Galata

The focal point of lively Galata is the 14th-century Galata Tower, which has expansive views of the Bosphorus from its balcony. Below, the area's narrow streets are home to chic bars, family-run restaurants and small shops that sell odds and ends. Centuries-old synagogues, churches and mosques dot the neighborhood, while Galata Mevlevi House museum and cultural center has performances by whirling dervishes.