.org
Galata Tower is a short walk from the tram stop at Galata Bridge. We used the Istanbul Hop-on, Hop-off Tour to get here.
MORE ON GALATA TOWER
Galata Tower – Official Website
Galata Tower – Wikipedia
Hotels Near Galata Tower – We recommend Hotels.com
More Things To Do In Istanbul