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How to Tour the Bosphorus Strait by Public Ferry
The Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey is one of the world’s busiest, and most important, waterways. As you walk along its banks in the Eminonu neighborhood, touts will try to sell you boat tours. These will be short and overpriced. If you want to experience the full length of Istanbul’s main artery, at a fraction of the cost, you should tour the Bosphorus Strait by public ferry.
Every morning at 10:35 (and again at 13:35 in high season), the Sehir Hatlari line offers the Long Nostalgic Bosphorus Tour for 120 Turkish Lira (4 USD!) roundtrip. It lasts from 5 to 7 hours, including a 3-hour break in Anadolu Kavagi, a fishing village on the north end of the strait near the Black Sea.
Buy your ticket at the ferry terminal in Eminonu and board the ship as soon as possible. These trips can be crowded, especially on summer weekends, and early birds get the best seats. Use this guide to familiarize yourself with the highlights. You can also rent an audio tour at the ticket booth for a narrated experience.
Bosphorus Traffic
You’ll see ships of every kind—from massive tankers to fishing skiffs—plying the 19-mile straight. The only way cargo freighters can get from Black Sea countries like Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to the Mediterranean Sea is through the Bosphorus.
Local traffic is heavy, too. Ferries make a couple thousand runs daily, transporting millions of commuters between the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. Your ferry will call at 6 different stops, but only lay over at Anadolu Kavagi. If you get off anywhere else, you’ll need to find your own way back to the city center.
Eminonu
The Bosphorus divides Turkey, and Istanbul, into two parts. The western side is in Europe, the eastern Asia. Your tour starts in Europe, at Eminonu, in Istanbul’s Old Town. Here you’ll see the angler-lined Galata Bridge spanning the inlet known as the Golden Horn, as well as an unforgettable panorama of Istanbul’s most famous sites: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and the Blue Mosque. The ferry will be moving fast, so have your camera ready!
Maiden’s Tower
Maiden’s Tower is located on a rock islet just off the coast of Uskudar in Asian Istanbul. There’s been a construction of some sort on this rock since Roman times: a fort, a prison, a customs house, a quarantine ward. The current 19th-century structure is a popular lighthouse/restaurant combo. You might remember it from the 1999 James Bond film, The World is Not Enough. Villainess Elektra King clamped Bond into a rather nasty Ottoman torture chair here.
Bosphorus Palaces
When you tour the Bosphorus Strait by public ferry, you’re going to see a lot of palaces. Sultans and pashas built summer mansions and hunting lodges all along its shores. Dolmabahce, the largest palace in Turkey, was the last residence of the Ottoman sultans, whose empire collapsed after World War I. Its baroque façade dominates the waterfront south of Besiktas ferry stop.
Past the First Bosphorus Bridge, on the Asian side, is Beylerbeyi, the sultan’s summer palace. Some of the priciest real estate in Istanbul surrounds it. Kucuksu, a royal hunting pavilion, is also on the Asian side.
These days, a president rules Turkey. You’ll see his Art Nouveau summer pad at the northern end of the strait, on the European side, near Tarabya Bay. Many other historic mansions, known as yalis, line the Bosphorus, and come in an array of architectural styles. One of them, “Erbilginler Yalisi,” sold for 100 million euros in 2015.
Bosphorus Mosques
Many mosques are visible from the Bosphorus, especially in Uskudar, one of Istanbul’s more religious residential districts. You can’t miss the hilltop Grand Camlica complex. It was completed in 2019, and is now Turkey’s largest mosque. Istanbul’s tallest structure, Camlica TV Radio Tower, is also in Uskudar.
On the European side, look for the waterside Dolmabahce and Ortakoy mosques. They were built in the 19th century and, like Dolmabahce Palace, feature elements of Western design.
Bosphorus Forts
Before Ottoman sultan Mehmet the Conqueror laid siege to Constantinople (today’s Istanbul) in 1453, he built Rumeli Fortress at one of the strait’s narrowest points. On the opposite bank, in Asia, is the Anatolian Fortress, erected by his grandfather, Beyazit I.
Thanks to these two forts, the Ottomans were able to control Bosphorus traffic, cutting off any aid to Constantinople from the north. They still stand today, amid the mansions and docks of sprawling modern Istanbul.
Bosphorus Bridges
Three bridges span the Bosphorus Strait, connecting Europe and Asia. The first, an 8-lane suspension bridge, opened in 1973. Half the lanes were closed briefly in 2013, so Tiger Woods could whack golf balls from Asia to Europe—a publicity stunt organized by the Turkish Airlines Open.
The second bridge was completed in 1988, and the third in 2016. Located just south of the strait’s entrance to the Black Sea, this latest suspension bridge is one of the tallest and widest in the world.
Anadolu Kavagi
This quiet town is nestled between forested hills and the very edge of the Bosphorus. Some of its houses hang right over the water, Venetian-style. Your ship will dock here for around three hours, which is plenty of time for a nice lunch and a hike up to the castle that overlooks the strait.
The restaurants in Anadolu Kavagi specialize in fresh seafood, so you can’t go wrong with the catch of the day. Be sure to get an order of the famous deep-fried mussels (midye tava), too. They come with a sauce called tarator, a delicious mix of olive oil, vinegar, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, and sometimes crushed walnuts.
I like the harbor view from the top floor of Kavak Capari Restaurant. From here, you can keep an eye on the ferry, so it doesn’t leave without you. Your server will have to climb a lot of stairs from the kitchen, so don’t hesitate to tip above the 10% service charge!
Yoros Castle
If you want to burn off some of those lunch calories, consider walking up to Yoros Castle. It’s a fairly strenuous hike, but the views are well worth the effort. A paved road will take you up to Yoros Café. Once there, follow the signs and climb the narrow steps to the castle. You’ll get amazing views of the strait and Anadolu Kavagi, as well as the Third Bosphorus Bridge and Black Sea beyond it.
Yoros Castle dates to Byzantine times, and was later used by the Ottomans to defend against marauding Cossack ships from the north. It’s in ruins now, but the twin-towered main entrance still impresses.
After You Tour the Bosphorus Strait by Public Ferry
Anadolu Kavagi is the final stop on the tour. After you depart, your ship will repeat the previous stops in reverse order, until you reach the terminal at Eminonu. If you’re still up for exploring, you could get off at one of the stops and return to Istanbul by taxi or public transport. Uskudar is interesting and well-connected. For tips on what to do and where to eat check out Over In Asia: Istanbul’s Other Side.
You could also stay in Anadolu Kavagi. After the ship leaves, a pleasant sleepiness descends on the town—it’s a great escape from the hectic crowds of Istanbul. Homestay Einliegerwohnung in der Villa is just a short walk from the ferry dock. The apartment has a full kitchen, balcony, and garden access. Pick up some fresh anchovy bread (hamsili ekmek) from the bakery, and toast it up for breakfast!
