Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Bosphorus
Explore
The Bosphorus deserves at least one day of your time; two days (one for each shore) is
even better.
For the European Shore take the morning cruise from Eminönü, alighting at Sarıyer and
working your way back to Kabataş or Taksim by bus, stopping at the Sadberk Hanım Mu-
seum, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, the fortress at Rumeli Hisarı and the waterside suburbs
of Bebek and/or Ortaköy on the way.
Take the morning cruise from Eminönü for the Asian Shore, alight at Anadolu Kavağı
and work your way back along that shore by bus, stopping to visit Hıdiv Kasrı, Küçüksu
Kasrı and Beylerbeyi Palace before getting off the bus at Üsküdar and catching a ferry back
to Eminönü, Karaköy or Kabataş.
The Best...
Top Tip
If you buy a return ticket on the Bosphorus Cruise, you'll be forced to spend three hours in
the tourist-trap village of Anadolu Kavağı. It's much better to buy a one-way ticket and
alight at Sarıyer or at Kanlıca and make your way back to town by bus.
Getting There & Away
Ferry
Most day trippers take the Uzun Boğaz Turu (Long Bosphorus Tour) operated by
Istanbul Şehir Hatları (İstanbul City Routes). The Bosphorus Excursion Ferry travels the
entire length of the strait in a 90-minute one-way trip and departs from the ferry dock at
Eminönü daily at 10.35am. From April to October there is usually an extra service at
1.35pm, and during summer there is an extra service at noon. A ticket costs 25 return
(çift)
, 15 one way
(tek yön)
. The ferry stops at Beşiktaş, Kanlıca, Sarıyer, Rumeli Kavağı
