Istanbul Bosphorus Sunset Cruise with Wine on a Luxury Yacht





Description
The Bosphorus Sunset Cruise is a 2-hour guided experience aboard a luxury yacht along the Bosphorus. Accompanied by a professional guide, you will discover the history and stories of Istanbul’s iconic landmarks on both the European and Asian sides of the city. With a bit of luck, you may even spot dolphins along the way. This relaxing sunset yacht cruise offers a magical atmosphere as you enjoy traditional refreshments and light canapés while sailing past some of Istanbul’s most famous sights, including Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Maiden’s Tower, the Bosphorus Bridge, Rumeli Fortress, and more. As night begins to fall, the illuminated skyline transforms the Bosphorus into an open-air museum, creating a memorable and atmospheric end to your cruise.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You will have the chance to see many palaces, mosques, towers, fortresses, and waterfront mansions on the Bosphorus sunset yacht tour. Historical sites you will see on the European shore of the Bosphorus; Galata Tower Dolmabahce Palace Ciragan Palace Ortakoy Mosque The Bosphorus Bridge Rumeli Fortress The Fatih Mehmet Bridge Galata Bridge Galata Port Historical sites you will see on the Asia shore of the Bosphorus; Kanlica Amcazade Huseyin Pasa Yali Anatolian Fortress Kucuksu Palace Kandilli The Kuleli Naval Station Cengelkoy Beylerbeyi Palace Maiden's Tower
The Dolmabahce Palace, built by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecit in 1856 on the shore of the Bosphorus, is one of the most important landmarks of Istanbul with its magnificent view bearing traces of Western architecture.
Ortaköy is one of Istanbul's favorite districts with its beautiful and colorful bazaar and lively atmosphere located in the triangle of the magnificent mosque, mosque, church and synagogue, situated under the European foot of the Bosphorus Bridge. Ortaköy is also one of the most popular meeting points of Istanbul residents with its popular nightclubs, bars, beautiful cafes and restaurants, and the pier square and kumpir shops.
The oldest bridge built in Istanbul, it is a magnificent structure connecting the continents of Asia and Europe.
Ortaköy is one of Istanbul's favorite districts with its beautiful and colorful bazaar and lively atmosphere located in the triangle of the magnificent mosque, mosque, church, and synagogue, situated under the European foot of the Bosphorus Bridge.
It is claimed that the oldest known name of the district, which is thought to date back to the pre-Christian era as a small fishing village, is Hallai, a corrupted form of the word Skallai (piers) written in various ways (Challae, Chilai, Khile) in various sources.
The Rumeli Fortress, which is a magnificent structure with its three big towers and city walls, is located opposite the Anadolu fortress at the point where the two shores of the Bosphorus are at the very closest point.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is the suspension bridge between Kavacık and Hisarüstü in Istanbul, connecting Asia and Europe for the second time after the Bosphorus Bridge.
Anadoluhisarı was built between 1393 and 1394 on the commission of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, as part of his preparations for a siege on the then-Byzantine city of Constantinople. Constructed on an area of 7,000 square metres (1.7 acres), the fortress is situated at the narrowmost point of the Bosporus, where the strait is a mere 660 meters (2,170 ft) wide.
Kucuksu Pavilion (Küçüksu Kasrı) located in the area between Küçüksu and Göksu streams in the Bosphorus, dates back to the Byzantine period. Küçüksu was one of the sultan’s private gardens during the Ottoman period. It is known that Murad IV. (1623-1640) loved it and called it “Silver Cypress”.
Beylerbeyi Palace, which has an impressive structure with its wooden carving and gold embroidery workmanship, is one of the most spectacular buildings in Istanbul.
One of the most romantic symbols of Istanbul, the Maiden's Tower was restored in 2000 and started to serve as a restaurant. Üsküdar coastal boats reached the island in 5 minutes to offer marriage to the girl, became one of Istanbul's customs. There is no need to eat in the restaurant to visit the Maiden's Tower, you can only see the Maiden's Tower by paying the toll on the boat.
The Galata Bridge is a bridge that spans the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. From the end of the 19th century in particular, the bridge has featured in Turkish literature, theater, poetry and novels. The current Galata Bridge is just the latest in a series of bridges linking Eminönü in the Fatih district and Karaköy in Beyoğlu since the early 19th century. The current bridge, the fifth on the same site, was built in 1994.
The Haliç (also known as the Golden Horn) is the sea recess that separates the Istanbul (Historical peninsula) and Beyoğlu plateaus, at the entrance to the Bosphorus, at the southeast end of the Çatalca Peninsula, which covers the European side of Istanbul. The Arabic word estuary, which is the geomorphological name of the structure formed by the invasion of a part of the river bed reaching it by the sea, has become a special name since the Ottoman period, due to the importance of the Istanbul estuary for the city, and has become the name of a city region covering many districts.
Built in 528, the building was built as a lighthouse, which dominated the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, but was also used as a term dungeon. According to a legend; If the Romans, for the first time together, come to the Galata Tower, a man and a woman marry each other. But if one of the couples went to the Galata Tower before, it is believed that this amulet would be broken.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(276)
Great experience! Loved everything.
