A Scenic Cruise on the Bosphorus has to be on your Istanbul to-do list while you’re visiting this marvellous Turkish metropolitan. To give you an idea of what you can expect, I created the video below.

There are two versions available: a YouTube version (smaller in size) and a WVM version (bigger in size). The length of both movies is the same: 4:39 min.

Enjoy!

YouTube Version

Local Version

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After leaving the Yeniköy dock we enter the final leg of the Scenic Bosphorus Cruise. There were plenty of sightseeing spots to look for during the cruise on the lower Bosphorus and the middle Bosphorus, and in that respect the upper Bosphorus may seem a little disappointing. But don’t be fooled by the shorter highlights list below (the place marks refer to their locations on the map below). Views of the Black Sea and the Istanbul strait from the Genoese Castle on the Anadolu Kavağı shore are spectacular. You can also explore the village itself a bit or try out one of the many fish restaurants for lunch or dinner.

• Beykoz – The biggest features of this fishing village are the İshak Ağa Çeşmesi, an elegant ablution fountain (1746) on the village square, and some excellent fish restaurants. From now on you can focus on the European shore, since most of the land from Beykoz until Anadolu Kavağı (the last stop) belongs to the military.
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  The Huber Mansion

  Huber Mansion (Huber Köşkü) – This 19th century yalı, designed by D’Aronco, currently belongs to the government and is an official residence of the Turkish president.

• Tarabya Bay – A little cove which used to be frequented by aristocrats for its healthy water and climate. Today, the area is still rather exclusive, but the focus lies on the rather pricy (fish) restaurants.
• Sarıyer – The first of the three docks where the ferry will land during its cruise on the upper Bosphorus. It is also the biggest village of this final leg. Wandering around the streets and eating in one of the fish restaurants (turn right) is a pleasant experience.
• Rumeli Kavağı – I personally never disembarked at this last stop on the European shore. Why? Simply because it doesn’t seem to be an attractive or lively place, with the only attraction the fish restaurants that are line-up by the waterfront.
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  Fish restaurants in Anadolu Kavağı

  Anadolu Kavağı – This is the last stop of the ferry, before it returns back to the city center following the exact same route in the opposite direction. Do get off the ferry here to wander around in this cozy little village, climb up to Anadolu Kavağı Kalesi and/or grab a bite in one of the many fish restaurants. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you don’t miss the last ferry back! And in case you ended up here with the nightly Bosphorus tour, you only just have enough time to grab a bite so don’t stall deciding what restaurant to take. I tried a few already, and they more or less all serve the same (quality of) food.
  If you’re up for it, take the walk (under 1 hour) to the ruins of the medieval castle or alternatively take a taxi. The fortress was built by the Byzantines, occupied and reinforced by the Genoese in 1350, and later seized by the Ottomans. Once there, you can enjoy spectacular views of the Black Sea.

View Highlights on the Upper Bosphorus in a larger map

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No Istanbul experience is complete without a cruise up the Bosphorus. A bold statement? Sure, but in my opinion, it is as crucial as visiting any of the other major sightseeing spots. Certainly from June to September it’s one of Istanbul’s greatest pleasures. There are several ways to take a tour on the Bosphorus. But take my advice, don’t get tempted by the private bout tour offers ‘hustlers’ on the docks of Eminönü make. There is no better deal than the Scenic Bosphorus Tour operated by IDO – Istanbul’s Fast Ferry and Seabus Company. And did you know they also offer an unmissable night cruise on the Bosphorus?

Bosphorus Details

With two shores laden with highlights over a 32 km stretch, I decided to break up the more detailed descriptions of the Bosphorus and its main attractions in the following pages:

• Do You Know These Bosphorus Facts and Figures?
• Map of the Scenic Bosphorus Tour Ferry Route
• Cruise Highlights of the Lower Bosphorus
• Don’t Miss These Spots of the Middle Bosphorus during Your Cruise
• Cruising On the Upper Bosphorus towards the Black Sea
• Bosphorus Tour Video Gallery

Bosphorus Cruises (Boğaz Turu)

As I said before, stay clear of the private companies that offer cruises on the Bosphorus. They are overpriced, offer smaller tours and operate boats that often barely look seaworthy. Instead, either opt for tours provided by Turyol or IDO, where the latter has my preference.

IDO Scenic Bosphorus Tour (IDO Boğaziçi Özel Gezi)

The IDO dock in Eminönü.

Standing in Eminönü facing the Galata Tower, you’ll find the IDO Bosphorus Tour dock on the right-hand side of the Galata Bridge. The full cruise takes you for TL 20 from Eminönü to the Black Sea and back. Each way takes about 90 minutes, but you also want to get off the boat and spend some time in Anadolu Kavağı (the last stop, close to the Black Sea). There you can have lunch in one of the many fish restaurants and/or visit the fortress. So don’t throw away your boat ticket, because you’ll need it to board the ferry again after your excursion.

Every day, there are three boats going in the direction of the Black Sea, and of course three boats back. You can get on and off the ferry at either of the following docks, but to make the most of your trip I suggest starting in either Eminönü or Kabataş. Please note that the timetables below are only valid from 15 June to 23 September 2009.

Not applicable on Saturdays and Sundays
Applicable on Saturdays and Sundays

IDO Scenic Bosphorus Tour by Night (IDO Boğaziçi Özel Gezi)

The Dolmabahçe Palace at night.

If you ask me, this one really is top of the bill. From 1 July until 21 August, every Saturday you can make a nightly cruise on the Bosphorus. The ferry heads for the Black Sea just before the sun starts to set. Once in Anadolu Kavağı, you have 70 minutes to go ashore and enjoy a dinner in one of the many fish restaurants.

By the time you board the ferry again, darkness has fallen and you’ll enjoy the Bosphorus by night, in all its grace with nicely lit monuments and a variety of city lights, including the Bosphorus Bridge. So, for a mere TL 20, you get to see both shapes of the Bosphorus in one cruise.

Make sure though not to miss the boat back at 22:00, it really is the last boat!

Turyol Bosphorus Tour (Turyol Boğaz Turu)

If you’re pressed for time or don’t fancy a long cruise on the Bosphorus, then you may want to check out Turyol. They are located on the left-hand side of the Galata Bridge. For TL 9 Turyol takes you on a 90 minutes Bosphorus trip to the second bridge and back. From 12:00 onwards (11:00 on Saturdays and 10:00 on Sundays), boats depart approximately every hour. The last boat leaves the docks at 20:00.

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The map below shows the route that the ferry takes during the Scenic Bosphorus Tour. A cruise on the Bosphorus (Boğaziçi) is simply put an excursion you can’t afford to miss. There are plenty of highlights and the sea-breeze offers a welcome refreshment on hot summer days. Not to mention that the setting is extremely romantic at dusk.

On the map, you’ll see the route the ferry takes (back and forth) and the docks where it briefly stops to let people on and off. In chronological order (and from south/bottom to north/up), the boat icons represent the following docks:

• Eminönü (Lower Bosphorus, European shore)
• Beşiktaş (Lower Bosphorus, European shore)
• Kanlıca (Middle Bosphorus, Asian shore)
• Yeniköy (Middle Bosphorus, European shore)
• Sarıyer (Upper Bosphorus, European shore)
• Rumeli Kavağı (Upper Bosphorus, European shore)
• Anadolu Kavağı (Upper Bosphorus, Asian shore)

View The Route of the Scenic Bosphorus Tour in a larger map

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