Guided Bosphorus & Black Sea Cruise – 4 Stops from Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

6 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Sail between two continents and into the Black Sea on this full-day cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, with an onboard guide plus a delicious meze lunch on deck. Gaze over the shores of Europe and Asia as you cruise the Bosphorus; stop to visit the pretty Ortaköy neighborhood; and enjoy guided tours of the ornate Küçüksu Palace and Rumeli Fortress. There’s even a chance to swim in the Black Sea.

Cruise along the Bosphorus Strait and into the sun-baked waters of the Black Sea
Stops on both the European and Asian banks of Istanbul
Enjoy free time at Ortaköy, tour Küçüksu Palace, and visit Rumeli Fortress
Savor a delicious lunch of Turkish meze on board the boat

What's Included

Lunch
Private Yacht
Tour Guide

Gratuities
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Private transportation

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Dolmabahçe Mosque
Ömer Avni, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd. No:34, 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Our partner travel agency for meeting with our guests.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

If you're staying in a hotel in the main tourist districts of central Istanbul, your day begins with pickup. If not, travel to one of two convenient meeting points and join the cruise from there.

Board your boat and soak up the views as you sail north along the Bosphorus Strait, the stretch of water that divides Asia and Europe. Take snaps of mosques and landmarks as you cruise to your first stop, Ortaköy.

Set on Istanbul’s European shores, this picturesque district of neo-baroque buildings and cobbled lanes is filled with arty shops, galleries, markets and cafes.

Your next stop is on Istanbul’s Asian banks. Here, enjoy a guided tour of the Küçüksu Palace, an Ottoman-era imperial hunting lodge built in the 1800s. Behold the rooms adorned with gold, marble and crystal, and hear how the sultans relaxed here after hunting expeditions.

Cruise back over the water and pay a visit to Rumeli Hisari Fortress, once used to control traffic on the Bosphorus. On Mondays, the fortress is closed and you’ll visit the Bebek neighborhood instead.

Your lunch menu may vary, but expect dishes such as grilled chicken and meze accompanied by sodas, with other drinks (own expense) available from the bar.

After lunch, cruise further up the Bosphorus and into the Black Sea, with time for a swim at a bay near a transcontinental bridge.

Your cruise finishes back in central Istanbul, with drop-off at your original meeting point or hotel.

Rumeli Fortress

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Ortakoy (Pass By)

KIz Kulesi (Pass By)

Anadolu Kavagi

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Bosphorus Strait (Pass By)

Kucuksu Pavilion

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Dolmabahce Palace (Pass By)

Ciragan Palace Kempinski (Pass By)

Beylerbeyi Palace (Pass By)

Buyuk Mecidiye Camii (Pass By)

Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Pass By)

Yavuz Sultan Selim Koprusu (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Swimsuit and towel are recommended
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Rumeli Fortres will be closed on mondays and visit will be replaced with freetime in Bebek neighborhood
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

963sunnyk

The day promises to be a long one. We departed our hotel at 0900 and returned at 1830 (hotel pickup and drop off by tour shuttle). Our tour guide, Aslan, was absolutely amazing. He shares his knowledge of Turkish culture and history with great enthusiasm. We made four stops (2 Asian and 2 European). At each of the stops you get some free time (30-45min) to self-explore a little after the guide has given you an orientation to the site. We also Had about 45 minutes to swim at the mouth of the Bosphorus Straits right at the Black Sea inlet. This is an absolute highlight, especially on a warm/hot Summer day. Food and snacks throughout the day. Overall, well worth the cost...and while the whole day was spent with this activity, it went by rather quickly.

Reviews

4.3

based on 318 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Sort by: Most insightful

Really nice private tour.

Jason_M, Jul 2026

This was a really great day for us. Our guide was lovely and very informative. We got to go at our own pace which was really nice because we were tired and it was our last day.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you so much for your kind review. We’re delighted you enjoyed the tour and had a relaxing last day in Istanbul. We hope to welcome you again in the future!

Tour cancelled and they forgot to notify us

BenjaminH_W, Jul 2026

This review does not cover the tour experience itself, because we did not get to do the tour. We arrived at the pier that was the designated meeting point early. We waited, waited, and waited. Eventually, we called the tour company and they were very apologetic, but apparently the tour had canceled and was not going to be done that day and they had forgotten to notify us. I am giving them two stars instead of one because they did both refund our money and offered a much shorter boat tour later in the day for free. Unfortunately, as part of a larger full-day tour two days earlier, we had already done a short Bosphorus cruise, so there was no reason for us to do it again.

