THE TOUR FROM EUROPEAN SIDE IN THE SOUTHWEST TO THE ASIAN SIDE IN THE NORTHEAST:
| The Bosphorus boat tour SKYLINE, BOSPHORUS, ASIAN SIDE, EUROPEAN SIDE, ANADOLU KAVAGI, KANLICA, BEYLERBEYI, ÜSKÜDAR, EMINÖNÜ, SULTANAHMET, TOPKAPI, GALATA, KARAKÖY, LEVENT, MASLAK, KULELI, DOLMABAHCE PALACE, KUMELI KAVAGI, BEBEK, ETILER, BOSPHORUS BRIDGE, FATIH SULTAN MEHMET BRIDGE, RUMELIAN CASTLE, RUMELI KAVAGI, YOROS CASTLE We made a boat tour along the sound Bosphorus. It started at the Eminönü ferry terminal in the city center on the European side and ended in the small fishing village Anadolu Kavagi on the Asian side, where the Bosphorus ends in the Black Sea. This was the only time we visited the Asian part of Istanbul. The journey took almost 2 hours one way, and still we were inside the borders of Istanbul. That can give you an idea of how huge this metropolis, situated on two continents, actually is! It was very nice and relaxing, and it was very cool to see all the beautiful palaces and residences, and seeing Europe on one side and Asia on the other! The ferry made a few stops on both sides. We made the trip on a Sunday and the weather was good. |
THE TOUR FROM EUROPEAN SIDE IN THE SOUTHWEST TO THE ASIAN SIDE IN THE NORTHEAST: |
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| Leaving Eminönü ferry terminal on the European side. |
 The ferry, not very large. But it has a kiosk and nice outdoor decks. |
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| Galata Tower | Kabatas | Kabatas |
 AIDA Diva, a large cruising ship in the Kabatas harbour. Istanbul Modern (art museum) is the red building behind. |
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| Galata and Eminönü, divided by the Golden Horn | The Topkapi Palace from afar | Old Istanbul from afar |
 Süzer Plaza/Ritz-Carlton and the Dolmabahce Mosque. Besiktas Stadium is just behind the mosque. |
 Below Taksim Square |
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 The Dolmabahce Palace. This palace was so expensive so it served a main role to the fall of the Ottoman empire. |
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 First stop: Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa in Besiktas, European side |
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| Besiktas district with the new Conrad hotel and Besiktas Atatürk Aniti monument in the background | Besiktas/Sisli skyline | Sinan Pasa Mosque and Sisli skyline |
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| Besiktas/Sisli skyline | Harbour in Besiktas with Turkish flag | Four Seasons and Ciragan Palace |
 Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus |
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| Tall radio masts on Üsküdar, the Asian side | The Bosphorus bridge and the Kabatas Erkek Lisesi buildings | Ortaköy harbour and mosque in the foreground. Zorlu Center and TAT Towers in the background. |
 The Bosphorus Bridge, Asian side |
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| Ortaköy area with Ortaköy mosque and Levent district in the background. | Besiktas skyline | Ortaköy harbour and mosque in the foreground. Zorlu Center and TAT Towers in the background. |
NORTH OF THE BOSPHORUS BRIDGE: |
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| Hilly residential area on the European side | The Turkish flag is almost larger then the boat itself! |
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| Kuleli Military High School is the first military high school in Turkey, located in Çengelköy on the Asian side. It was founded on September 21, 1845 by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I. |
 Kuleli Military High School in Asia. |
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| The Bosphorus bridge | Background: Sapphire Tower popping up in the Levent district.horu | The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge and the Rumelihisari fortress |
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| Asia right and Europe left | Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is situated between Hisarüstü (European side) and Kavacık (Asian side) | The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (also called 2nd Bosphorus Bridge) and the Rumelihisari fortress |
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NORTH OF THE FATIH SULTAN MEHMET BRIDGE: |
 Maslak district's skyline |
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 Asirlik Kanlica Yogurdu on the Asian side and Sultan Mehmet Bridge |
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 Levent skyline in the distance (Sapphire Tower to the right). |
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| Upscale residentials on the European side | European side (left) and Asian side (right) | The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Asia and Europe |
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| Istanbul skyline with Levent and Maslak skyscraper districts together! |
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| Levent skyline | Maslak skyline | Northwest European side |
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| A hotel on the European side | Northwest European side | Northwest European side and Asia |
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| Beautiful village on the European side | Mountain on the Asian side | Nice restaurant on the European side |
 Rumeli Kavagi, a fishing village on the European side of Istanbul |
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| Mountains, Europe | Hanging restaurant, Europe | Europe meets Asia |
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| The narrow point of Bosphorus with Asia (right) and Europe (left). Two continents! Here the sound ends in the Black Sea. |
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| The light house in front of Europe and Asia | A village on the rocks on the Asian side |
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| Kumeli Kavagi. Stop on the European side | Kumeli Kavagi |
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| Yoros Castle, the ruined Genoese Castle on the Asian side | Joshua's Hill and Yoros Castle, Asian side | Asian side |
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| Anadolu Kavagi on the Asian side, last stop on the Bosphorus tour. This small fishing village was the only thing where we got off, and the only place on the Asian side that we visited (stopping for 1.5 hour in a fishing restaurant). For more pictures of the village, click here to visit its own page. |
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| Anadolu Kavagi, Asia | Our fishing restaurant in Anadolu Kavagi | Anadolu Kavagi street scene |
ON THE WAY BACK: |
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| Hanging restaurant, Europe | Asian side | Istanbul skyline |
 Kanlica, a small fishing village on the Asian side of Istanbul |
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| Kanlica, Asia | Kanlica | Kanlica |
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| Kanlica, Asia | Kanlica | Kanlica and Sultan Mehmet Bridge |
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| The Beylerbeyi Palace, Asian side. An imperial Ottoman summer residence from 1860. |
Beylerbeyi neighbourhood, Asian side | Beylerbeyi |
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| Beylerbeyi | Beylerbeyi neighbourhood, Asian side | Beylerbeyi and a military ship |
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| Ukrainan train ferry | Beylerbeyi neighbourhood, Asian side | Kuleli Military High School |
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| Asian side and a long ship | Asian side | Asian side |
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| The Bosphorus Bridge and the Beylerbeyi Palace, Asian side | Many ships pass the Bosphorus strait | Üsküdar skyline, Asian side |
 Topkapi Palace, the sultan's palace is one of the top attractions in Istanbul. In the front is the Basketmaker's Kiosk. |
 Hagia Sophia and a ferry terminal. |
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The Dolmabahce Palace, Süzer Plaza and Hotel Intercontinental. Dolmabahce Sarayi was completed in 1856 to create the Ottoman empire European style, by sultan Abdülmecid.
The Bosphorus Bridge, one of two suspension bridges that is built between Europe (Ortaköy) and Asia (Beylerbeyi). The tallest of the polygon is 165m tall. The bridge was completed in 1973.
Rumelihisari (Rumelian Castle) on the European side. It was built by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II 1451 to 52, before he conquered Constantinople. Today it is an open air theater and museum.
