Walking nearly 20 minutes from Üsküdar's center, you will arrive at a narrow historic road with old-fashioned houses on it. You will climb for nearly 10 minutes to reach one of the best places to watch Istanbul's skyline in Üsküdar. Fethi Paşa Grove is one of the most popular groves on Istanbul's Anatolian side, and is especially preferred by families for a nice walk on weekends. The grove has a wide range of vegetation and functions like an oxygen tank for the surrounding districts. Named after the Tophane Marshall Fethi Paşa, who served as ambassador and state minister during the reigns of Sultan Abdülhamid I and Sultan Mahmud I, the grove was later distributed among Fethi Paşa's heirs after his death at the end of the 1800s. In the following years, especially between 1960 and 1980, the grove was left to its own fate and turned into an overgrown area.There are two pavilions in the grove that have been turned into a restaurant and café, and were opened to the public in 2003. Among the facilities in the grove, there are children's playgrounds, a sports field, basketball courts and two man-made ponds, so it is a perfect spot for you to get away from the rush of daily life and to find some peace in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The serenity and peaceful roads heading uphill will make you relaxed and happy during your tour in Fethi Paşa Grove. There is one café overlooking Istanbul's Bosphorus and one restaurant operating in the grove, but if what you are looking for is to watch the scene along with a Turkish tea, you should definitely choose the grove's café, since it has an amazing view.How to get there: To get to Fethi Paşa Grove you can take the 15 Beykoz-Üsküdar and 15K Kirazlıtepe-Üsküdar buses. You can also reach the grove by car via the Beylerbeyi and Kuzguncuk route.ity between Europe and Asia, hides many quiet places to find some relaxation while watching the amazing Istanbul scenery. Even today, when you walk down its streets, you can feel an unforgettable energy that affects you instantly. Istanbul, the city of seven hills, may sometimes suffocate you with its busy everyday life, but it will take only a moment for it to remind you how much you love it, once you discover some of its more peaceful places. Üsküdar on the Anatolian side is one little district that will amaze you immediately.The district borders Beykoz to the north, Ümraniye on the east, Ataşehir to the southeast and Kadıköy on the south, while the Bosporus lies on the west. Üsküdar was originally called "Skoutarian" during the Byzantine period, and it is used to describe the shields that the guards used which were made of leather.An ancient Greek colonist from Megara founded this historic district, and when the Byzantine Empire took Istanbul under its control, the district immediately turned into a significant place due to its critical location between Asia and Europe. When the Ottoman Empire took control of the city, Üsküdar never lost its importance, as you will see both remnants from the Byzantine, and Ottoman periods in the district. Today, Üsküdar is a conservative district with its religious ambience and many mosques and churches located close to each other.Many writers and poets have written about Üsküdar's beauty, and it is the subject for many songs about the effect it has on its visitors. With its Maiden Tower standing within the Bosphorus, and old remnants from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, Üsküdar is like a historical museum for its visitors. To watch Istanbul's scenery from Üsküdar, there are some places that you must visit. What makes these places so beautiful and charming are not their lavish and high-quality services, but the feeling they evoke on its visitors. They are all like hidden secrets in Istanbul waiting to be discovered. Most of them are barely known, or yet to be discovered by locals or foreign tourists. No loud honking, no crowds, just peace and tranquility will greet you as soon as you sit down and order a Turkish coffee or tea.If you intend to visit Istanbul, both locals and guides will direct you to the well-known landmarks of the city. These are surely amazing places to see, but to feel like a local during your stay in Istanbul, you need to be eager to discover more to understand how this magnificent city will grab your attention.Maiden's TowerFor years, people enjoyed the mesmerizing views of Istanbul, which included looking at the Maiden Tower. How about trying something different and viewing Istanbul from the outskirts this time? You can visit many places in Üsküdar to watch the tower, but what you should see is Üsküdar from the Maiden's Tower. The tower is a perfect spot for you to visit on spring and summer nights. Standing on the tower, which dates back years and watching Istanbul on the horizon, the Maiden's Tower will make you feel as if you are in a dream with its