Lovely Evening Cruise

Paula_F, Jun 2026

Friendly staff and always responded to contacts. Boat was clean and well maintained. Pretty sites on beautiful water. Recommend transfer service. Excellent car and driver and no hassle getting there and back to hotel.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the cruise, found our staff friendly and responsive, and appreciated the cleanliness and maintenance of the boat. It is also great to know that our transfer service helped make your experience smooth and hassle-free from start to finish. Thank you for choosing us and for recommending our services. We hope to welcome you back to Istanbul for another memorable cruise in the future!

Cruise to the Black Sea

Melissa_T, Jun 2026

Muzaffer was an amazing host. Meet us at the pier and served a wonderful breakfast of fresh baked Turkish breads. Ram was the tour guide who gave us so much information on the sights and Turkish history. Both were so kind. The yacht tour was so impressive. We road up the Bosphorus right to the bridge that opens up to the Black Sea. We stopped at a palace, a fortress and a quaint fishing village where we had a fabulous fresh fish lunch by the Bosphorus. Absolutely loved the entire experience

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It was a pleasure hosting you on board. We’re delighted that you enjoyed the breakfast, the yacht cruise, the historical insights from Ramazan and the beautiful stops along the Bosphorus and Black Sea. Your kind words mean a lot to us and we hope to welcome you back to Istanbul for another unforgettable experience in the future. Best regards, Muzaffer & Ibo Cruise Team

Badly let down

Geoff_M, May 2026

We were move from our full day tour of the Bosphorus to a half day Black Sea tour. The Black Sea tour did not go to the Black Sea but stayed in the Bosphorus. We were given a pick up and drop off service which arrived 30 mins late. The drop off did not go to our hotel so we walked the last 12 mins The guid was excellent, the luxury yacht was good and the crew could not do enough. Overall the booking was not honoured and we were left disappointed that we did not cruise the historic city.

Response from Host, May 2026

Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. First of all, we are pleased to hear that you enjoyed our guide, yacht, and crew. Your kind words about their service are greatly appreciated and will be shared with the team. We are sorry that your overall experience did not fully meet your expectations. Due to operational circumstances, your reservation was transferred from the full-day tour to our half-day option, and we regret any disappointment this may have caused. We also apologize for the delay in the pickup service and for the inconvenience regarding the drop-off location. We understand that the itinerary did not align with what you were expecting, and we appreciate your honest comments. Guest feedback is extremely valuable to us as it helps us improve both our communication and our services. Thank you again for sailing with us, and we hope we may have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for a better experience. Kind regards, Customer Relations Team

Tour was canceled day prior. I made other plans. Then got a phone call asking where I was. DISORGANIZED

marva_w, Oct 2025

Tour operator is unreliable. Receved a message day prior that tour was being Canceled at last minute.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

We’re sorry for any confusion regarding your tour. We always inform our guests in advance about the possibility of cancellation if the minimum participant number is not reached. In this case, we initially had to notify you about the cancellation, but we received additional last-minute bookings and were able to confirm the tour afterward. All updates were communicated as soon as possible. We truly apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your understanding.

Disappointing

carola_s, Oct 2025

Several strikes: 1. The boat trip was fine but the offering is misleading, It didn't reach the Black sea, even though that's what is advertised. They should be truthful and change the add. 2. Our guide's English language was very limited. 3. He wasn't even aware that the palace and the fortress stops were closed. When arriving, to these sites, he went to get tickets and only then found out ihey are closed on Mondays, 4. I also fault the company for not informing us at the time of booking. We could have booked it for Tuesday. 5. The man who was the coordinator was nice and polite, tried to compensate by offering us tickets to see the swirling Dervils. He made the effort but it's not ok.. That's not what we signed out for.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

We’re sorry to hear the tour didn’t fully meet your expectations. Due to the museums being closed that day, we provided a partial refund to all guests and upgraded the experience to an ultra-luxury yacht. The route was operated as advertised, reaching the closest legally permitted point to the Black Sea. We appreciate your feedback and will continue improving our service and communication.

