The Bosphorus is an important shipping route connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and the Mediterranean. Trade, military and tourist ships scurry back and forth along it around the clock. It originates from the Galata Bridge and from there, or more precisely, from the Eminonu embankment, all cruises along the strait begin. In general, a boat trip along the Bosphorus in Istanbul is an excellent opportunity to take a break in the middle of a day full of visits to other attractions. You can switch off from the rush for a couple of hours and just relax, drinking strong Turkish tea on the upper deck of the tourist ferry, contemplating the beautiful views from the water.
How to get to Eminonu embankment
You can independently get to the Eminonu embankment from any part of the city by using the high-speed tram. From the Taksim area you can take the funicular to Kabatas embankment, and then transfer to the high-speed tram to Eminonu. Or, as an option, take a walk along the famous one, going down to, and from there go out onto the Galata Bridge, crossing which you will find yourself exactly at your destination.
Eminonu on the map
Types of Bosphorus cruises
There are several ways to take a boat trip on the Bosphorus.
1) Tourist ferry. On the embankment there are ticket offices of several companies providing commercial transportation services for tourists; which one you choose is up to you. The editors of the site used the services of the Sehir Hatlari company, about which you can find out more. There are 3 types of commercial cruises on the Bosphorus - long, short and the so-called sunset cruise, at sunset. Ferries leave from the embankment every hour, so you won't have to wait long in any case.
- Short circle cruise. It lasts about 2 hours along the route from Eminonu to the second bridge over the Bosphorus (Sultan Mehmed Fatih Bridge), after passing which the ferry will make a U-turn and head in the opposite direction. The only short stop along the route is near on the way there and back. The cost of a short tour is 12TL for an adult and 6TL for children under 12 years old. A short walk along the Bosphorus is perhaps the most popular of the tours and suits most people.
- Long tour (full bosphorus cruise). Duration about 6 hours. It also starts from Eminonu and ends after 1.5 hours in the fishing village of Anadolu Kavagi, where you will have 3 hours of free time, and then you will need to go back. In Anadolu, you can visit the Yoros Fortress, which offers stunning views of the Bosphorus and the Black Sea, and also have lunch at one of the many local cafes or restaurants. The cost of a long tour is 25TL for an adult and 12.5TL for a child. It is possible to buy a one-way ticket at exactly 2 times less than the full price.
- Sunset Cruise/Moonlight Tour. The sunset cruise is only available in summer, between mid-May and early August. It departs at 17.30 from Bostanci and arrives at 20:05 in Anadolu Kavagi, where you will have a long stop, and at 22:30 you will return. You will return to Bostanci at 01:00. The cost of such a tour is 20TL.
Tickets for both types of cruises are free for children under 6 years of age.
You can see the cruise routes in the pictures above. More detailed information, as well as cruise schedules, can be found on the website of the carrier company Sehir Hatlari.
It's important to remember that commercial tourist ferries do not have tour guides, but you can rent an audio guide to make your trip more meaningful.
2) Municipal ferries. Istanbul has good urban water transport, so if you want, you can save a little money and take a ride on the municipal ferry surrounded by Istanbul residents. Payment for this type of transport is made through and the cost is equal to the price of travel on any other public transport, i.e. about 2 liras. There are several routes, for example, you can go to Kadikoy, Yuskudar or along the Golden Horn.
3) Excursions. If you want more information than standard cruises can provide, then you can take one of the excursions. All excursions are conducted with Russian-speaking guides.
Bosphorus Tours in Istanbul
- The site has collected under its wing the best excursions from independent guides of Istanbul, including art historians, designers, journalists and other creative people, and the routes that they offer go far beyond the standard approach to organizing excursion leisure. Immersion in the local environment in such a company will be maximum; you will be able to see Istanbul from a different, non-tourist side, and experience completely different sensations.
The best excursions along the Bosphorus from:
Editor's rating: 7/10 (worth a visit).
Walk along the Bosphorus: photos
The Bosphorus is a real landmark of Istanbul. The seemingly ordinary strait connecting the Black and Marmara Seas is for every Istanbul resident something like the heart of the city. Tourists who come to the capital of three empires are fascinated by the grandeur of the Bosphorus and cannot resist taking a tour along it.
It is generally accepted that the Bosphorus Tour is the most scenic and definitely the most popular excursion in Istanbul. A Bosphorus tour is not just a boat trip. This is a whole culture - you will see luxurious villas on the banks of the strait, listen to the muezzins, whose voice sounds from every minaret, enjoy the fresh air of one of the greatest cities in the history of mankind, you will be able to feed the ever-hungry seagulls with fresh simits, and also look at the panoramas of the endless roofs of Istanbul. Looking at Istanbul from a boat on the Bosphorus, you can see something you will never see from the shore. That is why millions of tourists fill the boats going to Boaz Tour every year.
