Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise Tour with Audio Guide

Badge of Excellence

Istanbul, Turkey

Trending

Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.

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

Why travelers loved this

4.5

· Vijaya_K ·

Sep 2025

Not a big ship and great service. On time and easy to locate. Reasonably priced! Had fun. Highly recommend it

· Sharon_B ·

Mar 2026

The cruise was lovely. There were options to be outside or comfortably seated inside. Tea and coffee were free, bathrooms were readily accessible and the ship was very clean. The ships crew were very friendly and helpful.

Overview

Relax on a scenic Bosphorus cruise with an audio guide, and enjoy unobstructed views of Istanbul’s landmarks, including Dolmabahçe Palace, Rumeli Fortress, and Maiden’s Tower. Learn about the city’s rich history with an audio guide available in 11 languages, while sipping unlimited Turkish tea or coffee. This leisurely cruise is the perfect way to explore Istanbul’s beauty from the water.

Sail along the Bosphorus, connecting Istanbul’s European and Asian sides
See Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi Palaces and the Maiden's Tower
Enjoy unlimited free Turkish tea and Nescafé while you take in the views
Learn about the history of the city with an audio tour guide in 11 languages

What's Included

AUDIO Tour Guide in 11 languages
Coffee and/or Tea

Unlimited Free Turkish Tea & Nescafe!
WiFi on board
Restroom on board

Personal Expenses
Tips
Hotel Pickup

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

SeaLand Travel Agency (Eminönü)
Rüstem Paşa, Ragıp Gümüşpala Cd. No:8/2, 34116 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
*Please check in at our office next to the pier. *Arrive 15 minutes early for a smooth start. *After check-in, we'll guide you to the boat. *Need help? Contact us on WhatsApp anytime. *Please ensure the address matches on Google Maps. Be cautious of Google ads when clicking the location.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Galata Koprusu (Pass By)

Galata Tower (Pass By)

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (Pass By)

TopkapI Palace (Pass By)

Galataport (Pass By)

Cihangir Mosque (Pass By)

Istanbul Resim Ve Heykel Muzesi, Mimar Sinan Guzel Sanatlar Universitesi (Pass By)

Dolmabahce Mosque (Pass By)

Tüpraş Stadium (Pass By)

Dolmabahce Palace (Pass By)

Ciragan Palace Kempinski (Pass By)

Galatasaray University (Pass By)

Ortakoy (Pass By)

Bosphorus Bridge (Pass By)

Galatasaray Island (Pass By)

Kuruçeşme (Pass By)

Arnavutköy (Pass By)

The Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Istanbul (Pass By)

Bebek Sahili (Pass By)

Rumeli Fortress (Pass By)

Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Pass By)

Anadoluhisarı (Pass By)

Kucuksu Pavilion (Pass By)

Kandilli (Pass By)

Kuleli Military High School (Pass By)

Çengelköy (Pass By)

Beylerbeyi Palace (Pass By)

Kuzguncuk Sahili (Pass By)

Uskudar (Pass By)

KIz Kulesi (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Stroller accessible
Not wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate

IMPORTENT! This cruise uses a multilingual audio guide on a smartphone as the primary means of explanation. Live loudspeaker announcements are limited to general information and safety messages, not full historical narration. For the best experience, bring your own headphones.
We can send you photos and location of the meeting point upon request via whatsapp.
Audio guide requires no app download. Instructions on how to use it are posted on the boat.
To use the audio guide, you need your own headphones and a fully charged smartphone to access the audio guide website.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 250 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

Sharon_B

Reviews

4.5

based on 594 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Average, the views are great but the service is not

Silvia_O, Apr 2026

The boat tour is nice but the audioguide is impossible to listen to as the onboat speakers are too loud and the tracks' download is very very slow, sometimes not working at all. Outside on the deck is very windy and cold, inside too smelly to stay. The smell of sewage near the toilets was just unbearable. I didn't understand why we had to meet and check-in somewhere other than directly at the boat, it was very uncomfortable to wait without somewhere to sit and then rush to the boat in a hurry.

Cruise on the Bosporus

Sharon_B, Mar 2026

Bosphor Cruise

Aleks_K, Mar 2026

easy to find, easy to book, it is not expensive. hosts were kind, when you are close to sights they give short explanation in few different languages (EN, FR, ES, TUR and one other). I would recommend!

Great river trip

Carol_S, Feb 2026

Pick up point very clearly provided and easy to reach by taxi. Escorted everyone onto the boat which had adequate unseating for all inside and out. Great informative river tour

Excellent

Diana_K, Dec 2025

Sit in the front of the boat as you cannot hear if you sit at the far back because of the engines. We had a wonderfully experience and would not have seen so many landmarks if it was not for the trip

Relaxing Cruise

Vivek_P, Nov 2025

Worth doing the sunset sightseeing cruise….you see the city in daylight and then all lit up at night

Great afternoon!

Chris_D, Oct 2025

A very worthwhile cruise. Lots to see, along with some great history. Good photo opportunities. Highly recommend!

A good experience along...

