• Dolmabahçe, Beşiktaş - Board a public boat to journey along the Bosphorus.

A poet once described the Bosphorus as “God’s beautiful calligraphy written by an ink made of sapphires.” This strait, which both separates and connects two continents that form the dual faces of a city, derives its name from a mythological legend. Since ancient times, it has captivated people with its beauty.

The Bosphorus cruise will commence at Sariyer or Kabataş piers. As you sail along the Asian and European shores, you will be amazed by the blend of Ottoman and modern architecture, and you will have the chance to view the major highlights of the city’s enchanting skyline from the sea.

• Maiden’s Tower - Built to protect a princess, Maiden’s Tower has become a jewel on the Bosphorus Strait. Despite its beauty, the tower could not save the princess, but it remains for visitors to explore.
• Ortakoy - Ortaköy (meaning Middle Village in Turkish), known as Agios Fokas (Άγιος Φωκάς) during the Byzantine period and later as Mesachorion (Μεσαχώριον, meaning “middle village”), is a neighborhood within the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul, Turkey, situated in the middle of the European bank of the Bosphorus.

Ortaköy was a cosmopolitan area during the Ottoman era and the early years of the Turkish Republic, with communities of Turks, Greeks, Armenians, and Jews. Today, the neighborhood still hosts various religious (Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, and other Christian) structures. It is also a popular destination for locals and tourists, featuring art galleries, nightclubs, cafés, bars, and restaurants.

• Rumeli Fortress - Rumelihisarı (also known as Rumelian Castle and Roumeli Hissar Castle) or Boğazkesen Castle (meaning “Strait-Blocker Castle” or literally “Strait-Cutter Castle”) is a medieval fortress located in Istanbul, Turkey, on a series of hills on the European banks of the Bosphorus. The fortress also gives its name to the surrounding neighborhood in the city’s Sarıyer district.

Designed and constructed between 1451 and 1452 on the orders of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, the complex was built in preparation for an Ottoman siege on the then-Byzantine city of Constantinople, with the aim of cutting off maritime military and logistical support that could potentially aid the Byzantines via the Bosphorus Strait, hence the fortress’s alternative name, “Boğazkesen,” i.e., “Strait-cutter” Castle. Its older sister structure, Anadoluhisari (“Anatolian Fortress”), is located on the opposite banks of the Bosphorus.

• Yenikoy - This suburb is home to several exclusive yalıs that were once owned by prominent figures of the Ottoman era. The small Osman Reis mosque was built by Alexander Vallaury in 1904 on the site of a 17th-century mosque. Vallaury also designed the Ahmed Afif Paşa Yalısı behind it, where Agatha Christie stayed as a guest in 1933 while writing “Murder on the Orient Express.”

There are several Christian churches in the neighborhood. The Greek Orthodox church of Dormition of the Mother of God (Panayia Kumariotisa Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi, Koybaşı Cad. No. 108) was built in 1837 at the request of Sultan Mahmud II’s personal physician Stefanos Karatheodori (Greek: Στέφανος Καραθεοδωρής). His and his son Alexander Karatheodori Pasha’s tombstones are located next to the wooden bell tower west of the church.

• Tarabya - Tarabya (Ottoman Turkish: Tarabiye‎, Greek: Θεραπειά, romanized: Therapiá) is a neighborhood in the Sarıyer district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is situated on the European shoreline of the Bosphorus strait, between the neighborhoods of Yeniköy and Kireçburnu. It was the site of the ancient town of Pharmakia.

In the early days of the last siege of Constantinople in 1453, Ottoman forces captured Therapia, then a minor Byzantine fortification. Some 40 surrendered soldiers were impaled.

Tarabya was where foreign embassies had their summer residences during the Ottoman period, and today the area hosts several European consulates.

Sultan Selim II enjoyed eating fish in this area and requested his grand vizier, Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, to build a palace for him to spend the summers. It is believed that Sultan Selim II named his palace Tarabiye, meaning “pleasure,” and the neighborhood’s name (Tarabya) is derived from this palace.

• Misir Carsisi (Spice Market) - With roots dating back to the 15th century, this bazaar maintains its reputation as one of the oldest covered markets in the world.

• Guided tour of Bosphorus on a Public Cruise Boat & Spice Market
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• English-Speaking & Professional Tour Guide
• Transportation from/to the Meeting Point
• Admission Fees to Cruise Boat

• Gratuities
• Admission Fees to Musuems.
• Food & Beverages.
• Personal Expenses.

Imagine a day being on a boat enjoying the breath taking views of Bosphorus shores as a poet once described ‘God’s beautiful calligraphy written by an ink made of sapphires’ where two continents meet. Ortaköy, Bebek, Beşiktaş, Dolmabahçe, Çırağan Palace, Maiden’s Tower, Yali (wooden houses of the wealthy) and Beylerbeyi Palace are the highlights of the city’s fairy tale like skyline from waiting to be seen.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.