Rooftops in Turkey: two continents from above
A country between Europe and Asia
Turkey spans two continents: Eastern Thrace, a small European part around Edirne and the western shore of Istanbul, and Anatolia, a vast Asian peninsula bordered by the Black Sea to the north, the Aegean to the west and the Mediterranean to the south. The country shares its borders with eight neighbours: Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Syria. It has around 85 million inhabitants, its capital is Ankara, its language Turkish and its currency the Turkish lira. Heir to the Byzantine and then the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed on 29 October 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. It has been a member of NATO since 1952.
The country offers remarkably varied landscapes: the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, the travertine pools of Pamukkale, the ancient cities of Ephesus and the Aegean coast, the beaches of the Turkish Riviera and the mountains of the east. Its cuisine, from mezze to kebabs and baklava, and its tea served at all hours are all part of the journey.
Why head up to the rooftops
In Turkey, it is in Istanbul that the view from above truly comes into its own: the city rises in tiers over hills on either side of the Bosphorus, so that even a simple top floor reveals the domes and minarets of the historic peninsula, the ferries linking Europe and Asia and the suspension bridges spanning the strait. Turkish rooftops are found atop luxury hotels, old buildings in Beyoğlu, a 19th-century bank and even a television tower.
Istanbul, the first stop
A metropolis on two shores
Istanbul is home to most of the country's rooftops: terraces facing Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in the Sultanahmet district, bars overlooking the Golden Horn and Galata Tower in Beyoğlu and Karaköy, hotel rooftops looking out over the Bosphorus in Beşiktaş and Nişantaşı and, on the Asian side, a restaurant facing Kalamış Marina and a glass-walled room nearly 400 metres above sea level.
Very different atmospheres
Some venues focus on fine dining, such as the restaurants recognised by the Michelin Guide, others on cocktails and DJ nights, fish and mezze or a Turkish breakfast with a view. Menus make room for local flavours: rakı, Anatolian wines, pomegranate, pistachio and fish from the Sea of Marmara.
Practical tips
Season, currency and booking
Open-air terraces are at their liveliest from April to October; many venues also have a glass-walled room or a retractable roof for the winter. Prices are shown in Turkish lira (TL) and bank cards are widely accepted. Alcohol is heavily taxed in Turkey, so a cocktail on a rooftop often costs more than a main course. At sunset, tables with a view are in high demand: it is best to book, and to plan on smart casual dress in luxury hotels.
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
