The Bosphorus Strait Cruise

小鱼

We spent 12 days in Istanbul in May 2024 having visited many historical sites of Byzantine and Ottoman era. The Bosphorus Strait Cruise is one of the highlights and worth spending a day.

Most of the historical information in this article is copied from internet sources after my research.

People on the long cruise journey making a stop at Istanbul will probably see the sights from the cruise. Hence if you are short on time, there is no need to take a whole day cruise but to be aware of the sites you are passing.

The Bosphorus Strait

The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait is an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul forming one of the continental boundaries between Asia and Europe. It connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara and separates parts of Asian Turkey (Anatolia) from European Turkey.

The Bosporus is 30km long and has a maximum width of 3.7km at the northern entrance and a minimum width of 600m (or 750m?) between the Ottoman fortifications of Rumelihisarı and Anadoluhisarı.

Key Sightseeing Points

This map doesn’t show our exact route but it is good for references.

You will see numerous Istanbul landmarks from the water.

Three Bridges

Three bridges have been built across the strait.

- The first, the Bosporus I Bridge, was completed in 1973 and has a main span of 1,074m (or 1,560m long).

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- The second bridge, the Fatih Sultan Mehmed (Bosporus II), was completed in 1988 and has a main span of 1,090m.

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- The third, the Yavuz Sultan Selim (Bosporus III) Bridge, was completed in 2016 and has a main span of 1,408 metres.

Three Castles

Because of the strait’s strategic importance for the defence of Constantinople (Istanbul), straddling the southern end of the strait, the Byzantine emperors and later the Ottoman sultans constructed fortifications along its shores, especially on the European side.

Two noteworthy examples are the castles of Anadoluhisarı, which was constructed on the Asian shore by Bayezid I in 1390–91, and Rumelihisarı, built directly across the strait by Mehmed II in 1452.

The Rumeli Castle (Rumelihisarı) on the European side is directly across the Anatolian Castle. At this point the Bosphorus is at its narrowest (600 meters) location.

Yoros Castle

You will need to stop at Anadolu Kavagi to see it.

The Tour Boat

https://sehirhatlari.istanbul/en/timetables/bosphorus-tours/long-bosphorus-tour-91

We chose Şehir Hatları Bosphorus Tour which is run by Istanbul’s official ferry company. We bought Full Bosphorus Cruise (10:35am-4:35pm) because we want to see Black Sea merging into The Bosphorus from Yoros Castle. The final stop is Anadolu Kavagi where people get off for 2.5 hours free time.

This is the ferry boat that we are going to take. Please do take a warm jacket because it is very windy if you want to be outside on the top deck.

We went to the ticket office before the counter open and there was a long queue. The tickets can only be purchased with cash.

The ticket office is located in Eminonu. The neighbourhood has been a major transportation hub since Byzantine times and features some of the best known Istanbul attractions: Spice Bazaar, New Mosque, and Rüstem Pasha Mosque. We wondered along the shore before boarding the boat.

The man fishing with Galata Tower and Galata Bridge in distance.

The best views of Istanbul landmarks can be seen from the water.

New Mosque

New Mosque (L) & Suleymaniye Mosque (R)

Suleymaniye Mosque (L) & Rustem Pasha Mosque (R)

Dolmabahce Palace

Located on the European coast of the Bosporus strait, Dolmabahce Palace paints a vivid picture of the Ottoman Empire's glory days.

Bosphorus Bridge: the first bridge when we heading out.

The Bosphorus Bridge, known officially as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and colloquially as the First Bridge, is the oldest and southernmost of the three suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus strait, thus connecting Europe and Asia. The bridge extends between Ortaköy (in Europe) and Beylerbeyi (in Asia).

Ortakoy Mosque

Ortakoy Mosque. This is a beautiful mosque different with other major ones. We went there in another day. It’s a relative small mosque. I like the air, colour and view of this mosque. Put some photos here for referencing.

Turkey National Flag: you will see them everywhere when you are in Istanbul

Rumeli Castle with Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge on the right

The Rumeli Castle (Rumelihisarı) on the European side is directly across the Anatolian Castle on the Asian side. At this point the Bosphorus is at its narrowest (600 meters) location.

Built by order of Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 at the narrowest point of the strait, it and Anadolu Hisarı, the castle that had been built on the opposite shore in 1393–1395, enabled the Ottomans to control all water traffic, cutting the city off from resupply by sea and contributing significantly to the Ottoman defeat of Byzantine Constantinople.

Rumeli Hisarı name means "Fortress on the Land of the Romans", which given to the countries of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkan peninsula. It was built in a short period of four months.

After the conquest of İstanbul, Rumeli Fortress lost its strategic importance and became an imperial prison and customs checkpoint. Now it is an open-air museum.

Anatolian Fortress Is on the other side which we took the photos on our return journey.

The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge, spans the Bosphorus strait. The bridge is named after the 15th-century Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, who conquered the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, in 1453. Connecting the neighborhoods of Hisarustu and Kavacik, near the Rumeli Hisari and Anadolu Hisari fortresses, the gravity-anchored suspension Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge spans one of the narrowest sections of the Bosphorus Strait. The bridge is on the Trans-European Motorway between Edirne and Ankar

Both European and Asia shores of Bosphorus are well wooded and are dotted with villages, resorts, and fine residences and villas.

