From Dolmabahçe Palace to Rumeli Fortress: a short guide to what the boat passes, so you know what you are looking at.
The Bosphorus divides Istanbul into Europe and Asia, and almost the whole history of the city lines its shores. From the water you see the landmarks from an angle you never get on land. Here are the best known, in the order most cruises pass them.
On the European shore
- Dolmabahçe Palace: a long white façade on the water, the seat of government in the late Ottoman era.
- Çırağan Palace: a grand palace on the sea, now a hotel.
- Ortaköy Mosque: a small mosque with a dome and two minarets on the water, right under the bridge — one of the most photographed views in Istanbul.
- Rumeli Fortress: stone walls and towers on the hill, built shortly before the conquest of Constantinople.
On the Asian shore
- Beylerbeyi Palace: a white summer palace at the foot of the first bridge.
- Kuleli Military School: a long pale building with two towers on the water.
- The yalı mansions: elegant waterside houses along both shores.
The bridges and the Maiden's Tower
The boat sails under the Bosphorus Bridge and, on longer cruises, towards the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. At the mouth of the strait the Maiden's Tower stands on a small rock in the sea, at its best at sunset or lit up at night.
