Istanbul Bosphorus Overview

Istanbul connects Europe and Asia as well as the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, giving it a unique geographic setting. The Bosphorus Strait flows between the European and Asiatic hills, known since ancient times and named after a myth involving the goddess Io. This strait resembles the Dardanelles in size and current but is distinct for its lively shores filled with palaces, villages, and forests, offering varied scenes along its course.

270 min

Dolmabahce Palace

Located on the European side of the Bosphorus, Dolmabahce Palace with its dependencies forms a small town with gardens stretching over a mile along the water. Built by Sultan Abdülmecit between 1839 and 1861, the palace exterior shows mainly baroque styles with abundant ornamentation. Its interior features gilded decorations, costly chandeliers, mirrors, porcelains, and gold and silver brocades. The gardens, originally designed by European landscape architects, include parterres and fountains. The palace has a 600-metre marble pier and landing stages along the Bosphorus, accessed through tall Baroque gates.

Dolmabahçe Mosque

The Dolmabahçe Mosque in Istanbul was commissioned by Bezmi Alem Valide Sultan, the queen mother.

First Bosphorus Bridge

Opened on October 29, 1973, marking the 50th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, this suspension bridge has the longest span in Europe and ranks fourth worldwide. The bridge is 1560 metres (1706 yards) long and 33.4 metres (110 feet) wide. The distance between its pylons is 1074 metres (1175 yards), and it has a clearance of 64 metres (210 feet) above sea level. The steel box-girder suspension was constructed by a British-German consortium. A second bridge linking Europe and Asia over the Bosphorus was planned for completion in 1989 between Emirgan and Kanlica.

Historical Bosphorus

Istanbul has many landmarks including 340 Byzantine columns, 500 mosques, palaces, fountains, cisterns, baths, churches, wells, and bazaars. It was founded in 657 BC by Megarians who named it Byzantium. In the third century AD, Emperor Constantine made it the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and renamed it Constantinople. The Turks ended the Eastern Empire in 1453 by capturing the city and making it the Ottoman capital.

Bebek Neighborhood

Bebek is a historic area in Istanbul within Beşiktaş district, situated on Bebek Bay along the European Bosphorus shore. It is surrounded by affluent neighborhoods like Arnavutköy and Etiler.

Ortaköy Waterfront

Ortaköy is a lively district focused on its waterfront square, where people gather for spontaneous concerts or to enjoy tea at cafes. The area has stands selling waffles and kumpir alongside souvenir shops. The ornate Ortaköy Camii mosque sits at the water's edge beneath the Bosphorus Bridge. After dark, nearby upscale restaurants and clubs attract a fashionable crowd.

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge

Also called the Second Bosphorus Bridge, this bridge spans the Bosphorus in Istanbul. Completed in 1988, it was the fifth-longest suspension bridge span worldwide at the time and is currently ranked 24th.

Anadolukavağı Village

Anadolukavağı, or Anadolu Kavağı, is a neighborhood in Istanbul's Beykoz district. The name combines 'Anadolu' meaning Anatolia and 'Kavak' meaning control post in Ottoman Turkish, reflecting its strategic location on the Bosphorus.

45 min

Yoros Castle

Located in Beykoz, this castle was built to defend the Bosphorus entrance from the Black Sea. Though often called Genoese Castle, inscriptions suggest it was constructed by the 8th Byzantine Emperor Michael Palaeologos. The name may derive from the Greek word 'Oros' meaning mountain or hill. Yoros Castle has been closed for a long time, but visitors can view the third Bosphorus Bridge and enjoy some climbing.

Rumelihisari Fortress

At the narrowest Bosphorus point on the European shore stands Rumelihisari Fortress, built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. He laid its foundation stone on March 26, 1452, to control ship passage and prepare for the city's conquest. Built on the ancient site of Hermaion, it was completed in five months on August 28, 1452. Cannons on its towers could command this narrow strait opposite Anadoluhisari Fortress. In 500 BC, Darius crossed here with a pontoon bridge carrying 700,000 men. To Sultan Mehmet, this fortress was the key to Constantinople. The walls and towers bear inscriptions of the Prophet's and Conqueror's names - Muhammet and Mehmet.

Beylerbeyi Palace

Situated on the Asian side of the Bosphorus between Kuzguncuk and Çengelköy, Beylerbeyi Palace was built by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1865. Seen from the Bosphorus, it appears as a white structure. It is an extravagant 19th-century royal residence constructed entirely of marble, exceeding European palaces in expense. Empress Eugénie stayed here in 1869, as did Czar Nicholas II and Edward VIII in 1936. Stone lionesses rest on marble carpets set in lawns, with swans and fish in the pool where pigeons fly through the fountain spray. Miss Pardoe noted the Imperial Bath during her visit.

Kucuksu Palace

Kucuksu Palace, also called the Palace of Göksu, is located between Anadoluhisarı and Kandilli villages on the Asian Bosphorus shore. Originally built by Mahmut I in 1749, it was restored under Selim III and Ahmet II, then renovated by Sultan Abdülmecit in 1857. Sultan Abdülaziz later refurbished and redecorated it. The palace is small but elegant, extending along the Bosphorus edge, enclosed by intricate cast iron railings. The Bosphorus waters wash its marble terraces and sometimes enter their latticed recesses.

Anadoluhisari Fortress

On the opposite bank by the Göksu stream stands Anadoluhisari Fortress. This castle on the Asian Bosphorus shore was built in 1395 by Sultan Bayazit, called the Thunderbolt, and named 'Güzelcehisar'. It was later expanded by Mehmet the Conqueror. As the first Turkish possession on the Bosphorus, it represents the start of Turkish rule.

Anadolu Kavagi Fishing Village

Anadolu Kavagi is a traditional fishing village on the Asian shore. Ruins of a Byzantine-Genoese castle on the hill overlook the junction of the Black Sea and Marmara Sea. Separated from Beykoz by woods, its main square hosts fishermen's restaurants serving travelers on the Bosphorus.

60 min

Galata Bridge

The Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul. Since the late 19th century, it has been featured in Turkish literature, theater, poetry, and novels.

Galata Tower

The Galata Tower, known as Christea Turris by the Genoese, is a medieval stone tower located in Istanbul's Galata/Karaköy district, just north of where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus.

Maiden's Tower

Known in Turkish as Kız Kulesi, the Maiden's Tower is a modern lighthouse. Historically, it served as a fort to collect a tax of one tenth on ship cargo, similar to the Pfalz Castle on the Rhine. The legend of Leander crossing the Hellespont does not involve this tower.

Black Sea Passage

The cruise continues all the way to the Black Sea, passing the third Bosphorus Bridge, which marks the boundary between the Bosphorus and the Black Sea.

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge

The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge is a rail and road bridge over the Bosphorus, located north of the two existing suspension bridges in Istanbul. It was originally called the Third Bosphorus Bridge.