Yohaan_Z, Oct 2025

A good experience along the Bosphorus. Don't expect to learn much, though, as the speaker/ audio system runs in multiple languages with no proper sequence. However, given the price, time on the boat and the view it's totally worth it.

Nice way to tour Bosporus bay

Vijaya_K, Sep 2025

Not a big ship and great service. On time and easy to locate. Reasonably priced! Had fun. Highly recommend it

Suitable for value

Katie_L, Sep 2025

Good price. Easy to book and find and embark. But you pay for what you get. Not a lot of talk and explanation of sights, not someone on a mic hosting like on some. But as I say, cost wise, compared to others, it’s to be expected. There is an audio phone option though which may improve this. We didn’t use due to phone issue with our phones (nothing to do with tour). Enjoyed the time to relax. However boat well equipped with refreshments to purchase, including hot/cold drinks, snacks etc

Great Tour

Stefan_G, Sep 2025

Great tour of the Bosphorus at a really affordable price. Great views. Coffee shop on board, and WC. Loved it.

It is a relaxed trip with...

gabriela_o, Sep 2025

It is a relaxed trip with some information about the sight seeing. It worths while seeing Istanbul from the sea!

you won't learn anything about the sites

Bushra_P, Aug 2025

This was a terrible boat cruise. The speakers were not loud enough to hear anything outside. It was essentially a ride up and down without any information on the sites. All of the good reviews reflect that you get a free tea if you show them you gave a 5star review.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your feedback, and we're sincerely sorry to hear that the cruise didn’t meet your expectations. The onboard speaker system can sometimes be difficult to hear on the open deck, especially when it's windy or crowded. That’s why we offer a free online audio guide, which works with your phone’s GPS to provide real-time explanations of the landmarks — no app required, just a simple sign-up. Instructions are available on board, and our staff is happy to assist. Regarding reviews, we want to clarify that free tea and Nescafé are available to all guests, whether or not you submit a review. While we kindly encourage guests to share their experience, it is never a requirement to receive any part of the service. Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts — your feedback helps us improve.

Beautiful day out

Adele_R, Aug 2025

Lovely boat trip. Staff were decent. Had they have been nicer I would have given 5 stars as the boat ride is spectacular

The boat was overcrowded...

Tamilla_A, Jul 2025

The boat was overcrowded so hardly any places to stand outside unless you were the first in line. Wi-Fi was patchy and the only way to get information about the sights was through the audio guide vs anyone on board. I regret not getting a smaller tour with 25 people on a yacht as you see the same sights.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry the boat felt overcrowded — during busy hours, the upper deck fills quickly, but there are seats available on the lower decks with good views and more comfort. The Wi-Fi can be weak in some areas of the Bosphorus due to signal limitations. For sightseeing info, we provide a free online audio guide using GPS, accessible on your phone with no app needed. We appreciate your comments and understand that some travelers prefer smaller group tours. Your feedback helps us improve.

Enjoyable evening

Ryan_I, Jul 2025

Solid basic cruise through Istanbul. Nothing fancy and got you to where you need to go. Not a ton of information and little mention of the audio guide that we discovered halfway through the trip. Unfortunately, you don't really see much of the Aya Sofia area and the cue at the start of the trip is a disaster -- my kid almost got trampled by overly aggressive people shoving their way on the boat -- maybe give people a number at check-in and have them board in that order to avoid all of the pushing (but that is less the fault of the tour company and more the problem with jerks prioritizing their vacation over humanity).

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your honest and thoughtful feedback. We're glad the cruise got you where you needed to go, but we apologize for the issues you faced. The online audio guide is available for all guests and works with GPS, but we understand it’s frustrating to find out about it late. We'll work on making the instructions more visible and clear at the beginning. We also apologize for the chaotic boarding experience — while we can’t control everyone’s behavior, your suggestion about using numbered boarding is helpful and worth considering. Your comment is appreciated and will help us improve the overall experience.

The views were nice. The...

Lisa_L, Jul 2025

The views were nice. The workers helped my mom get on the boat. My mom couldn't climb the stairs so we sat downstairs. The audio worked upstairs but stopped working downstairs. As a result, we sat without audio not knowing what we were looking at.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your feedback, and we're glad our team could help your mom with boarding. The broadcast audio is mainly available on the upper deck, and we apologize that it wasn’t audible downstairs. For guests seated on lower levels, we provide a free online audio guide that works on your phone using GPS, allowing you to follow the landmarks in real time. We will improve how this option is communicated in the future. Thanks again for sharing your experience.

Ok for the money but boring cruise !

Chitra_C, Jun 2025

A great cruise that got boring after an hour. There were many point of attractions on the Europe side but very little on the Asian side. The speaker on the cruise was also muffled - however if you log on to the app and bring your own headphone, you will be able to hear the description for each point of interest; however, there is no way of knowing where you are at. Free coffee and tea on board. Instead of taking the cruise, you can take the official boat tours between different points.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're happy you enjoyed parts of the cruise and the views, and we appreciate your suggestions. Regarding the audio guide, it’s meant to improve your experience by using your phone’s GPS to track your real-time location on the Bosphorus. As the boat moves, the landmarks on the map update automatically, and the audio commentary matches what you’re passing. It’s not an app — just a quick and easy sign-up through your browser. There are instructions posted on board, and our staff is happy to assist if needed. We understand that the Asian side may seem less crowded with sights compared to the European side, but it still has historical gems like Küçüksu Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, and Anatolian Fortress. Thanks again for your helpful review — it helps us improve!