historic atmosphere.Transformed into a cafe and restaurant, the Maidens' Tower offers a night filled with romance and exclusive Ottoman and international cuisine. More than just a romantic dinner spot with a nostalgic ambience, the tower also makes for a memorable wedding venue. With its cozy dining rooms and picturesque terrace overlooking the city's lights, the tower provides both cozy indoor dining options as well as a summer outdoor space.How to get there: There are ferries going from Üsküdar district on the Anatolian side to the tower, and you can even make use of the flamboyant Ottoman boats to reach the tower.Salacak ShoreIstanbul's Üsküdar is one of the most historic districts in the city with its many remnants from the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. The most eye-catching one among these historic remnants is the Maiden's Tower, which is located in the middle of the Bosphorus. Salacak shore in this regard, is the best place to view the Maiden's Tower and see how it sways in the sea. The mysterious history of the Maiden's Tower stretches back 2,500 years. The attractive structure seen in almost every Istanbul photo or picture has two legends. The first tells the story of a beautiful Byzantine princess.According to legend, this princess was once quartered in this tower since soothsayers had predicted her early death by snakebite. Her father, Emperor Constantine who loved her dearly, built an extended castle, which is near the spot where the present tower exists, and placed her there to avert this fatal end. Eventually, the girl could no longer avoid her fate and was bitten by a snake, which had entered the castle in a basket of grapes.The second legend tells of the romance of two lovers, Hero and Leander. It is told that a Byzantine emperor built a castle for his daughter, Hero, on the present site. When the Emperor learned that his daughter was in love with a commoner named Leander, he imprisoned Hero in the castle. This did not discourage Leander from crossing the Hellespont in order to see Hero. One stormy night, having no light to guide him, he drowned while trying to cross. Upon hearing of his death, Hero flung herself into the sea.Imagine that, while you and your friends are sitting along the shore watching the tower with a close view. Salacak is a place where you will understand why locals never give up on Istanbul despite all of the rush and crowds. Do not expect lavish services while you are in one of the cafes along the shore. These locations mostly just serve beverages and appetizers, but what makes them so special is not what is served, but rather how the atmosphere makes you feel. If you are an expat residing in Istanbul and you need a place to get away, the humble cafes along the Salacak Shore are the best place for you.How to get there: To reach Salacak shore, you can take a car ferry from the European district of Sirkeci to the Harem Bus Terminal, then you can take a taxi for a10-minute ride to Salacak shore. You can also take buses or minibuses from Üsküdar center to reach Salacak.Fethi Paşa GroveWalking nearly 20 minutes from Üsküdar's center, you will arrive at a narrow historic road with old-fashioned houses on it. You will climb for nearly 10 minutes to reach one of the best places to watch Istanbul's skyline in Üsküdar. Fethi Paşa Grove is one of the most popular groves on Istanbul's Anatolian side, and is especially preferred by families for a nice walk on weekends. The grove has a wide range of vegetation and functions like an oxygen tank for the surrounding districts. Named after the Tophane Marshall Fethi Paşa, who served as ambassador and state minister during the reigns of Sultan Abdülhamid I and Sultan Mahmud I, the grove was later distributed among Fethi Paşa's heirs after his death at the end of the 1800s. In the following years, especially between 1960 and 1980, the grove was left to its own fate and turned into an overgrown area.There are two pavilions in the grove that have been turned into a restaurant and café, and were opened to the public in 2003. Among the facilities in the grove, there are children's playgrounds, a sports field, basketball courts and two man-made ponds, so it is a perfect spot for you to get away from the rush of daily life and to find some peace in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The serenity and peaceful roads heading uphill will make you relaxed and happy during your tour in Fethi Paşa Grove. There is one café overlooking Istanbul's Bosphorus and one restaurant operating in the grove, but if what you are looking for is to watch the scene along with a Turkish tea, you should definitely choose the grove's café, since it has an amazing view.How to get there: To get to Fethi Paşa Grove you can take the 15 Beykoz-Üsküdar and 15K Kirazlıtepe-Üsküdar buses. You can also reach the grove by car via the Beylerbeyi and Kuzguncuk route.