Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Bosphorus Ferry
- Asian side
- Bosphorus Strait
- Kuzguncuk Neighborhood
- Uskudar Neighborhood
Photos & Highlights
- Explore the off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods of Istanbul
- Cross the mighty Bosphorus via public ferry with a local expert
Select a date
Tour Description
Escape from the bustle of the touristy city center, and explore the most vibrant and off-the-beaten-track area of Istanbul: the cozy and multi-ethnic Asian side. Separated from Europe by the mighty Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul’s Asian side often feels like its own distinct city.
Guided by a historian or architect with deep local knowledge of the area, you will begin this exploration by taking one of the public ferries across the Bosphorus, enjoying some of the best and most iconic views of Istanbul. During the 15-minute-long ride, your guide will explain how the city developed around this body of water throughout the centuries, and the role of the strait in trade, politics, and the history of the city.
Life on the Asian side is significantly distinct from the European side: it revolves around weekly markets, intimate neighborhoods, and local traditions. Explore two of the former villages—now neighborhoods of Istanbul—on the Asian side: Uskudar and Kuzguncuk. Uskudar is the conservative part of town, dotted with mosques of a beauty that rivals those on the European side. Colorful Kuzguncuk originated as a small fishing village where Ottoman viziers and notables built their villas. Today, it maintains its original calm village charm and pace, while simultaneously hosting some of the most diverse and cosmopolitan traditions. For centuries, Jews, Greeks, and Armenians have coexisted in Kuzguncuk, forming the dense multi-ethnic fabric that you can see today.
By venturing into this off-the-beaten-path journey, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the cultural layers of traditions, architecture, and community that are intertwined with Istanbul's rich history.
- You want to feel like a local and board the public ferry to the Asian Side with a local expert as your guide.
- You're tired of the noise and bustle of Istanbul's tourist districts and want to discover the beauty of the city's off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods.
- You are interested in learning about the multicultural traditions of Istanbul.
- Bosphorus Strait
- Asian side
- Kuzguncuk Neighborhood
- Uskudar Neighborhood
Tickets
There are no pre-purchased tickets included in this tour, but there may be nominal site entrance costs or other fees to pay on-site. It is a good idea to have some local currency on hand for these.
Additional Trip-Planning Resources
- For more information on planning your travels to Istanbul, take a read through our Context Stories.
Accessibility
Is this tour wheelchair-friendly?
We do cover extensive territory on this tour, and the streets in Istanbul tend not to be the easiest for wheelchair users and people with mobility issues or wheelchairs due to the hills and cobblestones. If you have mobility concerns, please feel free to contact us before booking, and we can discuss modifications to the route if necessary.
Is there a dress code for your tours in Istanbul?
Yes, sites visited on this tour are considered holy places. Shoulders and knees must be covered. Dresses and shorts must be below knee level, and shoulders must be covered (zip-on jackets or scarves are acceptable). We recommend bringing along scarves or shawls to be able to cover those body parts. These rules may seem unduly strict, but remember, you are a guest visiting sites that are regarded as a religious sanctuary.
Can we add a car service to drive us from our hotel to the start of the tour?
Yes, absolutely. You may add a car service directly at checkout, or simply send us an email, and we will be happy to arrange it for you. Please note that due to new regulations at the Port of Istanbul, we are unfortunately unable to offer pick-up services directly from the port. However, if your hotel is located within Istanbul, we will be very happy to accommodate your transfer needs and ensure a smooth start to your tour.
Can we add a car service to drive us from our hotel to the start of the tour?
Yes, absolutely. You may add a car service directly at checkout, or simply send us an email, and we will be happy to arrange it for you. Please note that due to new regulations at the Port of Istanbul, we are unfortunately unable to offer pick-up services directly from the port. However, if your hotel is located within Istanbul, we will be very happy to accommodate your transfer needs and ensure a smooth start to your tour.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
–
141 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
A very enjoyable tour... again there were just the two of us on the tour, which enabled Nikitas to structure the tour with our interests in mind. We were able to visit two mosques and really study them, as there were no other visitors -- a wonderful experience when there are so many tourists visiting the better known ones. The ride on the Bosphorus was fun. It was also particularly beneficial to see some older traditional neighborhoods with communities.
Nikitas was fun, full of helpful information, and enabled us to learn much more about Istanbul than we would have otherwise.
Elizabeth
Reviewed on:
Jun 18, 2011
We felt that this was not up to the usual high standards that we have seen with other Context tours. We don't really think calling it "Bosphorus Cruise" is really correct as very little time is spent on the water; a more correct title might be "Neighborhood Walk on the Asian side of Istanbul". While the description of the walk does go into this, we felt the balance was wrong. The actual neighborhood wasn't bad, but we felt the walk was superficial and we didn't really see all that much that was interesting. As an example, the walk description mentions visiting Mosques and the like, but all we ended up visiting was one church and then only very briefly. Claire was very nice and knowledgeable but seemed reluctant to go into detail around things, constantly saying things like "I hope I'm not boring you". We would give the feedback that a Context tour hopefully imply a high level of detail and she should remember that.
We think the idea of using the public ferry system is excellent, but we really feel this needed more time on the water and a more focus on the Bosphorus itself, including more rides on more ferries. We honestly felt we could have easily covered everything in the tour just by reading our guidebook ourselves.
Kathryn
Reviewed on:
Jun 5, 2011
The entire tour worked very well. We would have enjoyed it more if it could have been extended to include additional travel up the Bosphorus. Of course, i would expect a longer tour to cost more. We look forward to returning to Istanbul and using Context again.
Anne
Reviewed on:
May 26, 2011
