When the Lights Come On: Night from Galata to Eminönü

1. 01
   Photography

   Catch the Tower as the Lights Come On

   Start the night in Galata. When the tower lighting switches on, Kuledibi Square turns into a completely different place: the area that is full of queues by day fills with street music and crowds in the evening. The tower stays open to visitors until 11:00 PM.

   Kuledibi Meydanı at Galata Tower, Istanbul, Turkey
2. 02
   Photography

   Photograph the Staircase in Night Light

   Kamondo Stairs are just a passageway by day, but at night they become a stage. The shadows of the curved railings fall across the wall, and the staircase stands out as one of the most elegant details left from Galata's banking years. The descent from the tower toward the harbor begins here.

   Kamondo Stairs lower end, Istanbul, Turkey
3. 03
   Nature

   Listen to the Water Along the Shore

   The waterfront of the old passenger port is now an open promenade for everyone. At night there is no traffic here: the lights of Sarayburnu glow across the water, ferry wakes trace the surface, and the silhouette of Tophane rises behind you. One of the city's busiest shores becomes almost quiet at this hour.

   Galataport waterfront promenade, Istanbul, Turkey
4. 04
   Local

   Walk Between the Fishing Lines on the Bridge

   Today's Galata Bridge is the fifth bridge on this site: it opened in 1994, stretches 490 meters, and can open for large ships. Fishermen line the upper level and restaurants fill the lower level; at night both decks are active, turning the bridge into one of the liveliest pedestrian routes in the city.

   Galata Bridge Karaköy entrance, Istanbul, Turkey
5. 05
   Photography

   End the Day in an Illuminated Courtyard

   After crossing the bridge, the illuminated courtyard of Yeni Cami welcomes you. The complex was begun in 1597 and only completed in 1663; the square that is crowded in the morning empties out at night, and for the first time the mosque's geometry becomes easy to see.

   Yeni Cami courtyard gate facing the square, Istanbul, Turkey

Check opening hours before you go. Hours, access conditions and weather can change.