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Bosphorus Cruise

Get to know Istanbul in the most relaxed and premium way.

Istanbul is a city that conquers for its history and beauty, from all points of view.
And one of the most spectacular is undoubtedly that provided by the waters of its strait: with a cruise on the Bosphorus, you can see some of its most unique monuments while you sail peacefully.
There are many boat trips on offer, but Turquía Exclusiva offers only the best ones, for the
quality of the vessel and for the and for the spectacular tours they offer..
A continuación te explicamos todos los detalles de esta actividad.

Why enjoy a Bosphorus cruise?

No one disputes that one of the great attractions of Istanbul is its unique location: in the middle of the Bosphorus Strait, which is the waterway connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and, above all, separating Asia and Europe, East and West. separates Asia and Europe, East and West..
Tiene una longitud de unos 30 km, con una anchura máxima de casi 4 km en algunos puntos.

Taking a boat ride on it is a great way to understand the history of Istanbul, which was originally called Byzantium and later Constantinople.
During the boat ride, you will get a glimpse of the location of the
ancient peninsula and what is its shape, as well as the so called Golden Hornthe historic estuary that was key to the genesis and development of the city.

And leaving behind the historical core of Istanbul, you will see before your eyes more modern buildings of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. more modern constructions of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, both on the European and Asian shoresThe most modern buildings of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, both on the European and Asian sides, are connected by several bridges that also show us the extraordinary current development of this megalopolis.

The buildings that can be seen from the water are, in turn, the best testimonies of Istanbul’s history.
Its
mosques are a good example of this, with the unmistakable Ottoman minarets that created a school in this country and in other surrounding countries.
In some of them, as in Hagia Sophia, you can also glimpse its dome and semi-domes, a feat of architecture dating back to the Byzantine period.

The Topkapi Palace represents the splendor and grandeur of the Ottoman sultans, as can be understood from the ship.
And medieval Constantinople, prior to the Ottoman conquest, is also well visible in imposing monuments such as the
Galata Tower and the fortress of Rumi.

The bridges are, for many, an attraction in themselves.
And on a Bosphorus cruise, you can cross up to four of them: the
three of the strait itself (the first one of the Bosphorus or of the Martyrs of July 15, the second of Fatih Sultan Mehmet and the third of Yavuz Sultan Selim) and that of Galata on the Golden Horn.
And during the navigation it will also be possible to contemplate two of the most iconic projects of the Istanbul of the XXI century, such as the great cruise port
Galataportwhere large ships call, and the Istanbul Modernthe modern art museum designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.

But undoubtedly, many of the photos will immortalize the spectacular palaces that line both shores, built from the 19th century onwards.
In some cases, they are the headquarters of public or private institutions, and in other cases, they are residential palaces of the Turkish high society, known as
yali and often used as vacation homes.
Of particular note are the palaces of
Bylerbeyi, Dolmabahçe and Ciragan, among many others.among many others.

And beyond the beauty and history that can be contemplated on board, a Bosphorus cruise is worthwhile for the point of tranquility and comfort especially if you choose the premium option.
Cruising the waters of this strait serves as a serene counterpoint to the frenetic pace that prevails on land, and the breeze that will caress your face will be a de-stressing therapy.
Especially if you enjoy a drink or a snack on board.

What the activity involves

As you will see when you are in Istanbul, there are many ships plying the waters of the Bosphorus, so there are many types of cruises available.
And the conditions vary from one to another.

A first aspect to take into account is the number and type of passengers on board: if it is a large ship with capacity for dozens of people, the experience will be shared with other travelers of different nationalities and most likely in English.

On the other hand, the most premium option is the private yacht, the most premium option is the private yacht.The boat, of smaller size and capacity, but for the exclusive use of the clients.
In the latter case, the package includes transfer service to/from the dock of reference and professional guide who offers explanations in the passengers’ mother tongue.

It should be noted that the boats used for cruises on the Bosphorus are not the traditional schoonerswhich are used for navigations of several days in the Aegean and the Mediterranean.
They therefore do not have sails and are motor-driven, but have all the safety and comfort features that a traveler in the premium segment can expect.
Especially the yachts for private cruising, which feature state-of-the-art furnishings and finishes.

Another aspect to take into account is the duration.
Existen paseos cortos y otros más largos, y en función de ello los lugares a visitar varían, como es lógico.
Estas son algunas de las opciones principales:

  • Short walk of an hour and a halfThis way, you have time to sail between the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, crossing under the former and glimpsing the latter on the horizon.
  • Medium-length walk of two and a half hours two and a half hoursThis duration allows to add other places of interest to the navigation, such as the Golden Horn and, in this way, to pass under the Galata Bridge and to glimpse iconic buildings of the neighborhoods on both sides (Eminonu and Karakoy).
  • Long walk of up to up to four hoursThis type of cruise allows you to reach the third bridge, the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and, therefore, to travel practically the entire Bosphorus Strait.
    In this way, you can appreciate historical buildings such as the fortress of Rumi and also suburbs that serve as a weekend or vacation retreat for the inhabitants of Istanbul.

Finally, there is a third aspect to keep in mind: the time of the Bosphorus cruise.
The
schedules The choice of timetables is very wide, covering practically the entire day. the whole day.
Pero muchos son los viajeros que eligen los
sunset boat tripsThe light that bathes the city, especially the neighborhoods of the western shore, confers a magical charm.
In addition, depending on the time of year and duration, part of this navigation can already take place at night, allowing you to see some of the most iconic buildings already illuminated.

How to book this activity

Cruises on the Bosphorus are one of the star activities in Istanbul, and they are offered everywhere.
And precisely for this reason, choosing the right one is not easy.
In Turquía Exclusiva
we can advise you on the most suitable cruises for you, both in terms of quality expectations and the duration and schedules offered, so that it fits perfectly into your travel program.

The most common option is to include this experience as a complementary complementary activity in a free day of the program, but it can also be included in a free half-day, either in the morning or in the afternoon.
Or we can even include it as the culmination of a day of cultural visits to the mosques, museums and bazaars of Istanbul: for this, it should be a short walk at sunset, starting from a central pier, such as Eminonu.

So if you want to enjoy a cruise on the Bosphorus of the highest quality and do not know how, hire it with Turquía Exclusiva to put the icing on the cake to your tour of Turkey.
We will inform you of all the details of the experience, which we can organize to suit you.