Hotels near A Bosphorus Cruise

The Bosphorus is the strait dividing Europe from Asia, 31 kilometres from the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea, and going out on it is the single best thing to do in Istanbul. The public Sehir Hatlari long Bosphorus cruise leaves Eminonu, runs up to Anadolu Kavagi near the Black Sea mouth and back, and takes most of a day. A shorter two-hour round trip covers the built-up stretch with the Ottoman waterfront mansions, the Rumeli Hisari fortress and the three bridges.

October is the right month for this. Summer haze has cleared so the hills on both banks are sharp, the water holds near 18C so the wind off it is bearable rather than biting, and the boats are not full. The public ferry costs a fraction of a private tour and runs the same route. Sit on the upper deck on the right heading north for the European shore, then swap coming back.

Pro Tip: Take the ordinary commuter ferry from Eminonu to Kadikoy instead if you are short on time. It costs the price of a bus fare on an Istanbulkart, takes 20 minutes, and gives you the same skyline of domes and minarets from the water that the tour boats charge properly for.