A Great Experience Exploring Istanbul from the Bosphorus I had a great time on this Bosphorus yacht cruise during my visit to Istanbul. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience the city from the water and see a different side of Istanbul. One of the things that makes this tour special is the opportunity to see the European and Asian sides of the city while enjoying views of its famous landmarks and beautiful waterfront. I really enjoyed the experience, and it was one of the highlights of my time in Istanbul. For anyone visiting Istanbul, I would definitely recommend including a Bosphorus cruise in your itinerary. It's a great way to experience the city from a different perspective. Overall, a very enjoyable experience and one I'm glad I booked.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Authentic Turkish coffee accompanied by traditional Turkish delight
- Light snacks, Freshly baked savory pastries served on board, Seasonal fresh fruit platter
- Services of a professional English-speaking tour guide
- Hotel pickup/drop-off (if option selected)
Excludes
- Alcoholic drinks (available for purchase)
- Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off unless option selected
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Hotel pick-up is available from the Fatih and Beyoglu Areas only. Drop-off service to Taksim and Sultanahmet Squares.
Itinerary
The Bosphorus, Ox-ford in English, runs for about twenty miles, at times like a river, at times as if a land-enclosed lake; then, before joining the Black Sea, it becomes a rocky, wild channel. The Bosphorus breathes calmly and regularly, and the flow of caiques echoes the rhythm with their slow splashes. Not only does the Bosphorus electrify the traveler by its light, but it also intoxicates him by the white incandescence of the sun on its bosom with blue sky pouring into it. It runs through the city of Istanbul, splitting it into two halves the city built on seven hills and described by one of her early foreign lovers, Julia Pardoe: Its clear calm sky, its glittering sea, its amphitheater of thickly-peopled hills, its geographical position, its political importance and above all, its surprising novelty, tend to make every day in that gorgeous scene, and under that sunny sky, a season of intense enjoyment.
Until the 17th century, the area where t the palace is today was one of the bays along the Bosphorus the legendary sailing vessel, ARGOS on which the Argonauts set off to find the Golden Fleece, anchored here.
Ortaköy Mosque officially the Büyük Mecidiye Camii in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey, is situated at the waterside of the Ortaköy pier square, one of the most popular locations on the Bosphorus.
Which was inaugurated on October 29, 1973, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Turkish Republic, has the longest span in Europe and the fourth in the world. This suspension bridge has a total length of 1560 metres (1706 yards) and a width of 33.4 metres (110ft). The span between pylons is 1074 metres (1175 yards) and the clearance above sea level is 64 metres (210ft). The construction of the steel box-girder suspension was carried out by a British-german consortium. The second bridge to link Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus will be completed in 1989 between Emirgan and Kanlica.
The Dolmabahçe Mosque is a mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. It was commissioned by queen's mother Bezmi Alem Valide Sultan.
The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge, is a bridge in Istanbul, Turkey spanning the Bosphorus strait. When completed in 1988, it was the 5th-longest suspension bridge span in the world; today it is the 24th
At the narrowest point of the Bosphorus stands the Rumelihisarr Fortress, built by Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror on the European shore. The Sultan himself on the 26th day of March 1452 laid the foundation stone of the Fortress with a view to controlling the passage of the ships through the Bosphorus and using it as a base for his attack on the city. The fortress or castle was built upon the ancient site of Hermaion. It was completed in five months on August 28th 1452. The cannon on the towers could command this narrowest part of the Bosphorus opposite the older fortress of Anadoluhisarr. Darius in 500 BC had thrown a pontoon bridge across the Strait at this point and passed over 700,000 men. To Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror, it was the key to Constantinople. The design of the walls and the towers display the Prophet's and the Conqueror's name - Muhammet - Mehmet.
Enjoy a relaxing stop in either Beylerbeyi or Kanlıca, where you can step ashore on the Asian side, stroll along the waterfront, explore charming streets, and soak in the peaceful, authentic atmosphere of Istanbul away from the crowds. You can also visit the beautiful gardens of Beylerbeyi Palace.
Situated on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus between the villages of Kuzguncuk and Cengelköy, the palace was built by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1865. Beylerbeyi Palace seen from the Bosphorus floats like a white vision in a fairy tale. It is the most extravagant royal house of the 19th Century on which millions were spent. It is built completely of marble, surpassing all the Palaces of European Kings. Empress Eugénie, during her visit of 1869 stayed in this palace as well as Czar Nicholas Il of Russia. Edward VIII was a guest in 1936. Stone lionesses recline on marble carpets set in lawns, and swans float and fish swim in the unobtrusive pool where pigeons fly to catch the spray of the fountain upon their wings.
