Panoramas of Istanbul

  This week I got to return to one of my favorite views of Istanbul. There are probably 5 places that I think are best to see the city from, considering both the city's beauty and its vastness. Galata Tower is relatively famous for this, but I think it's terrible - not the view, the expense to get the view, the crowdedness, and the overall experience. The place that we went to instead is a nearly perfect substitute - 360Istanbul. The view is superb in many directions; and the price... well, it's expensive, but only if we are talking about the drinks. A pot of tea today cost us less than a single adult ticket to Galata tower (19tl to 20tl).

St. Anthony's Cathedral, Beyoğlu (center); Sultanahmet with Hagia Sofia (distant right); Asia (distant left)

 As the restaurant's name implies, it has a 360-degree view, with a wrap-around balcony, but I didn't take pictures of the rest today. (If you want to find it on Istiklal Caddesi in Taksim, it is several buildings up the hill from St. Anthony's Cathedral in the Misir Apartmani, 8th flour. Use the elevator!)

 By the way, my other favorite panoramas of the city include the following: The Seven Towers (Yedikulesi - previous post), the Princess Islands (previous posts 1, 2, and 3), the restaurant on top of the Bosphorus Swissotel (where I asked my wife to marry me), and the ferries (many people's favorite part of a visit to Istanbul).