Bosphorus Strait
Bosphorus Strait
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Top ways to experience Bosphorus Strait
The area
Neighbourhood: Sirkeci
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
16 within 3 miles
Attractions
26 within 6 miles
See what travellers are saying
- leonardo_1964977 contributionsFabulous Bosphorus straitThe Bosphorus strait explains the unique position of Istanbul, partly in Europe and partly in Asia. The easiest way to enjoy it is to take a ferry which will bring you on the other side for around 0.80 EUR. In late autumn, the wind is pretty cold there.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 11 November 2023
- TravelerCentralFLAClermont, Florida1,793 contributionsAn Amazing and Iconic WaterwayThe Bosphorus Strait is the beautiful waterway that bisects the city of Istanbul. It separates the European side of Istanbul from the Asian side of Istanbul. Istanbul is one of only five cities in the world that are on two different continents. Istanbul is probably the best-known city to sit astride two continents and in my opinion it is the most scenic. The Bosphorus is set among the hills of Istanbul and has marvelous architecture and history surrounding it. The best way to see it is via boat ride. I took a boat on the Bosphorus and it was a great experience to see the city from a different perspective. I highly recommend visiting the Bosphorus especially by boat.Visited November 2023Travelled soloWritten 2 December 2023
- PeterNorthampton, United Kingdom31 contributionsValue for money boat tripGreat experience, real value for money trip . Think audio guides need to be downloaded beforehand as non was broadcast during the trip. Can imagine these trips would be over subscribed in summer. Nice touch is the stalls selling and cooking local caught produceVisited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 1 January 2024
- chiyo aTokyo, Japan2 contributionsA Natural Boundary Between European and Asian Continents.The Bosporus or Bosphorus, also known as the Strait of Istanbul, runs for about twenty miles and is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey. It forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia and divides Turkey by separating Anatolia from Thrace. The Strait joins the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. During our 2-hour boat cruise, we saw both the European and Asian halves of Istanbul, watched stunning coastal sights, enjoyed views of many picturesque mosques and palaces, and wooden villas, and learned more about Istanbul’s centuries-long history through a guide. While listening to the commentary we took photographs of some of the historical places like Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace [where some Ottoman sultans lived here], Ciragan Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Bosphorus Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Beylerbeyi Palace, Üsküdar, Rumeli Fortress, and Maiden Tower. The Bosphorus Bridge is one of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait thus connecting Europe and Asia. The bridge extends between Ortaköy and Beylerbeyi. I highly recommend taking a boat cruise for a memorable tripVisited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 28 March 2024
- stmichel25Bengaluru, India97 contributionsDinner cruiseDo the dinner cruise. Look for the cheapest rate because I don’t think it makes a difference. We booked one at a fabulous low rate snd it was so good! Lovely boat and arrangement. Nice views of the bridge and mosque and you get to watch some traditional dancing including the whirling dervish dance which thankfully is short. I understand when they said you can’t keep watching that for too long. There’s even a belly dance at the end. Food is not great but if you pay extra for alcohol everything is fine then;)Visited April 2024Travelled with familyWritten 8 April 2024
- MathiasTurku, Finland16 contributionsHeart of IstanbulThe Bosphorus is what makes Istanbul so special. It's great entertainment and a must-do activity when in Istanbul to take the ferries from Europe to Asia and enjoy the views. Another highly recommended activity is a sightseeing boat trip that travels along the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus is the heart of the city, always bustling with activity.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 24 May 2024
- Lilac G362 contributionsA relaxing boat trip.It was a good day, nice weather, I took the 90 minutes trip. We passed by old and very expensive houses, we saw the Anadolu Hisarı, which is not to be reached by metro, and the experience was positive. I will probably repeat that same boat trip in the future, as the scenery was very beautiful.Visited October 2023Travelled soloWritten 30 June 2024
- Manmeet SNew Delhi, India30 contributionsMust take the cruiseOne of the most beautiful sites in Istanbul. You can see all the major mosques and other historic monuments from the bosphorus strait. I took cruise via Istanbul e pass, which was included for free in the pass and also a guided tour on a small yatch with friends later. I preferred the yatch tour as the guide made it worth it. Also it took us closer to the sides of the strait and we could see places more closely on more European and Asian side. It's like the siene River cruise, but it's bigger than that, and equally, if not more beautiful, as we also saw dolphins here in bosphorus. I won't recommend spending money on night cruise with dinner, as dinner was not that good as per my friends who took that. Also sunset cruise which leaves around 6 pm is ideal as sun sets around 7.20 pm in September, cruise duration is around 1.5 hrs on average. Sunset cruise is better than night one as you can see the places clearly and get great pictures too, and also enjoy a lovely sunset on the cruiseVisited September 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 12 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
10,471 reviews
Excellent
7,093
Very good
2,775
Average
499
Poor
78
Terrible
26
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Edward G
Altdorf bei Nurnberg, Germany19 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
We love spending time on the Bosphorus exploring the various stops most which can be compared to cities within a city. If one can avoid peak travel times the outings are fabulous probably the best values for money at Istanbul. Definitely not to be missed
Written 22 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andyh67186334
Coalville, UK10,913 contributions
Apr 2022
I was advised by my hotel concierge to take a boat that departs from the area close to the Dolmabahce Palace. The boat tour lasts for nearly two hours and stops in three destinations. You can hop on and off any of the boats free of charge.
