Galata Tower Discounted Entrance Ticket
A stone watchtower on the north side of the Golden Horn, and the best 360-degree view in Istanbul. From the balcony you get the old city skyline, the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Asian shore in one sweep.
- At the gate
- £29.75
- Allow
- 1h 30m
- District
- Galata
- Closed
- Open daily
Galata Tower, in short
A stone watchtower on the north side of the Golden Horn, and the best 360-degree view in Istanbul. From the balcony you get the old city skyline, the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Asian shore in one sweep.
The Genoese built the tower you climb today in 1348, at the top of their walled trading colony. Records point to earlier towers on the same rock going back to the sixth century.
Opening hours
Open daily, 08:30 to 23:00. Last admission is usually 45 minutes before closing.
What it costs
Walk-up entry is u20ac35 a head. Your pass covers it, and it also gets you past the queue, which regularly wraps around the base of the tower in summer.
Getting there
Take the T1 tram to Karaku00f6y, then either walk up through the steep lanes u2014 about ten minutes and worth it u2014 or take the Tu00fcnel funicular, the second-oldest underground railway in the world, and walk down.
How long to allow, and when to go
Allow 45 minutes including the queue and the lift. Go about an hour before sunset: you get the city in daylight, the sunset over the Golden Horn, and the lights coming on, all in one visit.
Why Galata
The district has been the outward-facing side of the city for centuries. The Romans called it Pera u2014 simply 'the other side' u2014 and it grew into a quarter of Genoese merchants, then a mix of Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Levantine communities.
There is a story attached to the tower worth knowing. In the 17th century Hezu00e2rfen Ahmed u00c7elebi is said to have strapped on a pair of artificial wings, jumped from the top, and glided across the Bosphorus to u00dcsku00fcdar. Whether or not it happened, the Sultan reportedly rewarded him and then exiled him for being too clever.
Frequently asked questions
- It is the oldest surviving tower in Istanbul, standing since 1348, and it gives the most complete view of the city from any single point.
- A wraparound observation balcony, an exhibition on the tower's history on the floors below, and a restaurant sharing the same view.
- u20ac35 per person at the door. Included on the pass, along with priority entry.
- Yes, a lift runs most of the way, with a short flight of stairs to the balcony itself.
- First thing at 08:30, or late evening after about 21:00. Sunset is the busiest hour by a distance u2014 and still the best one.