Istanbul - Full Day Cruise to Yoros Castle/Anadolu Kavagi

Yoros Castle - View from towards Istanbul

When in Istanbul, one must set aside one day to do a Bosphorus cruise. They usually start at the Eminou pier (next to the Galata Bridge) and can last from an hour (the Bosphorus crossings - with communter boats) to a day - which the tour we took.

The day tour starts at Eminou and ends at Anadolu Kavagi (with its Yoros Castle) with stops and many Istanbul landmarks along the way.

We took it on the 14th of March 2015 (cloudy in the morning and then all sunny). We bought the Șehir Hatlari day cruise, as it seemed the best value for the money. The exact departure point is in the map below (took us a while to find it among the many piers at Eminou).

The map below is the official map for the day cruise called "Long Bosphorus Cruise". 25 TL per person - not bad.

The tour leaves once a day at Eminou at 10:35am and reaches Anadolu Kavagi at 12:12pm (2 1/2 hours each way). The return voyage is at 15:00, so there is plenty of time to visit the surroundings.

And now the sights...

View from the ferry pier -  the Bosphorus Bidge in the background

THE GALATA TOWER AND THE BEYOĞLU NEIGHBORHOOD

The Galata Tower and Galata Bridge

A better view of the Beyoglu neighborhood

Beyoğlu is the neighborhood across the Golden Horn, and historically is a part of the old Constantinople. Its most visible landmark is the Galata Tower (buildt by the Genovese in 1348). Other landmarks include Taksim Square, Istikal Cadesi (the main shopping district), Bankalar Cadesi (the old boulevard where major banks were located). It is a very quaint area where old meets new.

BOSPHORUS BRIDGE (THE FIRST BOSPHORUS BRIDGE)

Bosphorus Bridge - Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian side of Istanbul

Bosphorus Bridge 

The oldest bridge over the Bosphorus - finalized in 1973 - is quite an impressive piece of architecture. Just in case you get any ideas - pedestrians are not allowed anymore on the bridge, so the only way to cross to the Asian side is either by car or public transportation.

RUMELI HISARI AND ANADOLU HISARI 

Rumeli Hisari

Rumeli Hisari with the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge in the background

Anadolu Hisari

Rumeli Hisari and Anadolu Hisari are two fortresses located on the opposite sides of the Bosphorus, the the tightest spot of the strait (660 meters/ 1,800 feet).

Rumeli Hisari (Turkish for the Roman Fortress - the fortress on the European side) is located in the Sarriyer district of Istanbul (accessoble by public transportation if you really want to visit). It was buildt by sultan Mehmet II in 1452, specially for the Siege of Constantinople of 1453 (also knows as the Fall of Constantinople).It has 3 large towers and 13 guard towers.
Anadolu Hisari (Turkish for the Asian Fortress) was buildt by sultan Bayezid I in 1395, for another siege of Constantinople (an unsuccessful one).

During the battle commonly known as the Fall of Constantinople, iron chains were laid between the two fortresses to stop any military support to the Byzantines.

FATIH SULTAN MEHMET BRIDGE (THE SECOND BOSPHORUS BRIDGE)

YAVUZ SULTAN SELIM BRIDGE (THE THIRD BOSPHORUS BRIDGE)

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge -  the end point of the Bosphorus Strait (where it meets the Black Sea). View from Yoros Castle

YOROS CASTLE

Yoros Castle is located at the end of the Bosphorus Strait, with a direct view to the Black Sea. As a result of its strategic position, it was inhabited since antiquity. The castle was buildt by the Genovese, and occupied by the Byzantine Empire and then the Ottoman Empire.
Catelul Yoros este situat chiar la ieșirea din strâmtoare Bosfor cu vedere directă la Marea Neagră. Ca urmare a poziției strategice, zona a fost locuit din timpuri antice. Catelul Yoros a fost ridicat de bizantini și ocupat succesiv de genovezi, bizantini și în cele din urmă de Otomani.

The castle can be accessed through the small town of Anadolu Kavagi (the end point of the day cruise). The entrance into the castle is on a hill, about 3-400 meters from the Anadolu Kavagi ferry pier. The castle intself is even higher up, a 10-15 minutes walk to the top of the same hill, but the view will definitely be worth your effort.
It has a double view - to the Black Sea and to the Bosphorus to the other side.

Yoros Castle - View from towards Istanbul

Yoros Casle  - the base of the castle

Yoros Castle - the main gate

ANADOLU KAVAGI

I have to say that despite of the fact that Anadolu Kavagi is part of the Istanbul Metropolitan Area it is a very small town - quiet and quaint (and on the Asian side).

What I really enjoyed about it is how laid back it is - a Mediterranean atmosphere - slow life with locals hanging out at the local taverns drinking tea and smoking cigarettes. Small shops, small fishmongers with the day's catch.
Nice and slow -  a definite break from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul.

Anadolu Kavagi - from the sea

Anadolu Kavagi - local food - mussels, anchovies, sepia and mackerel

Anadolu Kavagi - local bakery

Anadolu Kavagi - the day's catch

Anadolu Kavagi - in the port

  ORTAKOY MOSQUE

Moscheea Ortakoy - an Istanbulul landmark 

DOLMABAHÇE PALACE

Dolmabahce Palace was the official residence of the Ottoman sultans until 1909. Built in 1856  in European style (almost bankrupted the Empire by the way), it was mean to replace the Topkapi Palace.

Dolmabahce Palce - The Bosphorus Gate

 MISCELLANEOUS

Maiden Island

Hagia Sofia

High end residences on the Asian side of Bosphorus

High end residences on the Asian side of Bosphorus

Ships entering the Bosphorus Strait from the Black Sea

... THE END