Istanbul 7 Bosphorus boat ride
Now it is time to reward yourself with the most pleasant out-of-town diversion -- a ferry ride on the Bosphorus, the strategic waterway that divides Asia and Europe. This excursion offers beautiful views of palaces and villages along the waterfront and a wonderful choice of fish restaurants in one of three villages on the north end near the Black Sea, Sariyer, Rumeli Kavagi or Anadolu Kavagi. It takes about 2 hours to get to the end of the line, 3 hours for a meal, and 2 hours to return the same way. You could shorten the ride by turning around sooner and just buying a snack on board, but the fish restaurants at the various stops are world-famous. Organized tours can make all the arrangements, but it is easy and much cheaper to do on your own.
Bosphorus ferries leave from the dock at Eminonu, by the Spice Market and Sirkeci Railway Station. An alternative trip to Princess Islands by hydrofoil is also available at the Galata Bridge end of the dock. The ferry terminal is a busy area where you can feel the pulse of the city, especially at rush hour when thousands of locals are walking between here and work.
To find the Bosphorus ferry, look for Pier 3 and the sign that says "Bogaz Hatti," operated by the official Istanbul Sehir Hatlari Boats. Don't let yourself be misguided by aggressive salesmen to one of the smaller boats alongside the commercial ferry, because this is another rip-off with a shorter cruise that takes longer. (Ferry departures are at 10:35a.m., 12:45p.m. and 2:15p.m.; with returns from the last stop of Anadolu Kavagi at 2:15, 3:15 and 5:00p.m.)
The Bosphorus is one of the world's busiest waterways with 130 large ships passing through daily, carrying petroleum products and other valued cargo, as well as a myriad of small craft. One of your first sights will be the extravagant Palace of Dolmabahce you just visited, with its 600-yard frontage on the water. Leaving the city, you soon pass under the Bosphorus suspension bridge, one of the world's longest.
Soon, you come to two remarkable fortresses facing each other across the straight: Rumeli, built by the invading Muslims in 1452 in their final siege of the city, and Anadolu, on the Asian side, built 50 years earlier as part of the same long-term attack. The forts enabled the Muslim forces to block food shipment to the city and prevent Christian allies from entering in support. It took the invading Muslims nearly a century before they conquered what was then Constantinople, the last refuge of the once-mighty Byzantine Empire. The ferry then passes under Fatih Sultan Mehmet, a newer suspension bridge linking the two continents, and then continues north past small suburban villages and lush green hillsides.
More palaces and historic old wooden mansions called "yali" line the shores on both sides as your ferry zigzags from Europe to Asia, stopping at several towns along the way. Many luxury apartments have been springing up along this desirable stretch and the older wooden homes are nicely maintained with colorfully-painted facades. When you have reached your preferred end destination and finish a meal, you could return to Istanbul by return boat or by a local bus, which would give you a different perspective and new scenery. You could even hop off along the way if you wish to see more sights, such as the beautiful Rumeli fortress, which is open as a museum.
Length: 395
Rating: 4.70 (18 ratings)
Tags: Istanbul Bosphorus boat ride Turkey Europe Travel denniscallan
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