DK Travel : Istanbul : Bosphorus Cruise

Bosphorus Cruise

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The Istanbul skyline is justifiably one of the most famous cityscapes in the world, and while there are many places from which to admire it, by far the best is the deck of a boat on the Bosphorus. After the bustle of the city centre, a day trip up the Bosphorus gives you an entirely different perspective on the city. Give your lungs a break from breathing in traffic fumes and your feet a rest from trudging pavements. Take the local ferry for a modest fare, and spend a day floating serenely along the straits past magnificent shores and wooden villas.
The ferry journey is a 6-hour round trip with several stops en route. Many private operators run shorter cruises that go only halfway along the Bosphorus, either non-stop or with a short stop at Rumeli Hisarı. The 6-hour trip includes a 2-hour lunch-stop at Anadolu Kavağı. More on the Dolmabahçe Palace More on the Bosphorus and environs

Top 10 Features

1. Eminönü Pier

The Bosphorus ferry departs from Eminönü port, the city’s busiest ferry terminal. Pick up a pretzel or fish sandwich from a street vendor.
2. Leander’s Tower (Kız Kulesi)

This tower on an island offshore from Üsküdar is a restaurant. Its Turkish name means “Maiden’s Tower”, after a legendary princess kept there; the English name refers to a hero of Greek myth (see Leander’s Tower (Kız Kulesi) ).
3. Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı)

3. Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı)

Sultan Abdül Mecit virtually mortgaged the Ottoman Empire to build this lavish palace in the 1850s.
4. Ortaköy

4. Ortaköy

One of the prettiest villages on the straits, at the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge, Ortaköy is a weekend retreat for İstanbullus.
5. Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü)

5. Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaziçi Köprüsü)

Completed in 1973, this bridge, 1,560 m (5,120 ft) long, was the first to link Europe and Asia. It is also known as Atatürk Bridge.
6. Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) (Asian Side)

6. Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) (Asian Side)

This delightfully fussy little palace was built as a summer annexe to the Dolmabahçe. It had no kitchens, and food was rowed across as required.
7. Arnavutköy and Bebek

The 19th-century wooden villas (yalis) that prettily line the waterfront along this central stretch of the Bosphorus are the city’s most desirable real estate.
8. Fortress of Europe (Rumeli Hisarı)

8. Fortress of Europe (Rumeli Hisarı)

This castle was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to his attack on Constantinople. Across the water stands the Fortress of Asia (Anadolu Hisarı), built in the late 14th century by Beyazıt I.
9. Sarıyer

9. Sarıyer

This village is the main fishing port on the Bosphorus. It has a historic fish market, as well as several good fish restaurants (with lovely views) near the shore.
10. Anadolu Kavağı (Asian Side)

10. Anadolu Kavağı (Asian Side)

This is the last stop for the ferry, and the locals make a good living selling fish lunches and ice cream to the tourists. There is a wonderful view from a 14th-century pre-Ottoman fort, the Genoese Castle, on the hill above.

Practical Information

The ferry journey is a 6-hour round trip with several stops en route. Many private operators run shorter cruises that go only halfway along the Bosphorus, either non-stop or with a short stop at Rumeli Hisarı. The 6-hour trip includes a 2-hour lunch-stop at Anadolu Kavağı. Departs from Eminönü Boğaz Hattı Pier (0212) 252 21 00 Departures daily at 10:30am, 1:30pm (also 12 noon Jun–Sep) Fare $5