The Bosphorus strait, also known as the Istanbul strait, is one of the most stunning sights in Turkey, located in the heart of Istanbul. Visiting it can be one of the best travel experiences in this country.
This symbolic waterway is not only very important in terms of navigation, but also an important tourist destination. The Turkish Bosphorus strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and divides Istanbul into two European and Asian parts.
This strait is very important from various aspects of international navigation, historical and natural, and it is considered a unique image for visitors traveling to Istanbul. Many of those who have visited the sights of Istanbul, believe that the Bosphorus Strait is very unique among these sights of Turkey and has a special splendor and beauty.
In this article in Alibaba Tourism Magazine, we will talk about the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, its features and the reasons for its importance.
Where is the Bosphorus Strait?
How to go to the Bosphorus?
To go to the Bosphorus, you can use a car, ferry or cable trains in different parts of the city, including Taksim Square, and go to different areas of the strait.
What season should we visit the Bosphorus Strait?
The best time to visit this gorge is in spring and autumn, but due to the mildness of the area, it can be enjoyed in all seasons.
What are the most important attractions of the Bosphorus Strait?
Getting to know the Bosphorus Strait
The Bosphorus Strait is 32 kilometers long and its width is between 700 meters and 3.5 kilometers. The depth of this gorge varies between 36 and 124 meters. This gorge is famous for its beautiful scenery, historical monuments and the unique experience it leaves behind for travelers.
Photo from: Ahstatic site
Bridges known as the Bosphorus Bridge or the July 15th Martyrs Bridge, Sultan Mohammad Fateh Bridge, Yavuz Sultan Salim Bridge, and Galata Bridge have passed through this vital passage. In the following sections, we will discuss these bridges in detail.
Where is the Bosphorus Strait?
The Bosphorus Strait is located in Istanbul, Turkey and extends from the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara in the south. This strait passes through several parts of Istanbul neighborhoods including Beşiktaş, Sariyer and Skodar.
Photo from: Ahstatic site
To access the Bosphorus Strait, there are different routes and you can reach this strait with different means of transportation.
Bosphorus Strait location on Google Map
Access route to the Bosphorus Strait
There are several different ways to go to the Bosphorus, which we will mention below:
- By car: visitors can go to different places and neighborhoods along the strait, such as Bebek, Ortkoy, and Aminonu neighborhoods.
- By Ferry: Many ferries operate regularly on both the European and Asian sides and travel along very scenic routes.
- By public transport: There are various buses and trams that provide easy access to key locations along the strait.
Photo from: Atlasandboots site
Going to the Bosphorus Strait from Taksim Square in Istanbul
There are buses and taxis in Taksim Square that will take you to Kabatash, where you can travel by ferry to different parts of the Turkish Bosphorus. On the other hand, Taksim cable train goes directly to Kabatash.
Photo from: Atlasandboots site
The climate of the Bosphorus Strait
The Bosphorus Strait has a moderate climate, with mild and humid winters and hot and humid summers. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit this gorge, because during these times the weather in the region is mild and you can enjoy being outdoors more.
Photo from: Booking site
The best time to travel to the Bosphorus
The fact is that due to the overall mildness of the Bosphorus region, traveling to this region is a unique experience in any season of the year.
In spring, you can watch the blossoms and enjoy the pleasant weather. In the summer, attractive boat tours are held in this gorge and you can experience going to various outdoor restaurants.
Photo from: Britannica website
In the autumn season, this gorge has its own beauty, the colorful view of the leaves along with the mild weather will make you a great experience of this season. The mild winters of this region are also a great time for long walks and enjoying the hotels and resorts of the gorge.
Photo from: Cloudfront website
Name of the Bosphorus Strait
The word Bosphorus is of Greek origin. This word is made from the combination of two words bos meaning bull and poros meaning passage and refers to a story in Greek mythology according to which Io, the daughter of Inarus and Melia, crossed this strait in the form of a red bull.
Photo from: Destinations website
A tour of the bridges of the Bosphorus Strait
Various bridges have been built on the Bosphorus Strait:
- Bosphorus Bridge, which is also called the first Bosphorus Bridge or July 15 Martyrs Bridge. This bridge is a suspension bridge that is 1500 meters long and 34 meters wide. This bridge is named after the victims of the July 15, 2016 coup.
Photo from: Fourseasons website
- Sultan Mohammad Fateh Bridge is the second bridge on the Bosphorus strait, which was built in 1988. This suspension bridge is 1510 meters long and 39 meters wide.
- Yavuz Sultan Salim Bridge, this bridge is the third important bridge that was built on this strait between 2013 and 2016. This bridge can pass cars and trains.
- Galata Bridge is another bridge on this strait that has two floors and the lower floor is completely pedestrianized and you can visit its restaurants and shops.
