Boat tours along the Bosphorus

There are multiple organised boat tour options – see our recommendations below. If you prefer to go it alone (and/or save money), the easiest year-round option is to hop on the public ferry (Sehir Hatlari) from Eminonu Docks between the Galata Bridge and Sirkeci station (on the tram T1 line).

Options range from short round trips, to full day excursions to Anadolu Kavagi – the last stop on the Asian side near the Black Sea, where there’s a 3-hour lunch stop before returning to Istanbul. Get to the Eminonu Docks 45 minutes before each departure to beat the queues at the Sehir Hatlari ticket offices.

Boat tours run all year round, but from November to March there are fewer boat options (and you’ll probably need an overcoat if not an umbrella). Sehir Hatlari ferries run daily year-round, with one to three daily departures depending on the season.

April and May are the most beautiful times on the river, when the parks are at their most glorious and it’s not too hot. September and October are also usually beautiful, with fewer tourists.