Istanbul by Ferry: The Best Way to See the City

The first time I crossed from Eminönü to Kadıköy, I sat on the open back deck with a glass of tea and a simit, watched the gulls hang in the air beside the boat, and saw the domes and minarets of the old city pull slowly away. Twenty minutes later I was on another continent. The fare was the same as a bus ride. Seeing Istanbul by ferry is the most beautiful thing you can do in the city, and it is also what millions of Istanbullus do every working day.

You do not need a tour. You need an Istanbulkart, a bit of patience and a seat on the right side of the boat.

How the ferries work

The municipal ferries, known as Şehir Hatları (City Lines), connect the main piers on both sides of the Bosphorus and up the Golden Horn. Private operators run some routes too. You tap the same Istanbulkart you use on the metro and trams, and you can top it up at machines at most piers.

The main hubs on the European side are Eminönü, Karaköy, Kabataş and Beşiktaş. On the Asian side, Kadıköy and Üsküdar. Boats are frequent at rush hour and thinner late at night, so check the timetable if you are heading back late.

The short crossings: Asia for the price of a tea

The simplest ride is also one of the best. Karaköy or Eminönü to Kadıköy takes around twenty minutes and gives you the whole skyline of the Historic Peninsula: Topkapı Palace on its point, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye on the hill above the Golden Horn.

Kadıköy itself is reason enough to go. The market streets near the pier are packed with fishmongers, pickle shops, cheese counters and meyhanes where the meze arrives in small plates all evening. Walk down to Moda afterwards for the sea wall and a sunset that faces the old city.

The Üsküdar crossing is just as good. Get off and walk the waterfront past the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, designed by Mimar Sinan, and look across at the small white Maiden's Tower sitting on its rock in the strait. As the sun goes down, the whole European shore turns gold.

In Istanbul, the commute is the sightseeing.

The long Bosphorus cruise

For a full day on the water, take the Bosphorus cruise run by City Lines, which leaves from Eminönü and zigzags between the two shores all the way up towards the Black Sea, ending at the fishing village of Anadolu Kavağı. Along the way you pass Dolmabahçe Palace, the mosque at Ortaköy under the first bridge, the wooden waterfront mansions called yalı and the great fortress walls of Rumeli Hisarı.

At Anadolu Kavağı, you will have a couple of hours. Climb the hill to the ruins of Yoros Castle for a view of the strait opening into the Black Sea, then eat grilled fish and fried mussels by the harbour before the boat back. There is also a shorter round trip if you have only an afternoon. Timetables change by season, so check before you go and arrive early to get a seat outside.

Up the Golden Horn

The Golden Horn line is the quiet one. It runs from near Karaköy up the inlet past Fener and Balat to Eyüp, with very few tourists on board. Get off at Balat for its steep streets of colourful houses, old churches and synagogues and small cafés, then carry on to Eyüp, where the Eyüp Sultan Mosque is one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the city. A cable car climbs to the Pierre Loti hill for tea above the water.

The Princes' Islands

An hour or more south across the Sea of Marmara, the Princes' Islands feel like a different century. Private cars are not allowed, so people get around by bicycle, on foot or in small electric buses. Büyükada, the largest, has grand wooden mansions, pine woods and a hilltop monastery. Heybeliada is smaller and quieter. Go on a weekday; summer weekends are very busy.

---

Good to know

• Sit at the back, outside. On the way to Kadıköy, the left side has the old city; on the way back, the right side does. The view behind you is the best one.
• Tea comes to you. A man with a tray of tulip glasses walks the decks. Say yes.
• Avoid rush hour if you want a seat, especially from Kadıköy in the morning and back in the evening.
• Look up the timetable for the long cruise and the islands. They vary between summer and winter.
• Eat a fish sandwich at Eminönü before you board. Balık ekmek from the boats by the Galata Bridge is a city classic.

Ride a ferry on your first day and you will understand the shape of Istanbul in a way no map can show you. Ride one on your last evening, too, at sunset. You will want to come back.