Photo from: Fourseasons website
Bosphorus strait recreation
If you travel to this gorge, you can experience the following activities.
– Sailing
One of the fascinating experiences that a trip to the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey provides you with is a boat ride. All kinds of luxury and stylish cruise ships and passenger ships are constantly traveling in this area and you can choose from them according to your budget.
Photo from: Goturkiye site
– Bird watching
If you have traveled to Istanbul, you know that this city is full of seagulls. In the Bosphorus Strait, these beautiful birds are at the closest distance to you and you can even feed them. The experience of watching these birds while flying and hunting can be one of your special experiences on your trip to the Bosphorus Strait.
Photo from: Klook website
– Abdominal rotation
Many people consider traveling to Türkiye as a great opportunity to explore and experience various Turkish cuisines. The Bosphorus Strait is full of restaurants and vendors that offer a variety of Turkish and international dishes, and you can have the experience of eating excellent seafood.
– Walking
The Bosphorus Strait is full of beautiful scenery and there are many paths for walking. You can wander around this gorge for hours and enjoy the good weather and pleasant scenery.
Photo from: Marriott website
– Crossing bridges
As we said, on the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, there are several different bridges that can be crossed by car, electric trains, tourist buses and even on foot. Crossing these bridges and watching the scenery around it can give you an interesting and special experience.
Photo from: Headout site
– Photography
The Bosphorus Strait is full of unique perspectives. Full of things that will probably never happen again. This issue will provide you with the opportunity to photograph wonderful scenes. Whether you have a camera or a smartphone with a camera, you can have one of the best photography experiences in this area.
Photo from: Headout site
Sights of the Bosphorus Strait
The Bosphorus Strait is full of beautiful sights, some of which are listed below:
– Amirgan Park
Amirgan Park is located near the Bosphorus Strait in the European part of Istanbul. This beautiful park is full of big and attractive mansions such as pink mansion, white mansion and yellow mansion, and all kinds of beautiful flowers grow in it, which gives it a dreamlike effect. You can also see the tulip festival in this wonderful park. Amirgan Park is located near Sultan Mohammad Fateh Bridge.
Photo from: Akitatours site
– Basilica reservoir
Basilica Cistern is one of the historical buildings located in Istanbul. This building was used during the Byzantine Empire and is very old. With its beautiful and unique columns, this building reflects the greatness of the Byzantine era, and you can see the most special scenes in this place, which is actually the underground of the city of Constantinople.
Photo from: Tmgrup website
This building is located near the Hagia Sophia Mosque and very close to the beginning of the Bosphorus Strait, and it can be one of the priorities to visit on a trip to Istanbul.
– Dolme Baghche Palace
Dolme Baghche Palace is one of the most magnificent mansions in Türkiye. This mansion, which is located on the European side of the Bosphorus, was built between 1843 and 1856 AD. It was built and in the last years of Ottoman rule, it was the center of government and Atatürk also lived there.
Photo from: Dolmabahcepalace website
The palace is full of expensive and magnificent decorations and houses a huge bohemian chandelier that was a gift from Queen Victoria I. Dolme Baghche Palace is located in Beshiktash region and its distance to the gorge itself is less than 2 km.
– Maiden tower
Burj Dokhtar is a strange building. A building that will give you the feeling of traveling to the world of myths. This building is located in the waters of the Bosphorus Strait, and if you want to see it, you must board the cruise ships that go to this beautiful building and leave yourself to the stories.
Photo from: Propertyturkey website
The guides of this tourist attraction have many stories to tell about the girl and the emperor. This building also has a rare view that is a wonderful subject for photography.
Istanbul city port
Bosphorus port in Istanbul is one of the most beautiful and different ports in the world that you can travel to. A port full of activity and various attractions where you can walk, shop in its various shops, eat delicious food, drink excellent Turkish coffee and watch the boats move. This port is a place that you will never get enough of.
Photo from: Sealandtrip site
– Topkapi Palace
Another attractive building that is located around the Bosphorus Strait of Istanbul and has great historical and artistic value is Topkapi Palace, which is used as a museum palace today. This palace was built in 1460 and was the residence of Ottoman sultans until 1856 when Dolme Baghche Palace was built. This palace is also near the Hagia Sophia Mosque.
Photo from: Museumwnf site
You can visit the Hagia Sophia Mosque and the Basilica Cistern at the same time as you visit this palace and get to know the glory of the Ottoman Empire. The distance between this palace and the Bosphorus Strait is about 4.8 kilometers.
Rumli Castle
Rumli Castle or Rumli Hisar is a beautiful castle built in the Bosphorus Strait. This building was built in 1452 by Sultan Mohammad Fatih and has a very sensitive position.
Photo from: Wikimedia site
Walls with a height of more than 80 meters have given it a scary appearance, and its interior has various parts such as a prison, a mosque, a place to store weapons, and many rooms. This castle can be a reminder of the days of the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans.
