Çamlıca Hill

About Çamlıca Hill

One of the seven hills of Istanbul

Çamlıca Hill, or Big Çamlıca to distinguish it from the neighbouring Little Çamlıca, is the highest of Istanbul's hills and its best-known viewpoint, rising 288 metres above sea level in the Üsküdar district on the Asian side. From the summit a panorama opens over the southern Bosphorus and its first bridge, the mouth of the Golden Horn, the minarets of the historic peninsula and the Sea of Marmara, with the Princes' Islands visible on clear days. The summit is a public park run by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, with monumental trees, flower gardens and fountains, Ottoman-themed teahouses and cafes and a restaurant in the building at the very top; according to Wikivoyage, food and drink in the park are cheaper than usual because it is subsidised, while the top restaurant is moderately expensive but offers excellent food and service. The hill also carries Çamlıca Tower, a telecommunications tower completed in 2021 and the tallest structure in Istanbul, with observation decks open daily 10:00–22:00 for 450 TL (Wikivoyage, 2026). On the slope below stands the Grand Çamlıca Mosque, the largest mosque in Turkey. Little Çamlıca (229 metres) offers quieter gardens, woods and walking paths.

Where:

Istanbul, Türkiye