DK Travel : Istanbul : The Bosphorus

The Bosphorus is one of the world’s busiest waterways, part of the only shipping lane from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Just 32 km (20 miles) long and varying in width from 3 km (about 2 miles) to 672 m (2,205 ft), it connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, dividing Europe from Asia. The straits are governed by international maritime law, so Turkey has authority only over vessels flying a Turkish flag. Navigation can be difficult, since the mixture of fresh water from the Black Sea and salt water from the Sea of Marmara creates complex cross-currents. All of this is fascinating, but to most of us, what really counts is the beauty of the waterway and the historic buildings that line its shores.

The Bosphorus Bridge is also known as the Atatürk Bridge. More on Bosphorus Cruise

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A Walk Through Karaköy

Morning

Start your day at the fish market off Karaköy Square. From here, Haraççı Ali Sok brings you to the Jewish Museum in the 17th-century Zülfaris synagogue. Turn left along Voyvoda Caddesi, named for Vlad the Impaler whose decap-itated head (it is said) was displayed here. This was the old banking centre and has some fine old buildings. The Kamondo Steps lead towards the Galata Tower. Walk back down along Karaköy Caddesi and turn right to visit Yeraltı Camii, a 19th-century mansion hiding a mosque and the ruins of a Byzantine Castle.

Afternoon

Back in Karaköy Square, turn left onto Rihtim Caddesi. The Gülluoğlu baklava shop here is the finest in Turkey, with pastries sold by the kilo; the Galata Rihtim Köftecisi nearby offers a healthier option for lunch. Follow the road round between two fine small mosques, the Nusretiye Mosque (on the right), built by Kirkor Balyan in the 1820s, and the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque, built by Sinan in 1580 and named after a famous admiral in Süleyman I’s navy. Turn right onto the main road and, just after the Mimar Sinan University building, turn right again. Follow the signs through the old docks area to Istanbul Modern (see Istanbul Museum of Modern Art (İstanbul Modern Sanat Müzesi) ) where you can watch the sunset with a cocktail in the chic café-bar over-looking the Bosphorus. Then take the metro to Kabataş and the funicular up the hill to Taksim, for dinner and a view at Changa .
Amerikan Pasajı

Choose from among the nargile cafés in this alley. Some stay open all night and allow you to bring in food from the stalls nearby.
Anadolu Kavağı

This is the last stop for the Bosphorus ferry. Climb the hill to the Genoese Castle, a ruined 14th-century Byzantine fortress.
Angelique

On the first-floor waterfront terrace is the upmarket Da Mario Italian restaurant (summer only), while the second and third floors serve international cuisine and become a nightclub after the dishes are cleared away.
Arnavutköy

Once noted for its strawberries, the village of Arnavutköy is now better known for the charming yalıs (wooden mansions) that line its water-front.
Aşiyan Museum (Aşiyan Müzesi)

The poet and utopian philosopher Tevfik Fikret (1867–1915), founder of the Edebiyat-i Cedid (New Literature) movement, built this wooden mansion, now on the campus of Boğaziçi University, in 1906. It recalls the movement with the personal belongings and photos of the members.
Automobile Museum (SAV Otomobil Müzesi)

Here you will find Turkey’s largest collection of antique cars.
Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı)

This small, frivolously ornate powder-puff of a palace was built in 1860–65 by Sultan Abdül Aziz as a summer retreat. It was here that Sultan Abdül Hamit II lived out his days in captivity after he was deposed in 1909. You will either be charmed or overwhelmed by the incredible detailing of architect Sarkis Balyan’s Oriental Rococo style. Look for the inlaid stairs in the Fountain Room, the hand-decorated doorknobs, the Bohemian crystal chandeliers, the Hereke carpets and the walnut-and-rosewood furniture made by Abdül Hamit himself (see also Yıldız Palace (Yıldız Sarayı) ).

Marble fountain in an atrium of Beylerbeyi Palace
Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü)

In 1973, to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, this soaring creation, linking Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus straits, was officially opened. At 1,560 m (5,120 ft) long, it is the world’s sixth-longest suspension bridge. Pedestrians are not allowed onto the bridge, so if you want plenty of time to admire the view, cross at rush hour when the heavy traffic routinely becomes gridlocked.
Çırağan Palace (Çırağan Sarayı)

Sultan Abdül Aziz spent a fortune on this confection of a palace, built in 1874, before pronouncing it damp and moving out. It is now a luxury hotel.

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Restaurant price categories

For a typical meal of meze and main course for one without alcohol, and including taxes and extra charges.
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