Thank you so much! ❤️ Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
We enjoyed calm atmosphere, speed of the boat and particularly friendly vibe of workers and guides! Other passengers were also pretty nice Thank you! Highly recommended
Thank you so much! ❤️ So glad you and your friends had a wonderful time with us. Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
We booked this tour because of the positive reviews and because we didn't want a typical tourist tour on a large ship with entertainment. The tour lasted approx. 1 hour and 50 minutes. You get a cup of water at the beginning and, in the course of the trip, two half-filled glasses of wine (if you chose that option), but nothing else. We were offered neither coffee, tea, nor anything else. The description mentioned unlimited non-alcoholic beverages as well as coffee and tea. We received a small bowl of nuts, some pastries, and fruit (a few overripe cherries and 4 unripe green plums). A matter of taste. Someone on the upper deck and someone on the lower deck explained which buildings we were currently passing and also provided some information about the country in general. In between, there was loud music from the speaker. Luxury yacht is a gross exaggeration, even if the trip itself was okay. The ship was tidy and the departure was almost on time. We had hoped for more. By that, we simply mean a bit more service and attention. The "small" group consisted of approx. 25-30 people. Overall okay, but not quite as described.
Vielen Dank für Ihr Feedback. Wir möchten jedoch einige Punkte richtigstellen. Unbegrenzte Getränke wurden zu keinem Zeitpunkt versprochen. Unser Angebot beinhaltet zwei Gläser Wein, Softdrinks, türkischen Kaffee, Tee und Limonade — alles auf Wunsch erhältlich. Unser Team war durchgängig an Bord und hätte jeden Wunsch erfüllt. Eine einfache Nachfrage hätte genügt. Die Snacks — Nüsse, Gebäck und Obst — sind als kostenlose Beilage gedacht, nicht als Mahlzeit. Dies ist eine Sonnenuntergangskreuzfahrt, kein Restaurant. Das Schiff ist eine gepflegte 24-Meter-Yacht — ob man das als „Luxus“ empfindet, ist natürlich persönlich. Mit ca. 25 Gästen handelt es sich um eine der kleinsten und intimsten Gruppen auf dem Bosporus, wie auch in unserer Beschreibung angegeben. Der eigentliche Zweck dieser Tour ist es, den Sonnenuntergang über dem Bosporus zu erleben, sich zu entspannen und Istanbul vom Wasser aus zu genießen. Die überwiegende Mehrheit unserer Gäste teilt dieses Erlebnis mit Begeisterung — wie unsere zahlreichen 5-Sterne-Bewertungen zeigen.
Excellent cruise. Great crew and guide!
Thank you so much! ❤️ Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
Such an excellent decision to do a Bosphorus cruise while on our trip, and this specific operator was exactly what we wanted: a smaller size group (~25 people), they had wine, had quality snacks, and it didn’t drag on for hours. Tour guides gave bits of info in English, maybe talked for 10% of the time total - so it didn’t takeover the cruise. They played good music in the latter part of the cruise too. Be aware - while we did have the address from the booking, they sent a WhatsApp message the day of to provide an exact meeting spot to find them (including photos of the operator’s face and the spot to meet). We had read the reviews of this trip, so we had seen folks mention this, and so we made a point to find a cafe with WiFi that day to get internet to get messages. Certainly the operator is assuming everyone has cell service while in Turkey - but not all foreigners do. It would be better if they sent this info 24 hours ahead of time, as people are more likely to have WiFi in evenings at their hotel.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review! ❤️ We're really glad you enjoyed the group size, wine, snacks and the vibe on board. Regarding the WhatsApp message — all key details including the meeting address are already provided in the booking confirmation in advance. The WhatsApp message on the day is simply an extra touch to make things even easier, with a photo of the guide and the exact spot so no one has to search. We do our best to make the experience as smooth as possible for all our guests! Hope to welcome you back on the Bosphorus one day!
Great cruise with friendly staff, good wine and snacks and we saw Dolphins twice!
Thank you so much! ❤️ Dolphins twice — how lucky! Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
Amazing and beautiful experience and very friendly and helpful guides. Highly recommend, specially sunset time.
Thank you so much! ❤️ So glad you enjoyed the sunset and our guides. Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
A lovely atmosphere, an informative and engaging live guide, a beautiful yacht, and an overall very enjoyable experience.
Thank you so much! ❤️ So glad you enjoyed every part of the experience. Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus!
The views were great; the wind was strong and cold but that’s not their fault but they offer blankets which was great; the snacks were good especially the peanuts; the staff was nice and friendly, but their English isn’t the best, except the guide’s which was good; the meet-up point is basic offering no shade from the sun but considering you don’t stay there for long it’s not an issue.
Thank you for your detailed and fair feedback! ❤️ We're glad the views, blankets, snacks and our team made the experience enjoyable. Regarding English, our guide is fully fluent and leads the commentary throughout the cruise. The rest of our crew focuses on hospitality and service, and we also offer an audio guide in 12 languages so every guest can follow along comfortably. As for the meeting point, you're right that it's a simple spot — but as you mentioned, the wait is very short before boarding! Hope to welcome you back on the Bosphorus soon.
This was a SPECTACULAR boat tour! So beautiful, such great company, such great value!
Thank you so much! ❤️ So glad you had a spectacular time with us. Hope to see you again on the Bosphorus! 🚢✨



