Bosphorus Cruise Istanbul

The Bosphorus separates the European and Asian halves of Istanbul, and seeing the city from the water is one of the highlights of any visit. A cruise passes Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ortaköy Mosque beneath the Bosphorus Bridge, the fifteenth-century Rumeli Fortress and rows of elegant wooden yalı mansions on both shores.

Choose a relaxed daytime cruise, a private boat for your family, or an evening dinner cruise with folk music and dance. On dinner cruises we request vegetarian menus in advance.

Take a light jacket: it is breezy on deck even in summer. Late afternoon gives the warmest light on the palaces and the best photographs of the skyline. A full-length cruise towards the Black Sea takes most of a day, while the shorter loop suits families with young children.