Things to do in  Uskudar

The best way to see the sprawling city of Istanbul is from above, and Camlica Hill (Camlica Tepesi) is one of the prime places to take in that view. Located near the Uskudar neighborhood on the city’s Asian side, the hill—which comprises two peaks, Big Camlica and Little Camlica—is home to tea gardens and green lawns that attract local picnickers.

Located on an islet in the Bosphorus Strait, just offshore from Istanbul’s Uskudar neighborhood, Maiden’s Tower (Kiz Kulesi) is a historical site that has inspired myths and legends. The Ottomans expanded and rebuilt the structure, and today it contains a restaurant and bar with views of the city.

Located in the shadow of Istanbul’s first bridge, Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayi) was historically a summer residence for Ottoman sultans. The 24 rooms of the palace contain a mix of Ottoman and Western decoration, with 19th-century furniture from Europe and garden pavilions, and its ornate exterior is visible from the Bosphorus Strait.

Look across the Bosphorus at Asian Istanbul, and the first thing you’ll notice is the Camlica Mosque (Çamlıca Camii). As the largest mosque in Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), it has a capacity for 63,000 worshipers beneath its 70 domes. (Compare that to the Blue Mosque’s nine domes and 10,000–person capacity.) Though often overlooked by tourists, it’s worth a visit.