Sulaymaniyah Mosque
The Suleymaniye Mosque, which is also known as the Blue Mosque because of its beautiful blue tiles, is one of the most eye-catching buildings in Istanbul, which is located on the shore of the Bosphorus, in the Fatih area and on the European side of the city, and a beautiful view of this strait is visible to travelers. depicts
Photo from: Wikimedia site
This building was built during the reign of Sultan Ahmed and has a part of the glory of the Ottoman era. The large and beautiful dome of this mosque makes you want to take a camera and record a souvenir photo with it in the album of your trip to Istanbul.
Galata Tower
Another mysterious and beautiful building that is located near the Bosphorus and on the European side of Istanbul is the Galata Stone Tower. This tower, which was built in the 14th century, has hosted many events in the history of Turkey and various military, cultural and tourist events have taken place there.
Photo from: Dolmabahcepalace website
The height of this building is more than 65 meters and these days a restaurant has been established on top of it and you can treat yourself to a good meal there after visiting this beautiful tower.
Photo from: Wikimedia site
Stay near the Bosphorus Strait
Near the Bosphorus, especially in areas like Besiktas, there are many hotels and accommodations that you can choose from depending on your budget and needs. There are many three- to five-star hotels in this area, and there are also options such as renting cabins in nature. In the following, we mention a number of famous hotels near this gorge:
– CVK Park Hotel
This hotel is a luxurious hotel that has stunning views and provides first-class amenities to travelers.
Photo from: Toursandtickets website
– Chiraghan Palas
This hotel is one of the palaces that were used during the Ottoman rule and has now been turned into a luxury hotel. Other hotels such as Shangri-La Hotel, Sub Karakoy, Four Seasons and Ajaya are also available in this area that you can go to.
– Mandarin Oriental
This hotel is one of the Mandarin Oriental hotels that serves tourists in different parts of the world. You can get the best amenities in this five-star hotel.
Camping and spending the night in nature
These days, camping trips are popular all over the world, and in many countries of the world, including Turkey, there are specific rules and places for this. You can also find such places around the Bosphorus Strait.
Photo from: Natgeofe site
For example, sb kamp sile is one of these places that has both cabins for rent and you can pitch a tent. Istanbul Camp and Riva valley Glamping are other places you can go to for a night in nature.
Remember that if you choose to spend the night in nature and in a tent, you must have enough facilities for spending the night. A light tent, a tent floor mat, a sleeping bag suitable for the season, etc. are things you should have.
Photo from: NewsCgtn website
Keep in mind that camping is possible only in certain places and the camps provide you with facilities. It is better to book the campsite in advance and find out about its facilities so that you can bring everything you need with you.
Necessary equipment for a trip to the Bosphorus Strait
Fortunately, the area around the Bosphorus is full of various entertainment facilities, restaurants, accommodation and rest, and even markets and shops for travelers, and you don’t have to worry about basic facilities.
When choosing clothes to go to Bosphorus in Istanbul, keep in mind that your comfort is the most important thing, so wear suitable walking shoes and choose light and comfortable clothes considering the temperature at different times of the day. Try to choose a memorable combination of colors and styles to have more beautiful photos.
Photo from: NewsUsni site
Another important point about the equipment needed to go to the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey is to use a sun hat, glasses and sunscreen. Istanbul has hot sun for many days of the year.
Since you have to spend many hours outside, be sure to protect your skin from the sun. Also, check weather forecast apps and don’t forget your umbrella if there is a chance of rain.
Photo from: Remindertour site
Having a binocular or monocular birdwatching camera and suitable photography equipment will make you enjoy this trip more. If you are into fishing, there are places around the gorge for fishing and you can bring your equipment and enjoy this activity for a few hours.
Photo from: Propertyturkey website
Tips for traveling to the Bosphorus
Visiting the Bosphorus strait requires enough time, so if you plan to go around the strait well and see its sights, choose the first hours of the morning to go to this place. Also, for recreation and walking in this area, the hours near sunset are more suitable.
Photo from: Propertyturkey website
Bosphorus holidays are crowded and can even be confusing. Therefore, if you can, choose the days in the middle of the week to visit this place to enjoy your visit more and to be able to take attractive photos.
Remember that there is generally no cost to visit the Bosphorus Strait, but you need to buy a ticket to enter the various attractions and use the amenities and transportation. It is better to make a comprehensive plan in advance for the day of visiting the Bosphorus Strait and buy tickets online. There are also many tours to visit the Bosphorus Strait and its surroundings with various prices that you can choose according to your budget and schedule.
Photo from: Railwaypro website
Visiting the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul is an inseparable part of the trip to this legendary city. Don’t miss the opportunity and be sure to dedicate a part of your trip to passing through this gorge and enjoying its beautiful scenery.
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