By Ferry to the End of the Bosphorus, Anadolu Kavağı

The cheapest and most satisfying way to do a Bosphorus cruise is the Şehir Hatları long Bosphorus service from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı. The ferry passes palaces, fortresses and waterfront mansions and finally stops at this fishing village where the strait opens to the Black Sea. Seeing the mouth of the Bosphorus from Yoros Castle above the village is one of the views that best explains Istanbul as a maritime city. Getting there: The long tour leaves Eminönü in the late morning (around 10:30 depending on season), picks up passengers at Beşiktaş, Kanlıca and Sarıyer, reaches Anadolu Kavağı in about ninety minutes and waits two and a half to three hours before the return. Tickets are sold separately from Istanbulkart, as a return fare. Outside the tour, bus 15A from Üsküdar also reaches the village, but the ferry is the experience. The day: Sit on the right side of the ferry; the palaces of the European shore appear on that side first, and the other side is yours on the way back. At Kavak, climb to the castle before the crowd disperses to the restaurants: a 20–25-minute uphill walk from the village to Yoros Castle. Used by Byzantines and Genoese to control the entrance to the strait, the castle is now an excavation site; from the tea gardens beside the walls you see the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, the Anadolu and Rumeli lighthouses and the grey of the Black Sea. The wind is sharp in every season. Food: Fish restaurants line the pier; fried mussels, calamari and the fish of the season are standard. Prices are touristy and quality varies; do not sit where the menu shows no prices. Restaurateurs are persistent in catching passengers off the ferry, so stay calm. Return: Note the return ferry time from the pier board; if you miss it, the bus to Üsküdar takes nearly two hours. On the way back the sunset is caught between Rumeli Fortress and Bebek, the finest frame of the tour. Practical notes: The open deck is windy, so bring a light jacket even in summer. Sturdy shoes for the castle path. In winter the tour runs less often and may be cancelled in rough seas; spring and autumn are best for both weather and crowds. The short Bosphorus tour (Eminönü–İstinye, two hours) is the alternative if time is short, but it does not reach Kavak.