The Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi) is on a tiny islet at the southern entrance of the Bosphorus…read morestrait. it's over 2000 years old and has been used as a tax collection booth, defense tower, lighthouse, and quarantine station. I really wanted to see it because it has been in two James Bond films. It appeared in the background of the classic 007 "From Russia With Love" and it was featured as a secret hide out in "The World is Not Enough". There is a tour here which you can via boat which leaves from the Galata Port. You can reach the islet by short boat rides from Salacak or Kabataş piers. Inside the tower is a history museum and a cafe with views of both Europe and Asia. With the Istanbul Museum Pass you can access the Maiden's Tower Monument Museum, but you have to pay a 5 Euro boat transportation fee at the piers. Entrance fee otherwise is 27 Euro for the ticket plus 5 the for the boat transportation. Boat trips from Karaköy Pier are daily between 9:30 and 5:00pm Boats to the Maiden's Tower leave from Üsküdar-Salacak pier every day of the week between 10am and 4 pm. You can buy tickets at the office in front of the pier.

I was a tad obsessed with the Maiden Tower before our Istanbul visit. I didn't think I'd have time…read moreto check it out, but I managed to do so and it didn't dissappoint. Just a ferry boat small trip on the Asian side of Istanbul in Uskudar. I am sure it looks nice during sunset, but I loved it on a cloudy windy day as well. Leander's Tower dates from the Byzantine period, it has a long history, it burnt, it was rebuild a few times. For the film geeks, you can see it in a Bond movie, "The World Is Not Enough" with Sophie Marceau. The legend says that a sultan built it for his daughter to avoid a prophecy of dying from a snake bite. It happened anyway. Off the beaten path, but worth checking it out if you have the time while visiting Istanbul!