More than any other public transport option, the ferryboat rides across the Bosphorus give Istanbul its grandeur. Find the timetables at the Sehir Hatlari website. The first ride starts as early as 6 am and ends as late as 11 pm. Interested in a short joy ride? The Kabatas to Uskudar line goes straight across the Bosphorus in just ten minutes. Sometimes the captain does not mind, and you can stay on the boat without even getting off.
For a full day’s outing, follow this enjoyable circuit on both sides of the Bosphorus. Start the morning with Turkish breakfast at Namli, tea at Dem, or coffee at Karabatak in Karakoy, the rapidly gentrifying blue collar neighborhood near the docks. Buy an Istanbul card at the newspaper stand outside the ferry turnstiles. Next, ride the ferryboat from Karakoy to Kadikoy. Feed the seagulls with some of the bread you wrapped in a napkin and put in your pocket after breakfast. Feel free to have a cup of hot tea on the boat. Use your beginner’s luck to scan the ocean waves for surfacing dolphins.
When you arrive to Kadikoy, the deck hands will throw giant green ropes around the pegs and throw wooden planks down to the boat deck. Stand clear of these. Be careful when climbing up the wooden planks to the dock. Straight out of the ferry station, take a right towards the metro, cross the street at the lights towards the Starbucks. Head up the hill until you reach Moda street. Eat lunch at Ciya and grab a slice of raspberry cheesecake at the gardens of the Nazim Hikmet Kultur Merkezi. Walk along the seaside.
When you are ready to return to the European side, ride the ferryboat from Kadikoy to Eminonu. Walk up to Gulhane Park, looking for Istanbul’s green parrots in the treetops, and enjoy a cup of tea at the café near Topkapi Palace that overlooks the Bosphorus.
**This article was originally published on March 21, 2015, at http://turkishvisafees.com/ferryboats-rides-in-istanbul/
For a full day’s outing, follow this enjoyable circuit on both sides of the Bosphorus. Start the morning with Turkish breakfast at Namli, tea at Dem, or coffee at Karabatak in Karakoy, the rapidly gentrifying blue collar neighborhood near the docks. Buy an Istanbul card at the newspaper stand outside the ferry turnstiles. Next, ride the ferryboat from Karakoy to Kadikoy. Feed the seagulls with some of the bread you wrapped in a napkin and put in your pocket after breakfast. Feel free to have a cup of hot tea on the boat. Use your beginner’s luck to scan the ocean waves for surfacing dolphins.
When you arrive to Kadikoy, the deck hands will throw giant green ropes around the pegs and throw wooden planks down to the boat deck. Stand clear of these. Be careful when climbing up the wooden planks to the dock. Straight out of the ferry station, take a right towards the metro, cross the street at the lights towards the Starbucks. Head up the hill until you reach Moda street. Eat lunch at Ciya and grab a slice of raspberry cheesecake at the gardens of the Nazim Hikmet Kultur Merkezi. Walk along the seaside.
When you are ready to return to the European side, ride the ferryboat from Kadikoy to Eminonu. Walk up to Gulhane Park, looking for Istanbul’s green parrots in the treetops, and enjoy a cup of tea at the café near Topkapi Palace that overlooks the Bosphorus.
**This article was originally published on March 21, 2015, at http://turkishvisafees.com/ferryboats-rides-in-istanbul/