The cost for this trip was 60 TRY, which is just over £3, and was the best value boat tour I've ever taken.
There is so much to see along the shore, palaces, mosques, villas, grand buildings, stunning houses, castles, bridges and private yachts.
I departed at 1.45 as I knew the light would be good for both legs of the journey.
Unfortunately I can to remember the name of the company, as I paid in cash and disposed of the receipt. I thoroughly recommend this trip, particularly as some companies charge 10 time the price.
The cost for this trip was 60 TRY, which is just over £3, and was the best value boat tour I've ever taken.
There is so much to see along the shore, palaces, mosques, villas, grand buildings, stunning houses, castles, bridges and private yachts.
I departed at 1.45 as I knew the light would be good for both legs of the journey.
Unfortunately I can to remember the name of the company, as I paid in cash and disposed of the receipt. I thoroughly recommend this trip, particularly as some companies charge 10 time the price.
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Foodie999999999
Cambodia339 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
We did the Bosphorus Strait boat tour, its €20 Euros and really worth it. It was perfect, 3 hours long, you see loads of the city. We went for the 12.00 tour and it was very relaxes, snacks available as extra on the boat.
Written 17 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lambo2004
Bedford, UK112 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
So we were walking from our hotel to cross over the bridge and there was a guy standing by a boat with a sign 20tl each for 90 minute ride, so much as we had other plans we jumped on the boat and sat up top and went for the ride we really enjoyed although it did get a little cold.
Gives you a good idea of how big Istanbul is and the fact it’s so divided and the difference in culture from one side to the other by the different buildings.
All in all a good trip and well worth the money we paid beware ticket touts charging more money
Gives you a good idea of how big Istanbul is and the fact it’s so divided and the difference in culture from one side to the other by the different buildings.
All in all a good trip and well worth the money we paid beware ticket touts charging more money
Written 16 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cristina R
Vergato, Italy3 contributions
Apr 2024 • Family
I went with my daughter from 31/3 to 4/4 enough to visit the main attractions. Beautiful weather and beautiful city, beautiful ride on the Bosphorus at sunset. I recommend the hop-on hop-off bus tour, the ticket lasts 24 hours and there are stops near the main places of the city, both on the European and Asian sides. Negative note: you can't use a credit card everywhere, so you always need to have a few Turkish lira in your pocket (many also accept the euro but don't have change to give you) to avoid, as happened to us, eating in a restaurant on the Galata Bridge (and first we asked to use the card and we were told yes 😡) and then they had the POS out of order, and they ESCORTED us to an ATM.
Written 17 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HEROS A O S
Miami, FL99 contributions
Sept 2021
The Bosphorus is the canal that connects the Black Sea to the sea of Marmara, the Mediterranean Sea. It is super busy with the ships, ferry boats, and tour boats crossing it all day and night. The site is wonderful and you can see it all the time when in Istanbul. The bridges connect the continents of Europe and Asia crossing the Bosphorus. If you have a chance get a cruise and sail the Bosphorus where you will see beautiful homes, hotels and palaces from the water.
