Exploring Istanbul means diving into a melting pot of cultures, and Karaköy is one of its liveliest neighbourhoods. If you're wondering what to see in Karaköy, this old harbour district on the shore of the Golden Horn, right where it meets the Bosphorus, offers an irresistible mix of art, food and history.
From contemporary galleries to cafés with a past, every corner of Karaköy has a story to tell.
Here are the five places I'd put at the top of your list, the ones that will make your visit to this part of Istanbul one to remember.
1. Galata Tower
If you're coming from Dolmabahçe Palace, you can walk to the Galata Tower: it's a stroll of around 2 km through some of Istanbul's most charming streets, lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. From Karaköy itself it's a short, steep climb up the lanes of Galata.
A tower first stood here in 528, in Byzantine times, when it served as a lighthouse. The Genoese, who ran the trading colony of Galata, rebuilt it in the 14th century as a watchtower to keep an eye on the ships arriving in the harbour and the goods they carried.
It isn't especially tall, but the viewing gallery at the top gives you spectacular views over the whole city: the Golden Horn, the domes and minarets of the old city, the Bosphorus and the Asian shore. A lift takes you most of the way up and you climb the last flights of stairs on foot. Entrance is €35 for foreign visitors and it's open daily from 08:30 until late in the evening (last entry about an hour before closing) at the time of writing (2026); prices and hours change, so check before you go. The tower is also included in my Gems of Istanbul day tour, which takes in the highlights of the city using public transport like a local.
2. Kamondo Stairs
In the streets of Galata you'll find the Kamondo Stairs (also spelled Camondo; Kamondo Merdivenleri in Turkish), an Art Nouveau flight of steps commissioned by the banker Abraham Salomon Camondo in the late 19th century. The story goes that he chose the curving, almost plaited design so that his children would never tumble far if they slipped on the steep slope down to Bankalar Caddesi, the old street of the banks.
Over the years the stairs have become an iconic spot for photographers from all over the world, among them the great French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, who took one of his best-known pictures here in 1964. That alone makes them one of the places to see in Karaköy.
3. Galata Mevlevi House
The Galata Mevlevihanesi Müzesi (Galata Mevlevi House Museum) is a discreet museum a short walk uphill from the Galata Tower, towards Tünel. It was founded in 1491 as a lodge for the Mevlevi dervishes, famous for their whirling ritual, the sema, a form of prayer in search of union with the divine. Today the building is a museum devoted to the history of the order.
The highlight is the beautifully restored octagonal ceremonial hall, where the whirling dervish ceremonies come to life again on Sundays; check the current schedule before you go. It's a place I particularly recommend if you're interested in Istanbul's culture and religious diversity.
4. Yeraltı Mosque, the Underground Mosque
The Yeraltı Camii, literally the "Underground Mosque", began life as a Byzantine dungeon and later served as a military arsenal; today it's a fascinating subterranean place of worship. To get in, you go down a flight of steps from street level.
Unlike the traditional mosque with its great open prayer hall, this one is a low vaulted space divided into individual bays by stout columns. At the far end, bathed in green light, are the glass-fronted tombs of two martyrs who lost their lives in the 7th century during the Arab siege of Constantinople. It's a working mosque, so take off your shoes, dress modestly and avoid prayer times.
5. SALT Galata
Housed in the former headquarters of the Imperial Ottoman Bank on Bankalar Caddesi, SALT Galata is a non-profit cultural centre devoted to contemporary culture. The building alone is worth the visit for its elegant interiors, and it holds a public research library behind a glass façade, full of books on the history of Istanbul.
It's also home to Neolokal, a restaurant that has become very popular in recent years, and a branch of the Robinson Crusoe bookshop, known for its excellent design and photography titles.
SALT puts on a wide programme of temporary exhibitions on its lower floors, from photography to video. In the same complex you'll find the Ottoman Bank Museum, which tells the story of the late Ottoman Empire through its displays of banknotes.
Karaköy sits at the foot of Beyoğlu, across the Golden Horn from the old city, so it fits naturally into a day that starts at the Galata Bridge and ends on İstiklal Avenue. If you'd like to explore it with someone who knows every lane, I'll be happy to show you around.