Istanbul Bosphorus Yacht Cruise with Guide and Asian Side Stop
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Bosphorus Strait divides Europe from Asia, and a Bosphorus cruise is a signature Istanbul experience. This round-trip yacht cruise, with live commentary and fun facts from an experienced guide, covers all the classic waterfront sights—bridges, palaces, the Maiden’s Tower, the Rumeli Fortress, and more. It includes a stop for coffee and snacks in the characterful Kanlıca neighborhood, onboard Wi-Fi, and hotel pick-up and drop-off for added convenience.
- Cruise the Bosphorus on the Sunset Bosphorus yacht, with a stop in Kanlıca
- Sip Turkish coffee and nibble on Turkish snacks in Asian Istanbul
- Onboard Wi-Fi saves on roaming charges and keeps you connected
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off add convenience and ease to your experience
What's Included
- 2.5-hour Bosphorus cruise aboard a luxury yacht
- Hotel pickup/drop-off (if option selected)
- Services of a professional English-speaking tour guide
- Light snacks served throughout the cruise
- Freshly baked savory pastries served on board
- Seasonal fresh fruit platter
- Authentic Turkish coffee accompanied by traditional Turkish delight
- Unlimited Turkish tea
- Onboard high-speed WiFi
- Complimentary bottled water
- Alcoholic drinks (available for purchase)
- Food and drinks (unless otherwise specified)
- Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off unless option selected
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Bosphorus Strait
2 hours 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Dolmabahce Palace (Pass By)
Ortakoy (Pass By)
Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)
Dolmabahce Mosque (Pass By)
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Pass By)
Rumeli Fortress (Pass By)
2
Beylerbeyi
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Beylerbeyi Palace (Pass By)
Galata Koprusu (Pass By)
Galata Tower (Pass By)
Kucuksu Pavilion (Pass By)
KIz Kulesi (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Restroom facilities are available on board the yacht.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 35 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
Marinda_W
Excellent content and humor.! The yacht was a wonderful way of seeing Istanbul from another perspective! Would recommend this to any family and couple for a relaxing few hours of humor and informative story on Istanbul!
Reviews
4.9
based on 1,812 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Larry_L, Jul 2026
Nice boat. Not crowded. Picked up and returned
Good service and information. Great way to see Instanbul
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your kind review! We are delighted that you enjoyed the comfortable, uncrowded boat, the convenient transfer service, and the informative commentary. A Bosphorus cruise is indeed a wonderful way to discover Istanbul, and we hope to welcome you on board again.
Deborah_T, Jul 2026
Excellent! The staff looked after you from start to finish. It was a brilliant morning cruising along the Bosphorus!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that our team took good care of you from start to finish and that you enjoyed your morning cruise along the Bosphorus. It was a pleasure having you on board, and we hope to welcome you again on your next visit to Istanbul!
Sameer_P, Jul 2026
This is the best way to your the Bosphorus. The boat is sizable, immaculate yet is not crowded with plenty of seating (the top floor is amazing)! The guides were amazing, knowledgeable and hospital. The stop on the Asian side was short, yet sweet with a quick visit to a beautiful local mosque. Also the snacks were plentiful with bread and cheese, nuts, fruit and Turkish tea AND coffee!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed and wonderful review! We are delighted that you enjoyed the spacious and comfortable yacht, especially the upper deck, as well as the Bosphorus views and the short stop on the Asian side. It is also lovely to hear that our guides and the selection of Turkish snacks, tea, and coffee added to your experience. Your kind words mean a lot to our entire team, and we hope to welcome you on board again in Istanbul!
David_N, Jul 2026
Wonderful experience with a knowledgeable guide and interesting route. Enjoyed the stop on the Asian side.
Roma_F, Jun 2026
A great tour on a lovely yacht .
Not overcrowded.
Only thing is they need to cater for dietary requirements.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour, our lovely yacht, and the comfortable, not overcrowded atmosphere. We also appreciate your feedback regarding dietary requirements. This is very helpful for us, and we will take it into consideration to improve the experience for our future guests. We hope to welcome you again on the Bosphorus.
