Bosphorus Cruise 2-3 Hour Cruises with Optional Asia Stop & Meal
Recommended by 95% of travelers
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Istanbul, Turkey
- 2 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover Istanbul through its majestic waterway, the Bosphorus River. Cruise along the scenic river that divides Europe and Asia and see many landmarks and highlights in just a few hours. Enjoy insightful commentary as you pass Süleymaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Rumeli Fortress, and Galata Tower. Optional stop at Beylerbeyi with palace visit is available only on 10:00 am and 1:15 pm departures.
- Maximize your time in Istanbul with this boat tour along the Bosphorus
- See both the Asian and European sides of Istanbul on one tour
- Choose from an optional lunch or breakfast
- Experience a unique vantage point to see the city’s iconic skyline
What's Included
- All Fees and Taxes
- Wifi On Board
- LunchThe fixed lunch menu is available if only Lunch&Cruise option is selected and includes soup, salad, rice, sautéed meat, and dessert.
- BreakfastThe fixed breakfast plate is available if only Cruise&Breakfast option is selected and includes tea, eggs, assorted cheeses, honey, jam, butter, olives, and sausage.
- Coffee and/or TeaCookies and tea are included with the if Night Tour option is selected.
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Easily accessible by public transportation, with a starting point in the city center of Eminönü.
- Soda/PopBeverages are not included
- Hotel Pickup and Drop off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Travels in Istanbul Adventure TourismAhi Çelebi, Cami Sahili, 34134 Fatih, Sarıdemir, 34134 Eminönü/İstanbul, Türkiye
Please locate NARAL BOATs, an EMBAK Cooperative member, near Ahi Çelebi Mosque on the shore behind Istanbul Ticaret University. If the boat is not there upon your arrival, please wait until the tour start time. You can also If you have internet access send a message
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Galata Koprusu (Pass By)
Galata Tower (Pass By)
Istanbul Resim Ve Heykel Muzesi, Mimar Sinan Guzel Sanatlar Universitesi (Pass By)
Dolmabahce Mosque (Pass By)
Dolmabahce Palace (Pass By)
Ortakoy (Pass By)
Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)
Hidiv Kasri (Pass By)
Rumeli Fortress (Pass By)
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Pass By)
Anadolu Hisari Fort (Pass By)
Kucuksu Pavilion (Pass By)
Askeri Muze ve Kultur Sitesi KomutanlIgI (Pass By)
Bosphorus (Pass By)
1
Beylerbeyi
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
KIz Kulesi (Pass By)
TopkapI Palace (Pass By)
Yeni Camii (Pass By)
Suleymaniye Mosque (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Great experience and. A great way to see/learn about the city. Olga was our tour guide and she did a great job explaining everything. The stop on the Asian side was fine but there’s not a lot where they drop you except to eat. Overall for the cost- it’s a great relaxing 3 hour tour. Recommend sitting on the left side of the boat for best views.
Reviews
4.8
based on 162 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
The cruise was a great experience to explore Asia and European continents. The staff were helpful and friendly.
Well organised, good communication and directions. Good value for money, friendly and helpful, clear English commentary. Pleasant stop off on Asian side. Food not fancy but tasty and well presented.
Don’t be on time. Be early. Starting time was 1:15. We got there at 1:06 and said we’re on the dock but can’t find the ship. At 1pm we texted to say Uber was late and in traffic; that we’d be there at 1:08 for a 1:15 start time. They said okay, so they KNEW we were on the way. Got there at 1:11 and was told the boat already left. They never bothered to respond to our future texts or bothered to wait until at least 1:15 for us.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
We understand your concern. The meeting point and location were shared with you both through Viator and WhatsApp, and the boat departed at the scheduled 1:15 PM time. Arriving at the meeting point on time is the guest’s responsibility. If you experience any difficulty finding the boat or reaching the boat, you can always contact us for assistance. However, we were contacted only after the scheduled departure time had passed. Nevertheless, we offered you the option to join a later departure that same day. We appreciate your understanding.
Boat ride was great. Scenery was awesome Lunch was actually on the boat. Drinks were not included, just water and tea.
The stop in Istanbul on the Asian side was less than expected. It's a little town with virtually no shops, just a few restaurants.
Good communication from Viator. Easy to follow directions to the boat. We walked from Arden City Hotel. The cruise was very informative. We even saw dolphins
An altogether memorable experience. Thank you Viator.
very informative, scenic and relaxing trip. you can cover Istanbul in 2 hours with lot of knowledge or consider as starter of your isranbul trip
A beautiful way to spend a morning in Istanbul. Great tour. Breakfast was tasty fresh & plentiful served with Turkish tea. The views around the bay spectacular and the guide’s commentary was very informative. Spent some time in Asian Istanbul great to see. All in all a fab trip lasting 3hours and great value for money. Loved it!
Great experience and highly recommend this tour, the sunset/night tour is well worth it. Make sure you bring a light jacket for when the sun goes down.
Food was discussing 3 to 4 stores to shop in but then again we only were given 40 minutes to browse 😳😤. Waste of money and time.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations. We appreciate your comments and will take them into consideration.
Worth the trip! Not much time to invest, but much to see! We had good weather also, so that was great.
Very nice trip. The sights of the incredible Istanbul by the Bosphorous were amazing and the fact it was snowing it was a magic day for the kids. What I would only change is the time to walk in the city and give at least the hour it was said in the tour. We were only given 30 minutes and with kids we couldn't have the chance to walk farther than the port area. Other than that it was a great day.
Could barely hear the guide. Half of the tour without any narration. No heat on lower level of boat, so can get cold in late fall/winter. Bring very warm jacket.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your feedback.
We’re sorry to hear that the narration was difficult to hear during parts of the tour. Depending on seating location and weather conditions, sound clarity can sometimes vary. We will review this with our team to ensure the audio system is functioning properly throughout the cruise.
Regarding heating, enclosed areas are available, but during colder months the temperature can still feel low, especially on lower decks. We do recommend dressing warmly in late fall and winter.
We appreciate you sharing your experience.
Great experience and. A great way to see/learn about the city. Olga was our tour guide and she did a great job explaining everything. The stop on the Asian side was fine but there’s not a lot where they drop you except to eat. Overall for the cost- it’s a great relaxing 3 hour tour. Recommend sitting on the left side of the boat for best views.
It’s a great experience for a reasonable price. The only downside was there’s not enough time to explore the Asian side. Maybe add more time. Our group and a few others we talked to, said the same thing.
Was very good experience with reasonable price i enjoyed with my family,also english tour guide was really helpful,definitely we do again same with viator when we be back for next time also turkish tea was delicious 😋
The serving staff were great, very diligent.
Guide was bored and spoke so fast, I understood maybe 30-40% of what she said.
Shopping trip a complete waste of tine - to 'owner's' leather shop
Relax on board a large boat while beautiful buildings and bridges are passed.
If you would like to land on the Asian side, be aware if the cruise you book includes stops. We thought our had an hour stop, but that was not the case.
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Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your feedback. We're happy to hear you enjoyed the cruise and the beautiful views along the Bosphorus. Regarding the stop on the Asian side, please note that it is only included in selected tour options, and this information is provided in the tour description before booking. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again.
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