Istanbul Evening Dinner Bosphorus Cruise | VIP Lounge Window-Seat Table Options with Turkish Night Shows at Private Tables

Kabataş, departure point of Mega Lüfer Boats

Dolmabahçe Palace was built as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and served as the residence of the Sultan and his family until its decline in 1922. It is a magnificent 19th-century palace that showcases an interesting combination of Ottoman, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles. With over 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 baths, and splendid gardens, it ranks among the largest palaces in the world.

15 July Martyrs' Bridge, formerly known as Bosphorus Bridge and halk arasında Birinci Köprü (First Bridge), is an important suspension bridge located over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. The bridge's piers are situated in Ortaköy on the European side and Beylerbeyi on the Asian side. Being the first bridge built over the Bosphorus, it is also known as the First Bridge. Along with the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, and the Eurasia Tunnel, it provides uninterrupted road transportation between the two sides of the city. Construction of the bridge began on February 20, 1970, and it was officially opened on October 30, 1973, by then-President Fahri Korutürk in a state ceremony, coinciding with Turkey's 50th anniversary of its founding.

The fortress located on the Bosphorus coast in the Sarıyer district of Istanbul, which bears the name of its neighborhood, holds historical significance. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror built it before the conquest of Istanbul to eliminate potential threats coming from the Black Sea, at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus (698 meters), opposite the Anadolu Hisarı on the Anatolian side. The fortress covers an area of 32,000 square meters. Constructed in a short period of ninety days, this structure has three large towers, some of the largest castle battlements in the world. Rumeli Hisarı is referred to as Kulle-i Cedide in the sultanic foundations; Yenice Hisar in Neşri's historical writings; and Boğazkesen Hisarı in the documents of Kemalpaşazade, Aşıkpaşazade, and Nişancı.

Anadolu Hisarı Fortress, also known as Güzelce Hisarı, is an Ottoman fortress located in the Anadoluhisarı neighborhood of Beykoz district in Istanbul, at the site where the Göksu River flows into the Bosphorus. Anadolu Hisarı covers an area of 7,000 square meters and was built in 1395 by Yıldırım Bayezid at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus, which is 660 meters apart. The Genoese, allied with the Byzantines, established colonies in the Black Sea region (Kefe, Sinop, and Amasra). Therefore, passage through the strait was vital for the Genoese. The same was true for the Ottomans. On the opposite shore, on the European side of Istanbul, Rumelihisarı was constructed between 1451 and 1452 by Mehmed the Conqueror to monitor the passage of foreign ships. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror added outer walls to this fortress during its construction.

Following the naval victory at Cyzicus, in 408 BC, the Athenian general Alcibiades possibly built a special lookout station on a small rock off Üsküdar, likely for ships coming from the Black Sea. The tower, which has become the symbol of Üsküdar, is the only remaining structure from the Byzantine period, with a longstanding history dating back to 24 BC. In 1110, Byzantine Emperor Alexios I constructed a wooden tower reinforced with stone walls. From this tower, an iron chain was stretched to another tower built in the Mangana district of the historic peninsula. The islet was later connected to the Asian coast by a defense wall, along with submerged relics. During the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the tower housed a Byzantine garrison led by Venetian Gabriele Trevisano. Subsequently, during Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror’s reign, the structure was used by the Ottoman Turks as a watchtower.

Galataport is a cruise port and mixed-use facility located in Karaköy, Istanbul. Situated on the European side of the Bosphorus, at the point where the Golden Horn merges with the Bosphorus Strait. It is located along a 1.2 km long coastline on the Bosphorus. The facility includes a hotel, cafes, restaurants, boutique shops, offices, and two art museums. Galata Rıhtımı is Istanbul's and Turkey's first modern quay. It extends from Galata Bridge toward Fındıklı along the Karaköy waterfront. Construction began in April 1892 under the leadership of Mişel Pasha and was completed at the end of 1895. It is 758 meters long. Together with Salıpazarı Rıhtımı, it constitutes the Istanbul port. It is managed by the Turkish Maritime Organization.