Bosphorus tours are either official or private. Official tours are those that operate on boats owned by the municipality. The most popular place from where many Bosphorus tours depart is Eminonu Pier. As soon as you appear here and turn your head towards the ships, you will immediately be invited to tours from all sides. There are also large tourist ships with a guide who will talk in English all the way about everything you will pass by. There are also small yachts that offer individual tours with and without services (you can even order dinner and book the time you need). Prices for a Bosphorus tour can vary from 10 liras to several hundred dollars, depending on the class of the vessel and the services provided.
The official tour (operated by the municipal company Sehir Hatlari) of the Bosphorus can be short or long. The short one (kisa Bogaz turu) departs from Eminonu every day at 14:30 and lasts 2 hours. Please note that between November 3rd and March 1st the short tour is only available on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. During the short tour, the ship does not stop and turns around immediately after the second bridge over the Bosphorus.
The Bosphorus Long Tour starts at 10:35 am at Eminonu Pier and includes 5 stops - Besiktas at 10:50, Kanlizda at 11:15, Sariyer at 11:45, Rumeli Kavagi at 11:55 and Anadolu Kawagi - at 12:05. The steamer leaves the Anadolu Kavagi pier at 15:00 with the same stops (Rumeli Kavagi - at 15:10, Sarıyer - at 15:20, Kanlıca - at 15:40, Beşiktaş - at 16:10, Eminonu - at 16: 25). The route of the long tour reaches almost to the Black Sea. During the time that the ship will stay in Anadolu Kavagı, you will have time to walk around Yoros Castle and dine at wonderful fish restaurants, of which there are a lot.
In summer, to the usual types of walks along the Bosphorus (short and long tours), another official tour is added - the so-called “mehtap turu”, which goes from Eminonu to Anadolu Kavagi and back. The special thing about this tour is that it takes place at sunset and allows you to admire Istanbul at night. The ship departs from the Eminonu pier at 19:15, Üsküdar - 19:30, Besiktas - 19:40, Ortakoy - 19:50, Çengelkoy - 20:05, Rumeli Kavagı - 20:40 and arrives at the final station of Anadolu Kavagı at 20: 50. The return route makes the same stops and departs from Anadolu Kavagi at 22:00, arriving at Eminonu at 23:30. The cost of such a tour is 20 TL.
Istanbul at night is an incredible spectacle loved by millions of tourists Traditionally, on all municipal ships you will be offered hot tea, soft drinks and snacks. The cost is slightly higher than on the shore, so if you want to save money, take a snack with you.
Also, hundreds of private companies and firms, as well as individual owners of boats, longboats and yachts, are ready to offer you a Bosphorus tour. Prices depend only on your wishes and have no upper limit. Private travelers go on tours very often - 7-10 times a day and sometimes plan the route more carefully than municipal carriers. In addition, tours depart not only from Eminonu, but also from other marinas (Avcilar, Besiktas, Kabatas, Ortakoy, Kadikoy, Uskudar, Cengelkoy, Anadolu Hisari, Rumeli Hisari, etc.). The minimum cost for private owners is only 10 TL. For example, a tour from Kadikoy will cost you 12 TL, and from Usküdar - only 10 TL.
Please note that even in the heat of the Bosphorus. If you have a light jacket, play it safe and take it with you. After all, no traveler has ever been happy with a cold. If you decide to tour the Bosphorus in autumn or winter, dress as warmly as possible and estimate the weather in advance. You can get acquainted with the weather diary for 2013.
Official tour cost:
— Long tour (round trip) — 25 TL
– Long tour (one way) – 15 TL
– Short tour – 12 TL
– Short tour (for children) – 6 TL
"Sputnik" invites you on a boat trip along the Bosphorus. The length of the strait is about 30 km. Throughout the route you will admire coastal cityscapes. From a boat, ferry or motor ship you can clearly see ancient palaces and mosques located near the coastline, numerous cafes, restaurants and bridges.
Boat trip along the Bosphorus
All boat excursions in Istanbul begin in the European part of the city, at Eminonu Square, where excursion ships depart from the ferry port. The schedule and prices for excursions valid in 2019 can be found on our website.
If you're traveling on your own, consider the size of your boat when choosing your boat option. A walk on large liners is more convenient and comfortable; you don’t feel the rocking on them.
Trips along the Bosphorus by boat can be made using various options.
- Traveling on public transport. Ferries leave the port several times a day, the trip lasts 6 hours, with several stops planned along the way. The cost of the excursion is from 7 dollars.
