A return ferry ride will cost 17.50 Lira per person with the public passenger ferry. There are other smaller and private ferryboats going to different and shorter routes as well.
Tickets kiosk
The public passenger ferry leaves Eminonu Terminal which is the starting point of its journey 3 times a day, with additional 2 departures in Summer season. The earliest departure is at 10.35am everyday.
I did my research about the Bosphorous tour beforehand and they advised that it is better to get there as early as 1 hour before the departure in order to secure the best seats as the best view is on the left hand side.
We didn't make it that early but about half an hour in advance. The Eminonu terminal is actually within walking distance from Hotel Ilkay, where we stayed.
We were lucky to find good seats at the front of the ferry on the upper deck with outside view.
The sea water was quite clear and we could even see the jelly fishes floating around.
The ferry departed on time and we then saw another similar ferry coming back. We sat on the deck where the rescue rings were.
The sea water was quite clear and we could even see the jelly fishes floating around.
The ferry departed on time and we then saw another similar ferry coming back. We sat on the deck where the rescue rings were.
Views on the shore
The ferry will disembark at 6 dock stops in total and this is one of the stops.
The service on the ferry was quite good and frequent I would say. Every now and then this guy in red shirt (and his colleague sometimes) would walk round with tray on his hands selling the customers Istanbul's apple tea.
or their traditional yogurt. And of course other things like ice-cream, juices etc. You don't even need to lift your bums to buy one.
The artificial island in the middle of the sea, Galatasaray Island, with sports facilities onshore.
Fortress of Europe
The bridge
Istinye bay, well you can't actually see it unless from an bird eye view.
This is a zoomed in view of the beach side...
After about 1 hour and 45 minutes we finally reached our destination - the Anandolu Kavagi which is also the last stop of the journey.
Most tourists would also get off at this stop too.
A stall selling sea shells type of souvenirs and some dead seahorses (on the white tray)!
There are many fish restaurants around this area. We then stopped by this restaurant and somehow convinced by them to dine in here.
They recommended us their sort of 'popular menu', in other word the 'tourists menu' I suppose.
Minutes later they brought us a basket full of bread which was not fresh and quite hard already (must be left over from previous diners), and two plates of salads with minimum ingredients but big in portions!
The next one was just a normal grilled fish and we chose blue fish since we have never tried it before.
We couldn't be any luckier because it rained suddenly during our meals but stopped completely after we finished.
This was only half way towards Castle Ceneviz, located at the top of the hill.
Climbing up the steps
However, it was all worth the effort.... Look at the blue sea, er... the Black Sea actually!
Castle Ceneviz
Coming down was much easier but the unbearable hot weather made us take out the umbrella for the first time.
The next ferry would leave at 3.00pm in less than 30 minutes. Before boarding the ferry we purchased the local ice-cream to refresh ourselves. Unfortunately those nice seats with outside view had been taken.
While waiting on the ferry, almost everyone on this side of the deck were entertained by this Dalmation dog running and swimming in the water. Frankie tried to snap a few shots of the actived dog.
Do you think it looks like Snoopy from this angle?
Eminonu was quite a busy place in evening and we saw a mussels seller. The customers would just open up the shells and eat them with a few drop of lemon juice on the spot.
It was the driest, most tasteless as well as coldsweetcorn we had ever eaten!
They recommended us their sort of 'popular menu', in other word the 'tourists menu' I suppose.
Minutes later they brought us a basket full of bread which was not fresh and quite hard already (must be left over from previous diners), and two plates of salads with minimum ingredients but big in portions!
Trying to finish the salads was challenging but we somehow managed to do that probably because of eating mainly meaty type of food since we arrived in Istanbul and didn't mind to have something green. After finishing the salads we were already half full.
Our main courses arrived and well... the first one which was recommended by the waiter who said the set meal would include fish, fried calamari and fried oysters, and this was what we had been served... Shouldn't really expect much, should we?
Our main courses arrived and well... the first one which was recommended by the waiter who said the set meal would include fish, fried calamari and fried oysters, and this was what we had been served... Shouldn't really expect much, should we?
The next one was just a normal grilled fish and we chose blue fish since we have never tried it before.
We couldn't be any luckier because it rained suddenly during our meals but stopped completely after we finished.
Thinking that the hot weather could have been cooled down a bit by now but it wasn't. We had to walk up the road about 15-20 minutes before reaching this sign.
This was only half way towards Castle Ceneviz, located at the top of the hill.
Climbing up the steps
Finally we reached the top, pretty much covered in sweats.
However, it was all worth the effort.... Look at the blue sea, er... the Black Sea actually!
Castle Ceneviz
Coming down was much easier but the unbearable hot weather made us take out the umbrella for the first time.
The next ferry would leave at 3.00pm in less than 30 minutes. Before boarding the ferry we purchased the local ice-cream to refresh ourselves. Unfortunately those nice seats with outside view had been taken.
While waiting on the ferry, almost everyone on this side of the deck were entertained by this Dalmation dog running and swimming in the water. Frankie tried to snap a few shots of the actived dog.
and he was very proud with this particular shot showing the moment the dog was jumping into the water! Good timing though!
Do you think it looks like Snoopy from this angle?
Views on the way back to Eminonu Terminal.
We sat at where we were for almost the entire journey back and didn't explore much of the ferry itself, later we found out that we could actually sit at the benches outside...
or the highest deck.... Unfortunately the ferry had already disembarked at the terminal.
Eminonu was quite a busy place in evening and we saw a mussels seller. The customers would just open up the shells and eat them with a few drop of lemon juice on the spot.
There were also stalls everywhere selling sweetcorns in either boiled or roasted.
and we happily bought a roasted one to try.
It was the driest, most tasteless as well as cold
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