Istanbul Sunset Cruise on the Bosphorus

Recommended by 100% of travelers

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Istanbul, Turkey

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Take the chance to discover a variety of highlights in just one day with this small-group sunset cruise in Istanbul. Sail along the Bosphorus Strait and take in views of landmarks like the Bosphorus Bridges, Maiden’s Tower, Dolmabahçe Palace, and Rumeli Fortress illuminated against the night sky. Enjoy relaxing on board with snacks and drinks; hotel pickup is available for a seamless experience.

Join a small-group sunset cruise on the Bosphorus to see Istanbul’s rich culture
Pass by the Bosphorus Bridge, Rumeli Fortress, and the Maiden’s Tower
Spot some of the popular places from afar, including Dolmabahçe Palace
Enjoy snacks, coffee, or tea on board with optional hotel pickup available

What's Included

Snacks

Some snacks, cookies, fruits, hot and soft drinks as complimentaries.
Coffee and/or Tea
Bottled water
Restroom on board
WiFi on board
Guiding
Hotel transfer (if option selected)

Alcoholic Beverages
Gratuities
Hotel transfer

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

The operator company will contact customers on the day before or sama day earlier time for pick up if hotel pick up preferred.

Meeting point

Kabatas Square
Kabataş, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd., 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
Meeting Point: KABATAS TRANSFER CENTER (opposite of Kabatas Tram Station) Please follow the sign KABATAS - PRINCES' ISLANDS LINE We kindly request our guests to show up at the meeting point 15 minutes before the cruise departure time.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Dolmabahce Palace (Pass By)

Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)

Suada Club (Pass By)

Bebek (Pass By)

Rumeli Fortress (Pass By)

Kucuksu Pavilion (Pass By)

Kuleli Sahil (Pass By)

Uskudar (Pass By)

KIz Kulesi (Pass By)

Istanbul (Pass By)

Galata Koprusu (Pass By)

Galataport (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
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 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

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

deborah_c

Best tour we’ve done here in Istanbul. Relaxing and fun with a great team who took care of our needs while on the boat - from explanations of the various areas along the river to drinks and snacks , it was fantastic. The highlight was the beautiful sunset at the end of our time on the boat. Highly recommend this tour!

Reviews

5.0

based on 405 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great Safe Tour for Solo

James_F, Feb 2026

Great and easy afternoon tour — especially if you’re on a tight turnaround schedule while passing through Istanbul. It’s an excellent value, and the check-in process was smooth and efficient. The staff was very friendly, welcoming, and helpful in getting everyone oriented. I tried multiple viewing spots on the boat, and in my opinion, the best vantage point was at the very front (bow). The sunset views from there were absolutely amazing and made for incredible photos. The experience was well-timed, and the hotel shuttle pickup and drop-off service was efficient and convenient. Snacks were provided and were good quality for what’s included. If you need more, just ask — they’re accommodating. I personally took an Uber to the departure location and had no issues with drop-off or walking to the meeting point. Keep in mind, if you’re coming from the Old Town area and around the Golden Horn, traffic can be heavy and may take around 20 minutes to reach the ferry departure area. Also note that tour companies in this area are mobile — there isn’t always a permanent stand or official marker. Pay close attention to the meeting instructions and reference photo. We met near a café in a central pedestrian area. There aren’t many great lunch options near the departure point, so if you’re touring Old Town beforehand, I highly recommend eating there before heading over. Overall, a highly recommended tour — smooth, scenic, and a great value for the experience.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the smooth organization, friendly team, sunset views, and overall value of the tour. Your helpful tips will also be valuable for future guests. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again in Istanbul.

Good

Edoardo_D, Nov 2025

Worth it but guide didn’t speak amazing English. Overall the experience was good and the price is fair.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We’re glad to hear that you found the overall experience enjoyable and the price fair. At the same time, we appreciate your comment regarding the guide’s English level — your input is very valuable and helps us improve our service quality. We will certainly take this into consideration and work on providing an even better experience for future guests. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you on board again for an even smoother and more enjoyable Bosphorus tour. Velena Travel Team

Sunset boat

Kelly_R, Nov 2025

Terrific boat ride and sunset. Very nice. Very cool. Very smooth. Company must be more specific about meeting place. Must be able to ID workers easily. Go

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the sunset cruise and had a pleasant, smooth experience on the Bosphorus. We also appreciate your helpful suggestion regarding clearer meeting point details and staff identification — we will certainly take this into consideration to improve our service. We hope to welcome you again soon.

A must do!

deborah_c, Sep 2025

Beautiful river tour of Istanbul!

MaryKay_C, Jun 2025

This was the perfect way to end our time in Istanbul. Beautiful, informative cruise. Our guide, Murak, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. It was a great way to see and learn more about Istanbul, both the European and Asian sides. We loved the free delicious snacks and drinks including baklava and Turkish tea, and really appreciated the provided warm blankets. (It was windy and cool.) Very nice boat with good bathrooms. Highly recommended!

Highly recommended!

Sara_R, May 2025

Amazing sunset cruise experience! We were served turkish tea, baklava, snacks and water and the tour guide did a great job of talking about the important landmarks around the Bosphorus river. The crew was also really good. Highly recommended!

Great experience on the beautiful Bosphorus

Elena_V, May 2025

Fantastic ride on the Bosphorus. Got to sit outside the whole time with a blanket. Complimentary snacks and drinks were fantastic. Was able to purchase a beer on board (and other alcoholic beverages were available for sale too). Definitely recommend!

Memorable sunset views on Bhosphorus

Ravishankar_N, Jan 2025

Beautiful views of the city on either side of Bhosphorus, lovely friend crew with unlimited soft drinks, juices, fruits and baklava flowing. Sunset views was memorable.

Highly Recommend

Andrew_S, Oct 2024

Highly Recommend. Good views, more snacks were served than expected with the ticket. Alcohol was also available for purchase. Good explanation of landmarks by tour guide as well.

Magic cruise

Olga_A, Jan 2026

Super recommended Bosphorus cruise, with very professional and pleasant guide speaking in English and Spanish.

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Response from Host, Mar 2026

Muchas gracias por su amable comentario. Nos alegra saber que disfrutó del crucero por el Bósforo y que valoró la atención de nuestro guía en inglés y español. Sus palabras significan mucho para nosotros. Esperamos tener el placer de recibirle de nuevo muy pronto en Estambul.

Excellent!

Viviane_L, Nov 2025

The tour departed at the scheduled time and place. The boat is very good and comfortable. Quiet ride with well accommodated passengers (it's not those cruises that get crowded). Snacks and drinks were served during the tour. Super recommend!

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Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your kind review. We are delighted to hear that the tour departed on time and that you found the boat comfortable and spacious. It is wonderful to know that you enjoyed a calm and pleasant cruise without the crowds, and that the snacks and drinks served on board added to your experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on board.

Super good.

AnaCristina_v, Aug 2025

Spectacular!! Everything was great, the guides wonderful and super attentive. All the divine sites!!

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Súper experiencia.

Juan_E, May 2025

Es tremenda experiencia, súper recomendable. Conoces a Estambul y sus contrastes, te relajas de la caminada de sus calles, puedes ver la puesta de sol y el cambio en la iluminación de las edificaciones.