Bosphorus Cruise and Cable Car: 4-Hour Afternoon Tour

On this 4-hour afternoon program, you’ll be picked up at your central Istanbul hotel and head out on a drive along the Golden Horn, an arm of the Bosphorus and a natural harbour for the historical peninsula separating the old and new parts of Istanbul.

Explore this residential area for Byzantine Jews, Italian traders, and other non-Muslim minorities during the Byzantine Empire. See traces of history at Balat and see the Metal Church of St. Stephen, the Bulgarian Jewish Hospital (Or-Ahayim), Fener Orthodox Patriarchate, and the 22-kilometre-long walls of the old city of Constantinopolis.

Built by Constantine the Great and expanded by Emperor Theodosius in the 4th century A.D. these stone walls protected the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for 900 years and were the strongest fortification of the Middle Ages.

Eyup Square is the spiritual centre of Istanbul for the Muslim Turks and is the perfect destination for those who would like to enjoy the stunning panoramic view from its heights. Take the cable car up to the coffee house on Pierre Loti Hill, and enjoy some free time to take in the view of the Golden Horn estuary below.

It’s just a short drive to the Eminonu Pier, where you’ll board a ferry for a 90-minute breathtaking cruise along the Bosphorus Strait, separating the Asian and European continents, and running through the city of Istanbul.

Your expert guide will provide commentary about several Ottoman palaces, ancient fortresses, the continental suspension bridges, and upscale shore villages with typical Ottoman architecture that you see along the way.

During the tour, you’ll also see the Imperial Gardens of Royal Yildiz Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge connecting the Asian and European continents, and the Beylerbeyi Palace from the ferry.

If time permits, you’ll be taken to a leather fashion outlet centre.

After the tour, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel.