Highlights of Beyoglu and Besiktas, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

When in Istanbul last October, I stayed in Beyoğlu. Historically known as Pera (which means “beyond” in Greek), this was a predominantly Christian area surrounding the coastal town of Galata that faced Constantinople across the Golden Horn. It has become the entertainment and nightlife focal point of Istanbul in modern times, but its past “outsider” status contributed to the fact that it has way fewer must-see highlights than the old city.

Galata Tower stands practically alone in that. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of Istanbul and by far the most important architectural monument found on this side of the Golden Horn. In its current form, it dates from the mid-14th century.

The builders of the tower belonged to the Genoese colony that existed in the Galata area between the 13th century and the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The tower is one of the vestiges of the Genoese trading routes with a tentative entry on the WH list. It is also in the top five most popular tourist sights in all of the city, with the lines to ascend to its upper terrace hours-long at practically all times. My hotel was just around the corner from the tower but I never found a good time to beat the lines. While I haven’t set foot in the tower proper, it is a focal point of so many of my photographs that I certainly consider it a visited sight. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).