Visit the Tour de Galata: tickets, prices, schedules

Are you going to Istanbul, the capital of Turkey? Don’t miss visiting the Galata Tower, one of the city’s emblematic monuments!

The district of Galata is actually a hill on the western bank of Istanbul, at the entrance of the Golden Horn. This part of the city is nicknamed “the new Istanbul”, because it is outside the boundaries of the old Constantinople. The tower dominates the neighborhood and offers magnificent views of all Istanbul, from the Bosphorus Strait to Saint-Sophie, to the Asian shore.

The Galata Tower is 66.90 metres high and has 9 floors. It has a diameter of 16.45 meters outside and 8.95 meters inside, which means that its walls have an impressive thickness of 3.75 meters at the base.

To allow you to visit the Galata Tower in good conditions, Wanderlix has prepared a summary of all important information. How to buy tickets, prices, schedules... Find out everything you need to know before visiting the Galata Tower!

History of the Galata Tower

Many stories accompany the construction of the Galata Tower. The first tower erected at this site in 528 seems to have been a lighthouse, to guide the boats in the Strait of Bosphorus or the Golden Horn. But it is much later that the tower in its present form was built.

The Byzantine empire, strongly weakened in the thirteenth century, notably by constantinople’s sack by the Crusaders in 1204, decided to join the Genoese in 1267. He gives them the right to set up a Genoese colony on Galata.

They begin their installation and fortify the hill with large wall reinforcements. They even exceed the limits allowed at the beginning. Finally, they confined the north of their colony by building the Galata Tower in 1348, which they then baptized “the tower of Christ”.

Later, the tower was used as a fire observation post, then as a prison and finally as an astronomy tower. According to legend, the Ottoman inventor Hezârfen Ahmed Çelebi would have even made a flight from the top of the tower in 1632. He would have joined the shore of the Bosphore equipped with wings made by his care.

The tower has been open to the public since 1960 and is now one of the most visited monuments in Istanbul.

Our tips to visit the Galata Tower

To visit the Galata Tower, we advise you to avoid the beginning of the afternoon, or the queues can stretch in an endless way. A good way to enjoy the breathtaking view of Istanbul in peace is to get you there early morning ideally at the opening hour.

Otherwise, some guided tours of the city include cut-file tickets that allow you to enter the building without waiting.

The sunset is a magical moment but it is also one of the most frequented times. It is up to you to choose if you have time to wait for your turn or not.

Otherwise, you can arrange to visit the Galata Tower at the time of the call to prayer . The muezzins respond throughout the city, creating a moving atmosphere to feel at the top of the tower.

Some restaurants in the vicinity have a roof terrace. A good way to contemplate the roofs of the city and the tower of Galata that overlooks them, while initiating to the Turkish gastronomy!

What to do during your visit to the Galata Tower?

Upon arriving at the Galata Tower, you will observe the plaque commemorating the handover of the turn keys by the Genoese to Mehmed II, the seventh Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. You will then enter the tower and then borrow one of the two elevators that lead to the seventh floor, the only way to reach the top.

Upstairs, an observatory terrace turns the building and offers you a 360-degree view on the entire city of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. Inside, you will find a coffee and a restaurant On the last two floors. They enjoy an ideal location for a traditional meal or a delicious Turkish coffee while contemplating the town’s fading and minarets of mosques.

Before you come out, you can choose a gift to bring back to your family or friends in the small souvenir shop at the entrance.

After your time visiting the Galata Tower, take the time of stroll in the neighborhood . You will imbue yourself with the atmosphere of the city by stopping on the café terraces or visiting local craft shops. Bring back to your suitcase, ceramics, Turkish lamps, Nazar decorations against the wrong eye, Turkish tea, Kilim carpets, spices, or gold or silver jewellery.

How much does a ticket cost to Galata Tower?

The entrance ticket for the Galata Tower costs 35 Turkish pounds, 4 euros . A must-see visit at a soft price!

How to book an online ticket for the Galata Tower?

There is no official website of the Galata Tower to book your ticket online, if you want to visit it by yourself. You can nevertheless order the Museum Pass upon arrival in Istanbul or upstream of your trip. You will only have to pay the pass at your hotel’s shop and a courier will deliver it to you within two hours. Know that the Museum Pass is only payable in cash!

Are there guided tours of the Galata Tower?

Many guided tours are available online. They offer a tour of the city with a local guide that will tell you lots of anecdotes about the history of Istanbul the cosmopolitan.

Several monuments can be included in addition to the Galata Tower, to you to choose the ones that make you dream the most. In addition, some of the city’s guided tours include cut-line tickets that allow you to enter the building without waiting.

In addition to making you discover the city with an expert guide, guided tours make you save valuable time. This is a good option if you want to come to Istanbul for a short weekend or city trip. Visiting the Galata Tower in itself can be done without accompanying, but you will always benefit from fun and interesting anecdotes from your specialized guide.

Are there visits combined with other monuments in Istanbul?

The map Museum Pass allows you to visit the Galata Tower and many other museums of the city. She is valid for 5 days after its activation, the ideal if you plan to spend a week in Istanbul.

Thus, the Museum Pass includes, among other things, the entrance to Topkapi Palace and its harem, the entrance to the archaeological museum, the church of Sainte-Irène or the museum of mosaic. It is available at the Museums Conventioned at a price of 325 Turkish pounds, or about 35 euros .

Opening hours

Note: the closet 30 minutes before the monument is closed, so watch your watch!

• Summer hours: from 10:00 to 22:00;
• Winter times: 9:00 to 7:00.

How to get to Galata Tower?

The Galata Tower is located in the Beyoglu district . The exact address is Galata Kulesi, 34421 Beyoglu/Istanbul.

By metro

By metro, the nearest station is Karakoy . You will only have to walk a dozen minutes to reach the Galata Tower. Attention, Galata being a hill, the streets are steep, perhaps difficult to reach people with reduced mobility.

Otherwise, you can take the "Tunnel" line from Karakoy which will take you in 5 minutes to Tunnel Square station, at the beginning of Istiklal Street. In this sense, you only have to follow the descent for 5 minutes to visit the Galata Tower.

On foot

Another option is to discover the Galata Tower by a walk, the area being very pleasant. To come from the other side of the Golden Horn after your discovery of the Topkapi Palace or the Blue Mosque, you can walk 40 minutes in an enchanting landscape.

By train

You can also reach Istanbul by train and take a tram to visit the Galata Tower. From Sirkeci train station , you will put about 20 minutes by line T1. From Aydaparsa station , count an hour by public transport. Among other things, you will take Marmaray Metro, which passes under the Bosphorus Strait.

Where to park near Galata Tower?

There is. many paid parking lots to allow you to visit the Galata Tower by car. The closest are those of Kuledibi, Sishane, Kapali, Ispark and Kardesler all within a 500 metre radius around the Tower.

Be careful, you are in a popular neighborhood of Istanbul! You'll probably have to. reserve your place before you arrive , on parking websites, not to rotate in circles for hours.

Where to stay near the Galata Tower?

Istanbul is a city that offers many monuments to visit and welcomes millions of travelers every year. The offer of accommodation is impressive, from the hostel to the 5-star palaces. In order to be in the best position to visit the Tour de Galata, we advise you to choose accommodation in the Beyoglu district .

To be totally autonomous, you can choose to book an apartment on Airbnb . Some people offer rooms for rent, to discover the lifestyle of Stambouliotes. In addition, you can use one Compare hotels to find the best offers available.