Nikita_P, Jun 2026
The start time says 10:30, but they can leave you if you’re not there at 10:15. Very deceiving! It would be simple to advertise a departure time for 10:15. We barely made it, and we got there at 10:19.
And they’re not even apologetic for not communicating their mistake of a departure time. I’m giving 2 stars instead of 1 because the boat itself and other guests were nice.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
The scheduled departure time for this cruise is clearly 10:30 AM, and we never sail before the advertised departure time. Guests are asked to arrive earlier because check-in and boarding begin at 10:15 AM.
You mentioned that you arrived at 10:19 AM and still joined the tour, which confirms that the yacht had not departed early. Therefore, the statement that guests may be left behind before 10:30 AM is not accurate and may mislead future travelers.
We are happy that you found the yacht and the other guests enjoyable, but we respectfully disagree with the claim about the departure time.
Amanda_E, Jun 2026
We originally booked one of the cheaper Bosphorus boat tours but after reading reviews on this yacht we decided to pay extra for a better experience and we’re so glad we did!! We watched the cheaper boats loading and couldn’t believe the amount of people getting on them and how cramped they looked.
This yacht was spacious and comfortable and they take a maximum of 30-35 people so plenty so plenty of space to move around.
The crew all spoke excellent English and the tour guide was very interesting and informative. From the time we set off we were supplied with water, Turkish tea and coffee and various snacks which were very welcome. The tour lasted 2.5hrs including a stop off in a fishing village on the Asian side for a drink or a visit to a lovely little local mosque. My husband has mobility issues and the crew were very helpful in assisting him to get on and off the boat and one member walked with us on the Asian side as the others had gone off ahead to ensure we were ok. We would both highly recommend paying the extra for this wonderful boat trip and it was a very welcome , relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful review. We are delighted to hear that choosing our yacht cruise made such a positive difference to your Bosphorus experience. It is wonderful to know that you appreciated the spacious and comfortable atmosphere, the smaller group size, the English-speaking crew, the informative guide, and the refreshments served on board.
We are especially happy that our team could assist your husband and make the tour comfortable and enjoyable for both of you. Your kind recommendation means a lot to us. It was a pleasure having you on board, and we hope to welcome you again in Istanbul.
Lisa_D, Jun 2026
This was an exceptional afternoon, I am so glad I went! Do not hesitate, I was a solo woman and had a great time, felt safe and learned a lot! Felt the breeze of the Black Sea on my face as we headed to Asia.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that you had an exceptional afternoon and felt safe, comfortable, and welcomed as a solo traveler. It is great to know that you enjoyed the journey, learned a lot, and felt the beautiful breeze of the Bosphorus as we sailed toward the Asian side. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again in Istanbul.
Michael_B, Jun 2026
Small group tour lasting c.2.5 hrs including a 30 min stop on the Asian side where we were able to visit a local mosque.
Good commentary throughout and drinks / snacks served.
Definitely a highlight of our trip to Istanbul
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that the small-group Bosphorus cruise was a highlight of your trip to Istanbul. It is great to know that you enjoyed the commentary, drinks and snacks, as well as the stop on the Asian side and the local mosque visit. We hope to welcome you again on another experience in Istanbul.
Stephen_C, May 2026
Brilliant experience. Modern and clean yacht. Very stylish. Crew were very friendly and attentive. Nice refreshments (and alcoholic drinks available for purchase). Commentary informative. Would thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review.
We are delighted to hear that you had a brilliant experience and enjoyed the modern, clean, and stylish yacht, as well as the friendly and attentive service from our crew. It is also great to know that you appreciated the refreshments and informative commentary during the cruise.
Susan_M, May 2026
This is a great way to see Istanbul-
Relaxing, informative and enjoyable. Murat was an excellent history teacher and we really enjoyed the background on what we were seeing. My only advice, if you’re wearing short pants or shorts, watch out for the steps up inside - both my friend and I got burns on our legs from the sandpaper-like surface. But I would highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you very much for your kind and helpful review.
