Turkey's Tower of Power

Unless you're afraid of heights, you've got to love a great view, and it's hard to find better panoramic sights than the Galata Tower in Istanbul. This medieval stone tower stretches over 200 feet into the sky with an observation deck at just over 150 feet. With the ground floor sitting on a hill that's already over 100 feet above sea level, that's a 250-foot-high vantage point from which to view the former Ottoman Empire. (See the photo below right for a sample view from the tower.)

The cost to visit the observation deck is less than $8 in USD, but for those willing to drop a few bucks, the Tower actually has dinner and a show at night. Dinner features a diverse local menu that includes lots of grilled meats and a show that includes belly dancers. Plus, the views at night are absolutely breathtaking as you might imagine.

The tower itself was built in the 14th century as part of the Genoese citadel in what was then Constantinople. In the '60s, the wooden interior was replaced with concrete making the tower more amenable for tourism. Many of the Turkish capital's main sights, from the Blue Mosque in Sultanahmed to the Kad?köy district in Asian Istanbul, can all be seen from Galata's towering vantage point.