Written 9 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aamir53
Dubai, United Arab Emirates3 contributions
Nov 2020
This place has amazing views. Enjoy your coffee/lunch/dinner with peaceful sound of water smell the pure air. For some reason this place was more cooler than the istanbul city wind was cold here. Great place to visit and take pictures
Written 20 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mohamed Sami
Alexandria, Egypt1,864 contributions
Sept 2022 • Family
The strait that separates between old Istanbul in Europe and new Istanbul in Asia. Cruises in the strait are very scenic with many attractions on both sides. There are short cruises which may take from minutes to a couple of hours, while other cruises may go as far as the entrance to the black sea, to a small fishermen village called Anadolu Kavagi, where you can take a hike to the Yoros castle over the hill and admire the view of the Black sea from above or just stay near the shore and enjoy a nice fish meal in very moderate prices. There is a much cheaper cruise on public ferries that takes 90 mins from Eminonu to Anadolu Kavagi and returns after 3 hours, and there is another weekly public sunset cruise with music and dancing and it returns after midnight.
Written 30 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Enricaulpi
Rome, Italy2,235 contributions
Aug 2023 • Friends
The cruise, choosing the basic option, i.e. not the luxury line or aperitifs, etc., costs €5 and everyone is worth it, it offers a nice view of the city with the guy who narrates what you see even if you don't understand very well, in fact perhaps if he were silent yes you could fully enjoy the view! However, it is recommended to have a nice view of the city, perhaps preferring cooler times!
Written 10 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Meli
Istanbul, Türkiye17 contributions
Jun 2020 • Solo
Navigating through the Bosphorous is a must when in Istanbul, you will enjoy the boat ride, water, scenery and antique architecture. There are several tours available which you can book online or go directly to the dock. We found a tour worth 25 TL for a 1.5 hour tour enjoying the sunset.
Written 22 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What is the difference between the panorama view and the regular seating. Also what is the difference between the VIP and regular menu? Is it worth the 40 dollar difference?
Written 11 October 2024
What is the difference between the panorama view and the regular seating. Also what is the difference between the VIP and regular menu? Is it worth the 40 dollar difference?
Written 11 October 2024
Hi. I would like to know how rough the water is on a Bosphorous cruise. I don’t have any sea legs and would feel quite unwell if the water is choppy. I assume that it is tidal and there are waves. Is this correct? Many thanks.
Written 17 May 2022
Don't worry! In good weather is almost like a lake. There aren't big waves.
Written 18 May 2022
Saad
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Hi, I’m planning to visit turkey this November, 2021. Would start my journey from Instanbul (for 3 days). What would be the amazing places you will suggest me to visit? Thanks.
Written 5 April 2021
Καλησπερα σας .θα ηθελα να μου πειτε αναλυτικα πως θα βρω και πως θα την ζητησω αυτη την κρουαζιερα (με τα λιγα χρηματα)
Σας ευχαριστω !
Written 30 January 2020
Καλησπέρα σας, ρωτήστε στο ξενοδοχείο που θα μείνετε, συνεργάζονται 100% με κάποιον που κάνει τις κρουαζιέρες αυτές, για βράδυ, αν θέλετε για πρωί, έξω από την Αγία Σοφία έχεις πολλούς πλανοδιους που ψάχνουν και προσφέρουν κρουαζιέρα στο Βόσπορο..
Written 30 January 2020
Καλησπέρα από ποιο σημείο παίρνεις τα καραβάκια για την κρουαζιέρα του Βοσπόρου?
Written 7 October 2019
Επίσης για την Βραδυνή κρουαζιέρα έμεινα ρωτήσαμε στο ξενοδοχείο, αυτοί συνεργαζόταν και ήρθαν και μας πήραν από το ξενοδοχείο ένα κρουπ 7 ατόμων μας πήγαν από την ευρωπαϊκή πλευρά στο λιμάνι..
Written 22 November 2019
Hi,
How much would be cost per person?
Does the boats leave at any scheduled time?
How long would the trip take?
Written 18 September 2019
When I traveled the ferry from to Kadikoy (Asian side) to Eminou (European side, near the Blue Mosque), a token cost 4TL (one way). I used my Istanbulkart, so the cost was 2,15 TL. The Istanbulkart, is a great deal, allowing travel on buses, trams, the metro, and public ferries at a bit over half price. Once you buy the card (you can get it at the airport), you can reload it at metro stations and other places with yellow kiosks (cash only!). The Kadikoy - Eminou ferries leave every 20-30 minutes. TripAdvisor guidelines prevent me from providing an URL, but I entered "Istanbul Ferries" in my web browser and found lots of information at the Turkey Travel Planner web site. Enjoy your trip!
Written 18 September 2019
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