We are delighted to hear that you found the cruise relaxing, informative, and enjoyable, and that Murat’s historical commentary helped you better appreciate the beautiful sights of Istanbul from the Bosphorus.
We are also sorry to hear about the discomfort you and your friend experienced on the steps. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Guest comfort and safety are very important to us, and we will review this area carefully to see how we can improve it.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back on board again in Istanbul.
Janet_T, May 2026
Absolutely amazing! Instructions were clear on when and how to meet. The staff on the boat was SO nice and fun. We were served charming snacks, black tea and Turkish coffee at various points on the tour. Great, clear, concise moderation of all the sights and history along the way. An added bonus was seeing tons of dolphins jumping in the water on the way back. It was a gorgeous day, which didn’t hurt either! I highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review.
We are delighted to hear that you had an absolutely amazing experience on our Bosphorus Yacht Cruise. It is great to know that the meeting instructions were clear and that our boat team made the tour enjoyable with friendly and fun service.
We are also very happy that you enjoyed the snacks, black tea, Turkish coffee, and the clear commentary about the sights and history along the Bosphorus. Seeing dolphins during the cruise is always a very special bonus, and we are glad you had the chance to experience that on such a beautiful day.
Thank you again for choosing Velena Travel and for your kind recommendation. We hope to welcome you back on board in Istanbul.
Linda_R, May 2026
What a fun way to get a brief introduction to Istanbul - great guide filled us with lots of tidbit information. Simply stunning views!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed this fun introduction to Istanbul, the interesting stories from our guide, and the stunning Bosphorus views. It was a pleasure having you on board!
wupydo, May 2026
A must do while in Istanbul even in the rain ! Very interesting to learn the history of the area . The refreshments were a nice gesture .
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the cruise even on a rainy day and found the history of the Bosphorus interesting. We’re also glad you appreciated the refreshments. It was a pleasure having you on board!
Karol_D, May 2026
It was a fun thing to do on kind a crappy weather day. But it wasn't worth the money we spent to stop on the asia side. The crew were amazing and very thoughtful. Very attentive.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for joining us and for your honest feedback. We’re glad our crew made you feel well cared for, especially on a less-than-ideal weather day. We’re sorry the Asian-side stop did not feel worth the value for you, and we’ll take your comment into consideration as we continue improving the overall experience.
Tracey_C, May 2026
Great way to take in some of the sites along the Strait if you don’t have a lot of time. The guide was very informative and funny.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your kind review. We’re very happy to hear that you enjoyed seeing the sights along the Bosphorus Strait, especially within a limited time. It’s also wonderful to know that our guide made the experience both informative and entertaining. We hope to welcome you on board again.
MaryAnn_S, Apr 2026
Friendly, knowledgeable guide and support staff, true value for the price, clean, well maintained ship.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed our friendly guide, helpful crew, clean yacht, and overall value. It was a pleasure welcoming you on board, and we hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
George_C, Apr 2026
This boat tour of the Bosporus was great. Pick up at the hotel was timely, very nice boat, crew was very friendly, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable. Definitely recommend this relaxing tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the timely hotel pick-up, comfortable boat, friendly crew, and knowledgeable guide. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on the Bosphorus!
Samira_B, Apr 2026
Its a smaller group experience. The commentary is entertaining and informative. The crew hand out blankets, tea and small snacks. Its a little bit more expensive than other tours but was worth it in my opinion. There is a short stop of around 35 minutes on the Asian side. Its a lovely way to see Istanbul and there are plenty of chances to speak with the crew abiut places to see and visit in Istanbul. I highly recommend the tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for your detailed review! We’re delighted that you enjoyed the smaller-group experience, commentary, blankets, tea, snacks, Asian side stop, and helpful crew. We truly appreciate your recommendation and are happy to hear you found the tour worth it!