Canceled Tour at the Last Minute

Jamie_A, Oct 2025

Operator canceled late the night before we were scheduled. They gave us the option to reschedule but we couldn’t with our flight schedule. I didn’t really understand because when I told them I had my heart set on seeing the Black Sea, they offered a private tour for $500USD. Im not sure why that one would’ve been okay but the tour we had booked had to be canceled. Additionally, the day of our scheduled tour, the weather was fine. They did give us a full refund so that was nice of them but I’m still very disappointed. I would recommend anyone booking this have a backup plan.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Due to rainy and cold weather, some reservations had to be canceled and others were rescheduled. Unfortunately, your tour was canceled because the minimum number of participants was not met. Since you were unable to reschedule due to time constraints, we offered you a private tour instead, as you had mentioned how much you wanted to visit the Black Sea. However, you declined that offer as well, and we immediately provided you with a full refund. We’re not sure what we did to deserve a 1-star review. We care deeply about our guests and try to offer alternatives whenever possible. Sometimes cancellations are unavoidable due to circumstances beyond our control, and we handle these situations within our policy guidelines. We hope this explanation clarifies things, as we genuinely believe a 1-star rating is not reflective of the effort we made. We explored every possible option for you and promptly processed your refund.

A lovely way to view both sides of Istanbul!

Kate_L, Sep 2025

We appreciated this trip because it was smaller, more detailed, longer and more personal than a ferry ride. There were eleven people in our group, ranging in age from mid-20s through 70s. Our guide, Khalid, was knowledgeable about the four stops we visited, as well as about the political and cultural situation of modern-day Turkey. His narration was interspersed with personal anecdotes that gave us insights into Istanbul life and customs. The lunch was quite nice and freshly prepared, with a variety of typical Turkish elements. Though we had anticipated going slightly into the Black Sea, we were told that only special-visa passengers were allowed to do that. We did approach and see the border between the Bosphorus and the Black Sea, though. Two of our four stops were on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. A lovely way to view and learn about both sides of Istanbul.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words and detailed feedback! We’re very glad you enjoyed the cruise, the stops, and Khalid’s guidance. It’s great to hear the experience felt more personal and meaningful than a standard ferry ride. We hope to welcome you again on another tour!

Cancelled

TERRY_W, Aug 2025

Cancelled the night before. Never got to see the Black Sea. Couldn’t reschedule☹️. Bummed. Bummed. Bummed

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Dear Terry, Due to operational reasons, some cruise days may be subject to cancellation. This is not a typical classic boat cruise, and because we offer free cancellation, our guests can cancel at any time. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to an insufficient number of participants, which is beyond our control. We hope for your understanding and kindly ask you to reconsider your review.

Bospherus tour not as advertised

Catherine_C, Apr 2025

The trip was wonderful, but not at all what was advertised or what I paid for. Before getting into that, let me just say that our guide for the trip on April 13 was excellent, very knowledgeable and excited to share information. The trip was supposed to be on a private vessel. It was supposed to "stop to visit the pretty Ortaköy neighborhood; and enjoy guided tours of the ornate Küçüksu Palace and Rumeli Fortress. There’s even a chance to swim in the Black Sea." Instead - apparently because our group was too small - our guide took us to a public ferry that we could not depart from until it reached its final stop in Anadolu, just before the final bridge and the Black Sea. In Anadolu we enjoyed an unplanned visit of a ruined castle and views of the final bridge before the Black Sea as well as a lovely lunch at a restaurant on the harbour. Then we took the ferry back to the port in Istanbul. The trip was memorable and enjoyable. But the description shoud have warned about possible changes and, as we took a ferry, should have been a lot less than the 217.33 CAD I paid. A promised partial refund has not materialized.

Response from Host, May 2025

Very sympathetic cruise

Christophe_C, Feb 2025

Excellent experience with our guides, they give us a lot of details about the history of Istanbul and Bosphorus ! They were very sympathetic and friendly. We chatted with the group during all the cruise and we laughed a lot . It was great, I highly recommend this tour with Taner and Muzzafer ! Güle güle !!

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review and best rate :)

Bosphorus Boat Tour.

Kent_B, Nov 2024

Disappointing not to get the tour we signed up for. Ended up taking the public ferry instead. Enjoyed how knowledgeable and friendly Kadir was.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Thank you so much for your best rate :)

Great time!

Olivia_H, Oct 2024

This was a great experience! Make sure to put on and pack enough sunscreen, so you don't make the same mistake I did! Emir was a lovely tour guide. However, I would recommend that they allocate more time in the small fishing village rather than for swimming. Not a lot of people in our group were interested in swimming, and it felt a little rushed in the village. Would've loved to spend more time there!

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

No show

Tracy_D, Oct 2024

We booked well in advance and were looking forward to this. However, we arranged hotel pickup which never arrived. We tried contacting the tour operator multiple times through Viator and by phone with no response. We will not be rebooking. Not recommended.

Great trip!