Bosphorus Boat Trip - Thursday afternoon

Colin_H, Jun 2025

Was a very reasonably priced experience sailing for 45 mins each way down both sides of the Bosphorus River. We believed it was a guided tour with commentary, this was provided in multiple langhages through speaks and not very audible due to the weather (Windy) and the boats engines.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you found the cruise to be a good value and enjoyed sailing along the Bosphorus. Regarding the commentary — we understand it can be hard to hear the speakers in windy conditions or near the engines. That’s why we also offer a free online audio guide, available in multiple languages, which works with your phone’s GPS to show your real-time location and landmarks. There are instructions on board, and our staff is always happy to help. Thanks again for joining us!

Audio explanation not accurate

lucianaac, Jun 2025

No explanation on the places visited. There is audio to place in your phone; however, there is no way of knowing where you are at.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry for the confusion. Our online audio guide uses your phone’s GPS to track your real-time location. As the boat moves, the map updates and the guide matches the landmarks you're passing. There are instructions on board, and our team is always happy to help set it up. We appreciate your comments and will continue improving the experience.

Overall good experience....

Nadeem_A, Jun 2025

Overall good experience. The crew was friendly and courteous. Reduced rating to 4/5 due to the audio guided tour was miscoordinated. The guide was suppose to be narrated or played on speaker for each landmark. But due to some reason, it was later shared as online links. Got good views in reasonable time.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for your kind feedback! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed the views and found our crew friendly. 😊 Regarding the audio guide, it is offered as a free online resource (no app needed), with instructions posted on board. We apologize if this was not clearly communicated during your trip and will work on improving that. We thank you for your honest review and look forward to welcoming you again! 🛥️

Bosphorus boat tour

SUNIL_T, May 2025

Narration not very good. Not enough information. Could not understand the speaker. I don't know what else to say

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for your feedback. We apologize that the narration didn't meet your expectations. For more precise and more detailed explanations, we offer a free online audio guide in multiple languages. It's easy to access via your phone, and there are signs on board that show you how to use it. Our team is always happy to help if needed. We appreciate your input and will continue to work on improving the experience.

Excellent

Sharon_S, May 2025

We went on the 10 o clock sailing, lovely way to spend 2 hours on the boat. Not over crowded and very relaxing.

Fantastic experience

Marie_A, Apr 2025

Tge tour is very simple and organized. The price is reasonable and the route is good and the amount of time is appropriate. Beautiful senary. Very good experience. I was satisfied.

Great cruise.

David_G, Mar 2025

What a great trip. Beautiful photo opportunities and good descriptions of major sites. Complimentary tea and coffee were a nice touch.

It’s was a nice ride.

Spyros_H, Jan 2025

The ride was nice. Based on previous reviews I was quick and got a seat on the left side of the boat since this is the side that is always closest to the sights. For us it wasn’t crowded at all we had plenty of empty seats on the boats. Regarding the guided part. They have a big speaker the sound is not great but not terrible as well. I understand the other comments though since for most of us English is not our native language and if you don’t hear clearly you don’t understand. The ride was about two hours. If you come to Istanbul you should try this it’s a great way to see the city the cost is not much so I don’t see why not.

Overloaded boat trip, not a tour

Hannah_W, Jan 2025

Too many people on the boat, not enough space upstairs. The lower deck was shabby with dirty windows which spoiled the view, plus the loud engine and strong fuel smell. The toilet was absolutely horrendous. No sign of the included tea / coffee / cookies. No guide or indication of any of the sights - so not really a tour. It was a cheap boat ride, we wouldn't go again or recommend it.

Improve your sound system

Dalia_V, Dec 2024

Good duration, but really need to improve sound system, as it difficult to understand what is spoken

I would do it again

peter_e, Oct 2024

Worthwhile first morning tour. We got our bearings and cleared our heads after a late night arrival. The Bosporus is a pleasant cruise for a few hours. Coffee and drinks available. Toilets were not pleasant!

Largely a waste of time and money!

Dean_C, Oct 2024

It was even difficult to get a decent view of the seashore past the huge number of tourists on this overcrowded boat. Loading and unloading on an unstable set of portable metal stairs made tourist safety risky. The tour announcements of various shore sights couldn’t be heard by most people since there was no speaker in the boat stern area where almost everyone was located. I certify this is based on my actual experience yesterday, Oct. 11 at 3:00 pm. Don’t waste your time and money on this tour!

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear traveler, our boat has two floors. If you cannot find a space on the top floor, you can take a seat on the lower floor. We never exceed our passenger limit, as it is illegal. As for the metal stairs, they are very stable and there have been no accidents involving tourists in the many years we have been in this business, so you can rest assured. Regarding the speakers, we have them installed throughout the boat and they are in good working condition. If you had trouble hearing them, it may have been due to the wind. Thank you.