Bosporus Ferry — The Best Ride in the World
There are many ways to experience Istanbul — but none is as magical as from the water. The Bosporus is 30 km long and between 700 meters and 3.3 kilometers wide. Its shores are lined with Ottoman palaces, wooden villas (Yalıs), mosques, fortresses, and fishing villages — a backdrop like no other.
The Public Bosporus Ferry
The Şehir Hatları Bosporus Tour is the best way to experience the Bosporus — and the most affordable. The ferry departs from the Eminönü Pier and travels up the Bosporus to Anadolu Kavağı (on the Black Sea), with stops on both sides. The full tour (round trip) takes about 6 hours, the short tour 2 hours.
| Tour | Duration | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Bosporus Tour | 6h (round trip) | approx. 8€ | To Anadolu Kavağı, 2–3h stay |
| Short Bosporus Tour | 2h (round trip) | approx. 5€ | No stops, just panorama |
| Commuter Ferry Eminönü–Kadıköy | 20 min. | 0.50€ | Everyday ferry, great panorama |
What You See from the Water
- Dolmabahçe Palace: The opulent Baroque palace (1856) on the European shore — successor to the Topkapı as the Sultan's residence. 285 rooms, 43 salons, a 4.5-ton crystal chandelier.
- Ortaköy Mosque: The most photogenic mosque in Istanbul — a delicate Baroque mosque right by the water, with the Bosporus Bridge as a backdrop.
- Rumeli Hisarı: The massive fortress (1452) that Sultan Mehmed II had built in just 4 months to prepare for the siege of Constantinople. 3 towers, 13 small towers — the best-preserved Ottoman fortress.
- Yalıs: The historic wooden villas on the Bosporus — some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Many date from the 18th/19th century and are in various stages of decay or restoration.
- Bosporus Bridges: Three bridges span the Bosporus — the 15 July Martyrs Bridge (1973), the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (1988), and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge (2016).
💡 Tipp
Take the public ferry (Şehir Hatları), not the private tourist boats — you'll save 80% and the experience is more authentic. The best side to sit: right (starboard) on the way out, left (port) on the return — this way you always have the sunlit shore in view. Çay on board costs 0.50€.