Sunset at Salacak: where the sun sets by season
Salacak faces west, with the Maiden’s Tower in front and the Old City across the water. Filizler Üsküdar sits right on this shore, so you can watch the sun go down from your table with a glass of tea. Where exactly it sets shifts a lot through the year; we measured the directions from the Salacak shore.
Where the sun sets
Check the day’s sunset time in your phone’s weather app and arrive half an hour before.
- December–January: south-west, behind Seraglio Point and Topkapı Palace. Seen from in front of Filizler Üsküdar, the sun sets just to the right of the Maiden’s Tower; Hagia Sophia sits right behind the tower.
- Late March and late September: due west, towards the Golden Horn and Galata.
- June–July: north-west, behind the Beyoğlu hills, to the right of the tower.
Where to sit
To watch the sunset from a table with a glass of tea, Filizler Üsküdar is right on this stretch. Weekend evenings get busy on the shore; come a little early.
We are at Harem Sahil Yolu Cd. No:61, open until 22:30. Window tables fill first at sunset. Reservations are only for groups of 10 or more; smaller groups can walk in.
Getting back
The Marmaray from Üsküdar station (~11 minutes’ walk) runs later than the last ferries and takes you back to Sirkeci in one stop.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the sun set when viewed from Salacak?
Behind Seraglio Point and Topkapı Palace in winter, towards Galata around the equinoxes, and behind the Beyoğlu hills in June and July.