Rumeli Kavağı

The ferry made a stop at Rumelikavağı, also known as Rumeli Kavağı, which is on the European side of the Bosphorus Strait. “Rumeli" is the Turkish name for Thrace, and "Kavak" means "control post" in Ottoman Turkish referring to the strategic position of the location on the Bosporus.

Formerly, it was a small fishing village. In the 17th century, a castle was built to check Cossack naval assaults from the Black Sea. In 1877, during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), a part of the immigrants from the Russian occupied provinces settled in Rumelikavağı. Up until the 1960s, most of Rumelikavağı was a restricted zone by military.

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge

The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, also known as the Third Bosphorus Bridge, is a vehicular bridge over the Bosphorus strait, to the north of Istanbuls's two older suspension bridges. The bridge is located near the entrance to the Black Sea from the Bosphorus strait, between Garipçe in Sarıyer on the European side and Poyrazköy in Beykoz on the Asian side. The bridge opened to traffic on 26 August 2016.

Yoros Castle on the cliff is seen from the boat.

Approaching Anadolu Kavagi.

Windy and cold on the boat even it’s a sunny day.

Anadolu Kavagi

Anadolu Kavagi is a fishing village on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, at the mouth of the Black sea. Yellow and blue houses line the curve of the bay and creep up the steep hillside. Anadolu Kavagi, with its pristine surroundings, fresh air, fishing boats, and captivating sea views, is one of istanbul's most charming villages. It is the last stop of SH's Long Bosphorus Tour.

Yoros Castle is the main attraction in Anadolu Kavagi. So we went to see it first before wandering around the village or having lunch. The climb takes about 20 minutes.

Nowadays most the area around the castle is controlled by Turkish military, where photography is forbidden.

Star Jasmine can be seen everywhere in Istanbul in May, no exception here. The lovely fragrance fill the air.

You will see lots of this symbol (Eye beads or nazars – amulets against the evil eye) while in Istanbul.

Yoros Castle

The ruined castle dates back to Byzantine times and is commonly referred to as the Genoese Castle, due to Genoa’s possession of it in the mid-15th century.

Yoros Castle sits on a hill surrounded by steep bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. The castle overlooks one of the narrowest stretches of the Bosphorus. Third Bosphorus Bridge is visible from Yoros Castle.

View of Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge from Yoros Castle

The photo site could be crowded.

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in distance

Back to the village looking for places to have lunch.

There are plenty of waterfront restaurants relying on day tour customers. We chose Yedigul Restaurant for the view, which is nice.

Food is average. Husband had Seabass. I had fried squid and mussels. The fried mussels which is a famous dish here are small blue mussels. BTW, we never bother to pick up the blue mussels from the rocks in Marlborough Sounds. About 5 minutes we finished our meal, the big waves crashed our spot.

View from my lunch table

We wandered around the village after lunch. Many shops sell these decorations.

An eye bead or naẓar, meaning 'sight', 'surveillance', 'attention', and other related concepts) is an eye-shaped amulet believed by many to protect against the evil eye.

A typical nazar is made of handmade glass featuring concentric circles or teardrop shapes in dark blue, white, light blue and black, occasionally with a yellow/gold edge. "The bead is made of a mixture of molten glass, iron, copper, water, and salt, ingredients that are thought to shield people from evil.”

"According to Turkish belief, blue acts as a shield against evil and even absorbs negativity."

Time to leave saying goodbye to Anadolu Kavagi

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and Yoros Castle in distance

Kanlica

Stopped at Kanlica on the Asian side of the Bosphorus strait.

Kanlica

Anatolian Fortress

Shoreline near Anatolian Fortress which is visible at the far end.

Anadoluhisarı (English: Anatolian Fortress), known historically as Güzelce Hisar ("the Beauteous Fortress”), is a medieval Ottoman fortress located on the Anatolian (Asian) side of the Bosporus. The complex is the oldest surviving Turkish architectural structure built in Istanbul. Anadoluhisarı was built between 1393 and 1394 on the commission of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, as part of his preparations for a siege on the then-Byzantine city of Constan

Nice buildings along The Bosphorus

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge

Küçük Çamlıca TV Radio Tower, or simply Çamlıca Tower, is a telecommunications tower with observation decks and restaurants on Little Çamlıca Hill in Üsküdar district. With a total height of 587 metres (1,926 ft) above sea level, it is the highest structure in Istanbul.

Beylerbeyi Palace and Bosphorus Bridge

Beylerbeyi Palace

Uskudar the Asian side: one of the ferry stops

Skyline on the Asian side

The Bosphorus Bridge

The Bosphorus Strait is very busy with many cargo and container ships passing by everyday

Topkapi Palace on the hill

Hagia Sophia in distance

Back to Eminonu seeing New Mosque, Rustem Pasha Mosque & Suleymaniye Mosque from the boat again.

We disembarked the boat in Eminonu.