Juanita_P, Apr 2026
Excellent experience, this was a smaller group on a very nice clean yacht. They explained what you were seeing as you passed along on the Bosphorus strait (not river) and gave lots of snacks too! Loved doing it during the day to really be able to see everything, and we got dolphins too!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the small-group atmosphere, our clean yacht, the guided commentary along the Bosphorus Strait, and the snacks served on board. Daytime cruises truly offer a beautiful way to appreciate the scenery, and seeing dolphins must have made the experience even more special. We would be very happy to welcome you on board again in Istanbul.
bpickard1960, Apr 2026
Beautiful views well explained. Clean, nice boat with attentive crew. Perfect afternoon trip. Nice snacks, and a chance to try real Turkish coffee.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful views, the clear explanations, and the comfort of our clean yacht. It is also wonderful to know that our attentive crew, the snacks, and the chance to try authentic Turkish coffee made your afternoon cruise even more special. We would be very happy to welcome you on board again in Istanbul.
billhartman701, Apr 2026
Great value, and a friendly and knowledgeable crew. This was one of the highlights of our stay in Istanbul.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review.
We’re delighted to hear that you found the experience to be great value and that our crew made a positive impression. It’s especially rewarding to know that the cruise was one of the highlights of your time in Istanbul.
We hope to welcome you on board again in the future.
John_G, Apr 2026
Took two different boats on Bosphorus and this trip was the best. A clean beautiful boat with great facilities, great crew and of course snacks.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review.
We’re especially pleased to hear that, among different Bosphorus cruises, you found our experience to be the best. It’s great to know that you appreciated the cleanliness of the yacht, the facilities, our crew, and of course the snacks.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on board again in the future.
Len_W, Apr 2026
It was well worth my time spending over 2 hours on a lovely luxury yacht with a great crew. The snacks and coffee were delicious and kindly served. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon on board.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review.
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time on board and found the experience worthwhile. It’s great to know that our crew, along with the snacks and coffee, helped make your afternoon even more enjoyable.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on board again in the future.
Laszlo_H, Apr 2026
Perfect communication, professional driver, great car, very comfortable private ride directly to the hotel. Exactly as advertised. Perfect!!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback. We are delighted to hear that everything met your expectations and that you enjoyed the smooth communication, professional service, and comfortable transfer. It is great to know the experience was exactly as advertised. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to serve you again soon.
Jen_Y, Mar 2026
Wonderful boast cruise on the Bosphorous. Staff was friendly and attentive providing us snacks, drinks, and blankets. Tour guide was fantastic giving us with both historical information and lots of fun facts. We went on a somewhat chilly day but boat was so comfortable and warm. This tour was great value for the money. We highly recommend spending a relaxing afternoon on the Bosphorous on this cruise.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable and comfortable experience on the Bosphorus. It’s great to know our team, service, and guide made your cruise both informative and relaxing—even on a chilly day. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you on board again soon!
David_H, Mar 2026
Our first visit to downtown Istanbul. The tour was very worthwhile. Well narrated by the guide. Comfortable boat - blankets provided when it got a little chilly. Recommended.
single downside: we had problems finding the meting point!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour, the guide’s narration, and the comfort onboard. We also appreciate your note about the meeting point and will work on making it clearer for our guests. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again in Istanbul.
Keely_M, Feb 2026
Great trip along the Bosphorous! Learned several things about the history of different buildings on both the European and Asian side. Fun crew, great snacks too!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your lovely review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the cruise along the Bosphorus, learned more about the history of the landmarks on both the European and Asian sides, and had fun with our crew. It is also wonderful to know that you liked the snacks. We hope to welcome you again in Istanbul.
Carol_H, Feb 2026
The boat is beautiful and very comfortable. It is a lovely way to see the sights of the city and view both continents. We enjoyed it very much.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the comfort and beauty of the boat and had a lovely time seeing the sights of Istanbul from both Europe and Asia. Your lovely words mean a lot to us. We hope to welcome you again for another memorable Bosphorus experience.
Sheryl_M, Feb 2026
Very fun knowledge crew. We had a wonderful time with a small group enjoying the views of the Bosphorus
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful time with our knowledgeable crew and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Bosphorus in a small-group setting. Your lovely words mean a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you again in Istanbul.
From $46.36
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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