Full-Day Bosphorus and Black Sea Cruise with Lunch

From Istanbul to the Black Sea in one day

This is our longest shared cruise, for travellers who want to see the whole Bosphorus, not just the city stretch. With a licensed guide you stop to visit three landmarks, have lunch on board, wander a fishing village and finish with a swim where the strait meets the Black Sea. It runs in the warm months, from spring to autumn, when the water is at its best.

The day starts with a hotel pickup and boarding at Kabataş. The boat stops at Ortaköy, at Küçüksu Palace on the Asian shore and at Rumeli Fortress, then continues north past the wooded hills and waterfront mansions to Anadolu Kavağı and the cove of Poyrazköy on the Black Sea coast. Short on time? The Bosphorus lunch cruise covers the strait in an afternoon.

Black Sea cruise highlights

• Three landmark stopsOrtaköy, Küçüksu Palace and Rumeli Fortress, entrance fees included.
• Lunch on boardTurkish mezes, grilled chicken and salad with soft drinks.
• Anadolu KavağıFree time in the fishing village, famous for its ice cream and waffles.
• Swim in the Black SeaA stop in the cove of Poyrazköy to swim from the boat.
• Licensed guideThe stories of the strait from Byzantine to Ottoman times.
• Hotel pickupIncluded from central hotels.

Full-day itinerary

1. 09:30 Hotel pickup and Kabataş
   Board the boat at Kabataş pier.
2. Ortaköy
   Walk around the waterfront by Ortaköy Mosque and the Bosphorus Bridge.
3. Küçüksu Palace
   Visit the 19th-century Ottoman pavilion on the Asian shore; snacks, tea and coffee follow on board.
4. Rumeli Fortress
   Explore the fortress built by Sultan Mehmet II at the narrowest point of the strait.
5. Lunch on board
   Lunch is served as the boat heads north towards the Black Sea.
6. Anadolu Kavağı
   Free time in the village for ice cream, waffles or a walk.
7. Poyrazköy cove
   Swim and sunbathe in a quiet cove on the Black Sea coast, then cruise back to Kabataş and your hotel.

What is included in the black sea cruise

Good to know before you go

• Bring your swimwear, a towel and sunscreen: you can swim from the boat.
• Küçüksu Palace is closed on Mondays and Thursdays, and Rumeli Fortress is closed on some weekdays; on those days we visit another landmark instead, such as the Maiden's Tower.
• The cruise runs from spring to autumn. In winter, choose the lunch cruise.
• Children up to 2 years are free; children from 3 to 6 years get a reduced price.

What our guests say about our cruises

Booking, payment and cancellation

1. BookingReserve here, on WhatsApp or by email. No prepayment.
2. ConfirmationWe confirm your seats and meeting time, usually within the hour.
3. On the dayPay in cash in euro, US dollar or Turkish lira.
4. 24+ hours beforeCancel or change your date free of charge.
5. Under 24 hoursLate cancellations and no-shows cannot be refunded.

If a cruise is cancelled because of bad weather or an official warning, you choose a new date or cancel at no cost. These terms are for shared cruises; private yachts have their own private tour terms.

Black Sea cruise FAQ