Walking through Istanbul I got to experience it in detail but to see the city as a whole I definitely recommend doing the Bosphorus river cruise.
It is true that excursions along the shoreline of this magnificent city best reveal the city’s grandeur and other attractions hidden from street view.
A cruise on the Bosphorus is probably the most overlooked Istanbul tourist attraction. This is quite understandable, with such an abundance of historical sightseeing spots in Istanbul and too little time to squeeze them all into your short holiday. But take my advice and set a few hours aside to take an unforgettable Bosphorus tour. This was one of the highlights of my Turkey adventure.
The Bosphorus is the strait that lies between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, and separating Europe and Asia. It is definitely unique in that while sailing you have Asia on one side and Europe on the other and both is still Istanbul.
Where else can you board a ferryboat in Europe at Eminönü, and within 30minutes be in Asia?
I got to cruise the 32 km long strait from Eminönü all the way to the Black Sea, and back. Each way took about 90 minutes since the ferry made 5 short stops to let people on and off.
Along the riverbanks are a number of neighborhoods, each with a different character (possibly due to the fact that they all started as separate fishing villages) and palaces of the late Ottoman period.
I got to see the domes and minarets of Old Istanbul standing out between all the colourful houses and apartments of Istanbul. We cruised past the magnificent façade of Dolmabahçe Palace, and the sweep of the Bosphorus to the north and the Sea of Marmara to the south.
I got some lovely views of the Fatih Bridge about half-way up the Bosphorus and loads of other interesting sights along the way. It was quite interesting to see how the Asia and the Europe side of Istanbul differs from each other. And it was quite exciting to be able to enter Europe without having a schengen visa.
Janaline's world journey 
Thanks for sharing! Great post!!
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Thank you for joining my on this journey!
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What a great suggestion. I will remember this travel tip if I should get to Istanbul… Which is on my bucket list.
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Excellent, hope you get to explore this amazing city soon.
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Hitting two birds in one stone. What a great cruise experience.
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The best way to get a complete picture of this amazing city!
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Europe in the morning, Asia in the evening… Or the other way around. Continent hopping in Istanbul truly is a special experience! Beautiful pictures, Janaline! 🙂
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It is wonderful and to think I could move from Asia into Europe while still seeing the former. Such a beautiful sight.
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See Asia and Europe both at once, awesome! Thank you for the wonderful tour, Janaline. 🙂
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Thanks for joining me on this beautiful cruise Amy.
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I want to go there!!
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I would definitely recommend it Suej, Istanbul is filled with so many amazing things and is a great place to explore.
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Yep, I must do it! Oh, and just call me Sue! 🙂
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So glad you enjoyed the views and wonders that this beautiful city has to offer. Reminds me if how grateful I am to live here and the adventures that await.
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You are living in an amazing city! I would love to go back again as there is still so much to see and experience in that beautiful city.
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Wow – very beautiful – I truly enjoy reading your post the experience you are sharing with us, I hope you will visit my post and like my page too, I appreciate it!
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A warm welcome to my journey Mihrank. I am glad you enjoyed cruising the Bosphorus with me. I will definitely be visitiong your blog.
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Thanks for sharing, looks marvellous !
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Istanbul is amazing, I would love to go again.
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