İstanbul is a maritime city, so it's appropriate that one of its most distinctive landmarks is on the water. In ancient times a predecessor of the current 18th-century structure was used as a tollbooth and defence point; the current building has functioned as a lighthouse, quarantine station and restaurant. In 1999, James Bond visited in The World Is Not Enough .
The tower is open to the public during the day as a café-restaurant. Small boats run from Salacak to the island every 15 minutes from noon to late at night Tuesday to Sunday. Unfortunately, the views from the island aren't great and the tower itself isn't very interesting inside.