- Travel by commercial vehicle. Ferries leave every hour. The journey lasts about two hours and costs from $3.5.
- Travel on private boats and small ships that can be rented individually with a personal driver and guide. The price is negotiable, depending on the travel time and type of vessel.
- A walk on public transport, the ticket for which is equal to the cost of travel on any other public transport in Istanbul.
We invite you to purchase a tour of the Bosphorus today by ordering it online. The beautiful seascapes of Istanbul will remain in your memory for a long time. We have low cost of tours, attractive promotions and discounts.
The stunning illumination of two bridges connecting Europe with Asia, the radiance of the lights of the embankments and architectural monuments - all this will remain in your memories as one of the wonderful moments in life. Why not have dinner with loved ones or in the company of pleasant people?
Our journey starts at 20:30 from Dolmabahce Palace from Kabatas pier, on board you will be greeted by the crew and have a cocktail, then you will see Çırağan Palace, Ortakoy Mosque, Beylerbeyi Palace, Anatolian and Rumeli fortresses, sailing along the luxurious mansions to the Sultan Mehmed Fatih Bridge. All this in an atmosphere of celebration, music, fabulous belly dancing and no less fabulous Turkish cuisine.
Entertainment:
- welcome cocktail;
- music from a DJ;
- katibim (one of the most famous Istanbul turku. The song sounds from the perspective of a woman traveling to Üsküdar);
- performance by costumed characters (Ashuk and Mashuk);
- belly dance;
- classical women's Turkish dances and songs;
- performance of a folklore ensemble;
- gypsy dances.
Suggested food and drinks:
- 10 types of cold appetizers;
- salads with greens;
- grilled kebabs (chicken, fish to choose from);
- sweets;
- local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks without restrictions;
- Turkish coffee or tea.
The tour price includes transfer from/to the hotel in comfortable minibuses. Our guides will definitely guide you in time, and our drivers will meet you in the hotel lobby.
One of the popular tourist activities in Istanbul is a walk along the Bosphorus. The walk is offered by both travel agencies and private owners who catch tourists from the crowd near the Galata Bridge. If you start talking to one of these comrades, he will run after you for a very long time. :)
Trips of varying duration are offered - for 2-4 hours, for the whole day, with access to the sea and just along the strait. We chose the shortest route, and I’ll tell you about it now.
First, let's look at what the Bosphorus Strait is and why it is so remarkable. The Bosphorus is a strait between Europe and Asia Minor, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. The length of the strait is about 30 km. The maximum width of the strait is 3700 m in the north, the minimum width is 700 meters.
The Bosphorus separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey. The banks of the strait are connected by two bridges: the 1074-meter-long Bosphorus Bridge (completed in 1973) and the 1090-meter-long Sultan Mehmed Fatih Bridge (built in 1988) 5 km north of the first bridge.
The map showed our route.
All routes start from the Galata Bridge and end there.
There is a great view from the water. This is a slightly different Istanbul, not the touristy one we are used to in the pictures.
Along the entire Bosphorus Strait there are interesting houses right on the shore. All are different, but made in a similar architectural style.
No one is hiding behind a huge fence.
Many people have yachts or boats parked near their houses.
Anyone familiar with these places can tell you what kind of houses they are. Are these all private properties?
Multi-colored playgrounds, like in Moscow. Interestingly, in Istanbul they are also scolded by all and sundry. :)
Apparently townhouses. :)
There are various palaces.
Below is the Küçüksu Kasrı Palace. In 1944, the palace was turned into a museum, which still attracts a lot of attention from visitors and tourists with its excellent carvings, carpets, crystal chandeliers and fireplaces.
There are a lot of old mosques.
In the middle of the Bosphorus, on an island, stands one of the main attractions of Istanbul, Kız Kulesi - the Maiden Tower. The tower is one of the symbols of the city. Depicted, in particular, on Aivazovsky’s canvas “View of the Leander Tower in Constantinople” (1848). Today it serves as a lighthouse.
There are many legends about the construction of the tower and its location. The most famous Turkish legend says: The Turkish Sultan was madly in love with his daughter. One day a clairvoyant prophesied that his daughter would die when she turned 18. The Sultan gave the order that the tower be built until his daughter turned 18 years old. After the tower was built, the Sultan ordered his daughter to be transferred to the tower to protect her from possible death. When the Sultan's daughter turned 18, the Sultan gave her a pot of fruit. When the birthday girl opened the pot, the fruit contained a poisonous snake, which bit the girl, as a result of which she died, as predicted. According to another legend, the girl remained alive; the prince saved her by sucking out the snake’s venom. Hence the name - Maiden Tower.
This is where our trip ended. We arrived at the Galata Bridge - the starting point of our route.
