Things to do in Galata

Galata is in the heart of Istanbul, but it is also a unique place with a soul of its own, where the old and the new go hand in hand. Whenever I visit Galata, I feel like I'm not in a neighborhood but in another layer of time. There is a completely different pleasure in going to Galata in the morning. When the streets are not yet crowded, walking in the silence of the cobbled streets makes you feel like you are in a movie scene. As the Galata Tower rises in front of you, no matter how blue the sky is, its grayness always seems to carry the weight of the past. But when you ascend the tower, a completely different view awaits you: the glitter of the Golden Horn, the morning mist of the Bosphorus and the cries of seagulls, you feel the spirit of Istanbul to your bones.When you get off the tower, let yourself go down Galip Dede Street. There is a story around every corner. While the jazz melody playing in an old record shop is ringing in your ears, you take a peek inside the workshop of a ney master standing on a corner. In Galata, you don't just walk, you listen, you feel.Serdar-ı Ekrem Street is another world. Restored old buildings on one side, modern cafes and design shops on the other... As you walk down this street, you are intertwined with history and creativity.  Seeing young people sitting on the sidewalk sipping coffee and artists working on street corners shows that this neighborhood is a living gallery. A little further on you come across the Galata Mevlevi Lodge. As soon as you step into its garden, you get away from the chaos of the outside. Embracing you with its silence, serenity and elegant architecture, this place carries the respect for Mevlevi culture to today. It's easy to get lost among the dervish clothes, old manuscripts and the sounds of the ney.When noon comes, take a walk towards Galata Bridge. Chat with shopkeepers on the way, buy a hot bagel from a small bakery. Then, when you reach the bridge, watch the fishermen casting their fishing rods and watch Istanbul reflected in the water.And of course, make sure to stop at the cafes in Galata. Most are small but full of character. Sitting by the window of a cafe playing an old radio and watching Istanbul is perhaps the greatest luxury of Galata. The time that passes here doesn't run... It walks. And with every step you discover another side of Istanbul.

For accommodation suggestions, you can check our page for Galata Hotels.