Michael_G, Sep 2024

Great scenery and views of historic buildings, a great guide who was very knowledgeable, comfy and clean yacht, tasty fish lunch and a lovely swim in the Black sea

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you so much for your best rate and review.

Cruise was awesome and guide was excellent!

rebecca_l, Sep 2024

Tour Guide was awesome, helpful and energetic. It made the experience and cruise relaxing and enjoyable!

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you for the best rate :)

Fabulous day on an...

Suzanne_A, Sep 2024

Fabulous day on an amazing boat with superb food visiting a few sites along the Bosphorus, highly recommend

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Love from Istanbul and thank you for the best review and rate

Nice relaxing day on the Bosphorus River

Matthew_O, Sep 2024

Nice day on the Bosphorus River. They stopped at a number of small towns along the river to allow you to get off and explore. We went to the first town but decided to just relax on the boat during the other stops. At the mouth of the Black Sea they do allow you a short 20 min swim which was nice, just wish it was longer and they they had floats or towels. You don't actually go into the Black Sea just to the mouth of the river. Still a nice relaxing way to spend the day and watch the scenery go by. Lunch was catered by a restaurant along the river. We had the Sea Bass which was excellent. Nothing bad to say about this trip just some changes that would make it better.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Thank you so much for your great feedback and we will keep in mind your suggestions

Disappointed

Kyran_P, Sep 2024

Unfortunately the cruise was cancelled due to a “machine” problem But went on a sunset cruise which was very enjoyable

Great views, interesting stops, delicious food!

Emily_F, Aug 2024

Relaxing boat trip, lots of stops to explore for just enough time at each place, great lunch spread, amazing fruit platter, informative guide. Loved being on the European side and Asian side in one day. Fully recommend. Left my phone on the bus and they brought it to me at the hotel later in the evening - 5 star review just for that!!

Response from Host, Aug 2024

:) Thank you so much for your best rate.

FULL Day at sea :)

Carrie_F, Jul 2024

Great service with knowledgeable tour guides and a good selection of stops. The refreshments were plentiful and yummy, too.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thank you :)

Tour operator left us stranded with no communication the night before cancelling the tour

Geoff_B, Jun 2024

When we had not received pickup confirmation we (with some difficulty) contacted the tour operator on the evening before we were scheduled to picked up the following morning. The tour operator informed us that the tour was cancelled because they didn’t have enough people booked. We had book this tour approximately 8 months ago ; we had received confirmation & they took our money a day before when they obviously knew that the tour would be cancelled. The tour operator suggested that we could swap our following day tour & we were not keen on this proposal. We told them that we would agree if the tour on the next day was identical & he could guarantee the original tour would go ahead on the following day . Fortunately the ethical tour operator for our scheduled tour called us & told us that the dodgy operator advised that we wanted to change. This was a lie. When we were advised that a major part of our tour would be excluded if we changed, we confirmed the original booking & requested an immediate refund from the dodgy operator. At this point, the dodgy operator told us that the tour might go ahead & undertook to confirm this by 8 pm that night. We made several attempts to phone the operator- but the phone was not answered. At 9.45 pm they called to confirm that the tour was cancelled. No booking agent ( such as Viator) should ever deal with this shonky tour operator. They are a disgrace!

Nice day out

Robin_H, Jun 2024

Enjoyed seeing sights we would otherwise have had a great deal of difficulty getting to. The boatride was comfortable and the food was quite nice. The staff were all polite, helpful, and efficient.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thanks

Beautiful tour!

brendawatts736, Jun 2024

This tour was beautiful to experience being transported along the Bosphorus! It was a nice balance of relax time and exploring. our tour guides Duha and Erdemm were very good. We recommend this tour!

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you so much :)

We had a great time! Very...

Elizabeth_K, Jun 2024

We had a great time! Very informative, and we loved the cultural stops along the way. The pace was perfect and the food was good with lots of options throughout the day.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you

Beautiful day in the sun and a glorious cruise.

William_B, Jun 2024

A fun cruise and an unforgettable experience kicking back on the Bosphorus ! Amazing photo opportunities here too.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you

Great day out on the Bosphorus

Malcolm_S, Jun 2024

We were happy we did the full day cruise as we got see much more than the people who joined half way through. Definitely a good way to spend a day in Istanbul. The pick up & drop off service was convenient - don't be surprised by Istanbul's awful traffic though, which can make things slow.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you

Excellent day. Fabulous boat trip

Sean_A, Jun 2024

A fabulous day. The guide was great, we were well fed and watered throughout the day and made 5 stops in total. Some lovely sights. Definitely recommend. The Bosphorus is a beautiful day out