| A stay in Istanbul is not complete without the traditional and unforgettable boat excursion up the Bosphorus, the winding strait that seperates Europe and Asia. Its shores offer a delighfull mixture of past and present, grand splendor and simple beauty. Modern hotels stand next to yali (shore-front wooden villas), marble palaces aout rustic stone fortresses and elegant compounds neighbor small fishing villages. | 
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Dolmabahce Palace Garden |
The best way to see he Bosphorus is to board one of the passenger boats that regularly zigzag along the shores. Your embark in Eminonu and stop alternately on the Asian and European sides of the strait. The round-trip excursion, at a very reasonable cost, takes about six hours. If you wish a private voyage, you can contact one of the agencies which specialize in organizing day or night mini-cruises. |
Hidivr Pavilion Cafe |
During
the journey you past in front of the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace;
farther along rise the green parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz
Palace. On the edge of this park, on the coast, stands the Ciragan
Palace, new restored as a grand hotel. Refurbished in 1874 by Sultan
Abdulaziz, it stretches for 300 meters along the Bosphorus shore, its ornate
marble facades reflecting the swiftly moving water.
At Ortakoy, the next stop, artists gather every Sunday to exhibit their works in a streetside gallery. The variety of people create a lively scene; sample a delicious bite from one of the street vendors. In Ortakoy, there is a church, mosque and a synagogue that have existed side by side for hundreds of years a tribute to Turkish secularism and tolerance. Overshadowing Istanbul's traditional architecture is the Bosphorus Bridge, one of the world's largest suspension bridges linking Europe and Asia |
| The beautiful Beylerbeyi Palace lies just past the bridge on the Asian side. Behind the palaces rises Camlica Hill, the highest point of Istanbul. You can drive here to admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul as well as the beautiful landscaped gardens. On the opposite shore, the wooden Ottoman villas of Arnavutkoy contrast with the luxurious modern apartments of neighboring Bebek. A few kilometers farther out, facing each other across the straits like sentries guarding the city, stand the fortness of Rumeli Hisari and Anadolu Hisari. The Goksu Palace, sometimes known as Kucuksu Palace graces the Asian shore next to thr Anadolu Hisari. The second link between the two continents the Fatih Sultan Mehmer Bridge straddles the waterway just past the two fortresses. |
Traditional Bosphorus "Yali" |
| From Duatepe Hill, on the Europen side you can admire the magnificent panorama of the bridge and the Bosphorus. below Duatepe, the beautiful Emirgan Park bursts with color when the tulips bloom in the spring. Opposite on the Asian shore is Kanlica, a fishing village now a favored suburb for wealthy Istanbulites. Crowds gather in the restaurants and cafes along its shores to sample its famous yogurt. Shortly after Kanlica and Cubuklu is the Beykoz Korusu (Abraham Pasa Woods), a popular retreat. In the cafes and restaurants you can enjoy the delighfull views and clear fresh air. On the European side, at Tarabya Bay, yachts seem to dance at their moorings. The coast road bustles wish taverns and fish restaurants from Tarabya to the charming suburbs of Sariyer and Buyukdere. Sariyer has one of the largest fish markets in Istanbul and also famous for its delicious varieties of milk puddings and borek (pastries). A little further on past Sariyer, the narrow strait widens and disappears into the Black sea. |
Bosphorus |
