Places for the Best View of Istanbul

Thanks to the geographical structure and the immense size of the beautiful city, there are many spots from above where you can enjoy the breathtaking views of Istanbul. Istanbul stands on seven hills, these seven hills cause difficulties regarding city planning and transportation facilities, however, they set natural watch decks for the ones who like to experience the city in the most picturesque way. In this article, we tried to sum up the places for the best view of Istanbul during your visits here.

1 — Camlica Tower

The Little Camlica Hill, which is located on the Asian Side and hosts the tower now, was full of TV and radio antennas for analog stream. With the big difference in the broadcast due to the developing technology, the need for such transmitters is limited now and the internet is the main source for the streams. To get rid of the unpleasant look of the standing antennas, a tower is built on the very same hill, the view turned to something much nicer and the tower still carries the same function the antennas used to do.

The construction is finished in September 2020 and the tower is opened last week on May 29th, 2021. The government spent 170 million Turkish Liras(20 million USD) in order to open this multi-functional facility. Besides the antenna, the building has a restaurant and a watch terrace on the top floors. The tower is the tallest building in Istanbul now, has a height of 365m from the ground and 587m from sea level. The upper 145m is the antenna that continues the stream of the radios.

There is an admission of 60 Liras(7 USD) to climb to the panoramic deck and there is a chance to enjoy the delicacies that the Turkish Cuisine offers at the restaurant. Please note that the tower is closed on Sundays.

2 — Sapphire Shopping Mall

Till the Camlica Tower is built and opened, Sapphire Shopping Mall was first the place that attracted tourists because of its view and convenient location. Sapphire is located on the European side of Istanbul and quite accessible with public transportation. To climb to the observation deck you should pay a fee of 55 Liras for adults and 45 Liras for children. The mall is a nice alternative for shopping day this way as it offers one of the best views from its terrace. Sapphire also has a broadish playground for children which may sound favorable this way for larger families. Read More