Bosporus Bootstour

The landscape is breathtaking. The view of Asian and European sides. This experience is a must to have in Istanbul. We really enjoyed.

This boat tour's starting point was convenient to our hotel in Sultanahmet, and the price seemed reasonable (advertised at 20 Euros/person, but was reduced to 30 Euros for both of us). The start was rather disorganized because we had to wait a lot longer for the boat to arrive, and then there was a crush of people trying to get on the boat at the same time. The boat seats were not very comfortable and it was very crowded, but it was lovely to cruise the Bosphorus from the Golden Horn to the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge along one side and then return along the other side of the strait. The brochure of the tour included a map with pictures, which was useful. However, the map showed that we would sail under the Galata Bridge into the Golden Horn, but we just sailed up to the bridge and turned. I would have like to see the neighborhoods along the Golden Horn from the boat's perspective.

Pick up arrangements were good and on time, group size was bigger than I expected. Getting on the boat was very hectic- 200 people trying to file through a small space between 2 fences. Everyone in a rush trying to get the best seats. Was a bit dangerous. No seating around the sides of the boat on the out side of the lower level. Tour long enough and at a good pace to see everything. The shoreline is beautiful

Horrible support where you have to wait for the group of 100 people on the racecourse square. Then, you have to rush down the alleys, paying attention to the traffic, then travel on uncomfortable seats with bawling babies and entire families who have no use for the visit, immersed in their smartphones. The beautiful views from Istanbul from the Bosphorus were not right to want to repeat the experience.

The good bits - The boat was not overly packed and there was lots of seating. The bad bits... We had to meet in the tour companies shop 15 mins before the tour. We then left the shop and walked with a small group of people to another meeting point in the square where we waited for about 15-20 mins to catch up with a large group of people. We then walked about 1km with this massive group through the streets to the ferry. Why didn't we just meet at the ferry? There was a commentary on the boat but it was barely audible and very disjointed. The trip itself was basically just a big sales pitch. Food. Drinks. More Food. The adverts to food and drinks over the tannoy was much more audible than the actual tour commentary. Then someone trying to sell some photos of you dressing up in traditional clothing. Then more food and drinks sales pitches. Then someone trying to sell photos of you on the both. Then more food sellers. (We succumbed to this one - 100TL/£5 for a chocolate crepe which you could buy for about 30TL on land). Then the traditional clothing photo sellers came back around again. Then more food/drink sales pitches. The tour itself was not too bad for the most part. It went up one side of the river and came back on the other. Although it turned around before actually getting anywhere near the Rumeli fortress so we could only see it in the distance. So generally a pretty poor experience and I wouldn't recommend it.

Very good walk along the shores of the bosphorus. Entertaining and enjoyable. They want to sell you everything! Hahahaha photos, bracelets, ice cream whatever! But it is in you if you want something you buy it and if you do not enjoy the landscape that is beautiful!

Overall a great experience. The ship sailed at a comfortable speed so we have time to enough the beautiful scenery. The walk to the jetty was a little far from the pick up though.

This was so bad it was almost funny. There was no guide except the person who walked this huge group to the boat. There was a recorded voice over in maybe 12 languages which was so loud it made you want to get off. We had no idea what we were seeing and the English part was intermittent at best with barely any details. Waste of time, we have no idea what we saw and would do it again with another operator but we didn’t have time. They did try to sell overpriced food the entire time. It was crowded and loud.

Price worthy tour. Very comfortable timings, very nice reception at Tourista agency. Even 2 hours trip is overwhelming. This tour best suites between 60 and 90 min

Nice way to discover a city but really far too long. The boat trip can really be shortened.also the guide was not the of it,little information and poorly understood.no added value