Galata Tower is one of Istanbul’s most popular touristic attractions, and is on the European side. The tower, which was built in the 500s when the Byzantine Empire dominated the lands of Istanbul, was initially made of wood, but when the tower was damaged by a fire, the Genoese rebuilt the tower in the 1340s using masonry stones. However, fire and earthquakes over the years, would not leave the tower alone, and the most recent renovation work was carried out in 1967.
Tourists wait in what seem like never-ending queues to enter the tower, which offers a unique and magnificent view of Istanbul from its top floor. If you are one of those people who hate waiting endlessly in a queue, and you think it might not be worth the wait, make sure to get into that line and go to the top of the tower for what I can assure you will be a wonderful experience. You can enter the tower between 10.00 and 22.00 in summer and betwen 10.00 and 19.00 in winter.
Note:
The places we have mentioned as ‘favorites’ above are the most famous places of the historical peninsula of Istanbul. We strongly suggest they are places that visitors coming to Istanbul should definitely see and spend time at, and since our favorite places are within short walking-distance of each other, they are places that you should be able to visit comfortably in one day. If you are interested in shopping, traditional culture and fashion, you can spend more time in the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar, but while ‘strolling around Istanbul’ and visiting these places, don’t let your belongings weigh you down.
May we suggest therefore that you safely store your suitcases, belongings and shopping bags at ‘ Istanbul Luggage Storage ‘.