The Galata Bridge is a bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. From the end of the 19th century in particular, the bridge has featured in Turkish literature, theater, poetry and novels.
The Galata Tower, called Christea Turris by the Genoese, is a medieval stone tower in the Galata/Karaköy quarter of Istanbul, Turkey, just to the north of the Golden Horn's junction with the Bosphorus.
The summer Palace of Kucuksu, sometimes called the Palace of Göksu, is situated between the villages of Anadoluhisan and Kandilli on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus. The Kucuksu Palace was first built by Mahmut I in 1749. Later it underwent a restoration during the reigns of Selim Ill and Ahmet Il. It was renovated by Sultan Abdülmecit in 1857. Sultan Abdülaziz gave the palace a new face-lift and had it refurbished and redecorated. It is a small but elegant edifice, stretching along the lip of the Bosphorus, surrounded by intricately cast-iron railings. Waters and waves of the Bosphorus wash its terraces of glittering marble and sometimes penetrate their latticed and mysterious recesses.
About 180 meters away from the shores of Üsküdar stands this tower which bears two different names. Europeans who named it the Leander's Tower thought that it was here where Leander was drowned while attempting to swim the Bosphorus to reach his beloved Hero, the priestess of Aphrodite. But, in fact, Leander never crossed here even in the legend which refers to the The story of the Maiden's Tower, which has never been verified goes like this. Constantine built the tower here to protect his daughter since a magician had foretold she would be bitten by a snake. She was imprisoned and grew to womanhood there, until an officer of the Imperial Palace, fell in love with her beauty and sent her a basket of peaches and figs. The snake which had hidden under a fig leaf bit the Princess, who was at the point of death when the Officer arrived and sucked the poison from her arm. The lower was rebuilt during Ahmet III’s reign.
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Reviews
The yacht was beautiful, comfortable, and the crew were so accommodating. The announcer did a great job explaining all the sites along the river.
This was a scenic and comfortable cruise along both shores of the Bosphorus on a first class motor yacht. The crew were professional and polite, the accommodations spotlessly clean, and the guide’s commentary as we passed sights of interest was informative and entertaining. This was a perfect end to our Istanbul visit, serene and beautiful after the bustle of the city.
Very enjoyable and well organized yacht tour. Good value for money and a lovely way to visit the Asian side.
Murat was great guid very nice and knowledgeable about Istanbul, Türkiye the European, as well as the Asian side. He is local and knew the history and had good recommendations and could answer any questions we had about history, religion, cool spots or anything we needed. I would highly recommend the tour to anyone. Well well worth the money.
Long transfer to yacht with return driver diverting to pick up family and taking one hour for a 4 mile journey. The cruise itself was great.
Great tour on a beautiful yacht! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly! Highly recommend!
Pick up was very well organised and our guide was excellent. All crew very friendly. All transport clean and modern. The only negative was the quality of the snacks. Not as advertised. Nevertheless trip was well worth it.
Great boat, food and soft drinks included with optional alcohol
This was truly a memorable trip. After the huddle and bustle of the busy city it was lovely to float down the Bopherus and see Istanbul on a different perspective. The crew were amazing. Informative, caring, funny and all told a great trip
The company made it so easy they picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel in Pera. Serdar was a great tour guide and the boat trip made for a memorable afternoon!
A great 2 1/2 hour trip on a small boat, included a half hour stop off. Very informative. Delicious snacks. Pick up and drop off fantastic. Thoroughly recommend.
Great way to appreciate the city and its history
Very informative and comfortable cruise, we would definitely recommend. This is irritating have to enter a minimum number of characters.
Great way to spend a relaxing morning seeing Istanbul from the river. Small group and refreshments served. Stop on Asia side mid way offered more information. We had opted for hotel pick up but on way back chose to walk as plenty to see and we found everywhere was walkable
We had a great experience on the Bosphorus Yacht Tour. It was one of our favourite activities of the trip to Istanbul. We especially appreciated our tour guide MURAT. He shared many interesting stories about the city and its history. Highly recommend this tour.
This cruise on the Bosphorus was fantastic! The guide was excellent and the service was also exceptional. Lots of nice treats to eat as we sailed along. Fun to get off on the Asian side of Istanbul as well. Highly recommend!!!
Best part of my trip! My group had so much fun on this tour! Met great people, tried tradition coffee and local icecream! Met some sweet little children on the Asia side too!
