Discover the Bosphorus on a boat

Between all the activities you can do while staying in Istanbul, you can’t miss to take a boat trip on the Bosphorus, it’s a magical moment, something unique.

The Bosphorus Strait, which separates the city in half and connects the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea is one of the symbols of Istanbul. Two large suspension bridges span it (soon to be three) and a unending stream of boats pass through it 24/7.  It is a unique strait in the world of 32 km in length, splitting a city in two, but also Europe and Asia.

During your cruise on the Bosphorus you will admire a splendid panorama of the city; many monuments are fully visible only by boat, like the great palaces of Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi, the University of Galatasaray and many more … You can also and especially admire the 620 Istanbul’s Yalis (the large wooden houses dating from the Ottoman Empire) and the two suspension bridges. Some days you even see dolphins.

Here is a summary of the different cruising options you will have in order to discover the Bosphorus : 

– The public cruise boats that offer short tours of two hours, and longer tours tours with a stop on boats up to 150 people.

– A cruise in a small group with a maximum of 12 participants and a guide

– Renting a private boat.