The route and the itinerary were well thought out. Saw all the important places on the Bosporus between the 1st bridge and the second. The guide was great, he was funny and very knowledgeable; made the whole experience better.
Absolutely perfect experience on the Bosphorus in Istanbul! 🇹🇷✨ Everything was beautifully organised from start to finish, including the transfer, pick-up, and drop-off. The yacht experience itself was fantastic, with delicious breakfast, fresh fruit, nuts, Turkish tea, and traditional Turkish coffee. Our host was wonderful—so welcoming, attentive, and friendly, which made the whole experience even more special. The views of Istanbul from the Bosphorus were incredible, and everything felt relaxed, comfortable, and perfectly arranged. Honestly, it was just perfect from beginning to end. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Istanbul! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wonderful way to see Istanbul from different perspectives. The boat, the staff and the experience were very good and we enjoyed the afternoon thoroughly. Highly recommend.
Great way to see the Bosphorus Strait in comfort.
Magnificent vessel. The staff were great. Highly recommended
The yacht was gorgeous, the crew was responsive, and the guide was the best. When he wasn't explaining the sights, he would sit with different groups of people and impart more personal details of the city and its environs. A nice touch to an awesome cruise.
Very good communication prior to trip. Crew was very attentive and we enjoyed the information about the city as we toured. The treats and beverages on board were great as well! Plenty of room on board, felt safe and well cared for. Transportation to and from the dock made it a breeze!
Cruise was great, enjoyed the snacks and drinks as well. Sound system was not working well, but it was sorted out eventually. DIfficult to find meeting point
Beautiful boat cruise of the Bosphorus. The yacht was clean, the service was friendly and the young guide was very good. We very much enjoyed this experience. Highly recommend.
Emri was a champ. Very knowledgeable and professional The yacht was very clean and in great condition Service and tour very pleasant
The most amazing experience. From being picked from your hotel, the tour guide, the staff , the snacks and drinks you can not fault. It is a must ferry ride you should do. We got to get off on the Asian side and have a look around only for a short white. You must put this on your bucket list. From Australia.
Very informative history and it was beautiful.
Hi i can highly recommend ths tour , the excellente guide and cruise team! Thank you Umitcan and full team for the excellente service and memory! Best tour ever
Fantastic afternoon on the water some great tour guide
Our Tours by Locals guide recommended this operator, and it was spot on what we were looking for. A very nice yacht which could have held many more passengers, but they keep it small so there’s plenty of room to give every guest group their own space. Good English speaking guide explains the highlights as you pass by, but leaves time in between for just enjoying the view, some nice background music and conversation. You can move around the boat as much as you like for photos, etc. Some light refreshments are served by a very friendly and accommodating staff. I highly recommend this trip!
Fun boat ride to see many sites. Boat is very nice and was quite comfortable. Here are more words to fill out total needed
A great experience with the guide and crew member that met us at the pickup point. They were both friendly, outgoing and made our trip enjoyable. Thanks to you all
Really good experience, staff were amazing and looked after us, definitely worth the money, can see lots on the yacht. Didn’t give 5 stars as we were dropped on the Asian side but not real guide on what was around and only had 35 minutes or so, however, by the time we found somewhere to have a drink we only had 10 or minutes left and felt abit rushed but otherwise was fab. Maybe best to ask where to go on the Asian side.
It was a great experience. Excellent service, guide and tour. Amazing views of Europe and Asian side.
Very cool experience and a great way to see a lot of landmarks while enjoying a cool sea breeze!
The best boat experience awsome weather...friendly peofessional tour guides Emre &Murat.....thanks 😊
Amazing experience! Excellent staff and great service!
Great experience from start to finish. Transport was accommodating and the boat was spacious. Treats and drink were very good highly recommend
Beautiful and relaxing experience. They offered us Turkish coffee and çay with some snacks. They picked me up from the hotel and the guide is super kind and very knowledgeable
Murad has been very kind. My wife kept saying that it is very rare to find a kind, funny and knowledgeable guide.
Murat was very thorough, knowledgeable and clear. We enjoyed the privacy and personalization of the tour very much.
Very nice tour. Hotel pickup and drop off went exactly as planned. Guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Enjoyed it all!
Wonderful cruise. Great guides. Terrific time. Go!
The Hostess and greeter Emren were awesome! We will definitely be back!
Highly recommend-knowledgeable, fun wonderful dudes n tour
Really enjoyed a morning on the Bospheros. Would do it again with these people
A must do. Friendly crew. Newer boat. You get a different perspective of Istanbul from the water. Nice way to spend the morning.
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