Anadolu Kavağı, Yoros Castle and Rumeli Feneri at the Black Sea mouth

Anadolu Kavağı is a small fishing village on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, facing Rumeli Kavağı across the water, at the point where the strait opens into the Black Sea. It is the turnaround of the public Long Bosphorus Tour, which gives you about two and a half hours ashore: enough to climb to Yoros Castle, look out at the Black Sea and the third bridge, and eat fish by the pier.

It is often sold together with Rumeli Feneri and Yoros Castle as one "northern Bosphorus" trip. It is not one trip. Anadolu Kavağı, Yoros Castle and Poyrazköy are on the Asian side; Rumeli Feneri, Garipçe and Kilyos are on the European side, and no tour boat stops at Rumeli Feneri. Pick a shore, or plan a long day with a car.

Two shores at the mouth: which side is which

Anadolu Kavağı itself is tiny: about 1,500 residents, many of them military personnel from the nearby bases. In antiquity the place was called Hieron. Today the waterfront is lined with fish restaurants that live from the Long Tour passengers.

Getting to Anadolu Kavağı by ferry

The easy way is the Şehir Hatları Long Tour (Uzun Boğaz Turu) from Eminönü. Şehir Hatları is the municipal ferry company; the tour runs daily, calls on both shores, and waits at Anadolu Kavağı before taking you back.

• Fare: 640 TL return for foreign visitors, 320 TL for Turkish citizens; under-12s 160 TL; under-6s free. Buy at the Şehir Hatları Bosphorus-tour booth at Eminönü, east of the Galata Bridge.
• Timetable: on the winter timetable (since 7 September) the boat leaves Eminönü at 10:35, arrives at 12:25 and leaves Anadolu Kavağı at 15:00, the only return sailing of the tour. The summer timetable adds sailings. Check sehirhatlari.istanbul or the booth on the day.
• Other boats: commuter lines link Anadolu Kavağı with Rumeli Kavağı, Sarıyer and Üsküdar, but sailings are few and mostly at rush hour. There is also a bus to Üsküdar. Use them as a backup, not as a plan.

The whole trip, with every stop on the way, is on the Black Sea cruise page. For the city's other boats, see the public ferry guide.

Yoros Castle: the walk, the view, the rules

Yoros Castle (Yoros Kalesi, also called the Genoese Castle) stands on a steep hill just north of the village, above the junction of the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. It has Byzantine origins; a chain could be stretched across the strait from here. The Ottomans took it in 1305 and lost it, held it again from 1391, the Genoese had it for about 40 years from 1414, and Mehmed II refortified it after 1453. It was excavated in the 2010s.

What to expect:

• An open ruin, not a museum. Turkey's cultural inventory lists it as accessible; no ticket office or opening hours are published. Turkish press has reported graffiti, litter and a neglected site, so do not expect signs or facilities.
• A steep lane up through the village, muddy after rain. Wear proper shoes, and allow about half an hour for the climb.
• The view: the mouth of the strait, the Black Sea and, since 2016, the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge to the north.
• A military zone around it. The surroundings are closed to visitors. Stay on the path and do not photograph military installations.

Rumeli Feneri, Garipçe and Kilyos on the European side

Rumeli Feneri is a fishing village at the north-west end of the strait, about 10 km from Sarıyer centre, with seafood restaurants for day-trippers. Its lighthouse has been known since at least the 15th century, and the fort beside it, built in 1768–69, is now a ruin. No boat in the platform listings stops here: you go by road.

• Bus 150 runs from Hacıosman, the last stop of the M2 metro, via Büyükdere, Sarıyer centre and Garipçe to Rumeli Feneri, 52 minutes one way (İETT route 150). It does not start at the Sarıyer pier.
• Bus 40 links Rumeli Feneri and Garipçe with Taksim in about 95 minutes.
• Garipçe sits directly under the European tower of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge; bus 150 and 40 stop there.
• Bus 25A links Rumeli Kavağı with Hacıosman in about 26 minutes.
• Kilyos, on the Black Sea coast, is 48 minutes from Hacıosman by bus 151. Solar Beach is a beach club better known for music than for swimming; Burç Beach is the one for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

Can you combine both shores in a day? A commuter ferry crosses between Rumeli Kavağı and Anadolu Kavağı, but sailings are few; check the timetable before relying on it. Otherwise it means a long detour by road via the bridges.

Cruises that stop at Anadolu Kavağı

If you prefer lunch on board and a guide, a few private cruises reach the mouth. Prices are live "from" prices per person.

◐ Daytime

GetYourGuideHalf day

Istanbul: Bosphorus and Black Sea Cruise with Lunch

4.6 (161)

from $168Check dates

◐ Daytime

TiqetsFull day

Istanbul: Bosphorus & Black Sea Guided Tour with Cruise and Lunch

3.7 (3)

Next date: Apr 11

from $135Check dates

◐ Daytime

Headout4.5 h

Bosphorus & Black Sea 2-Course Lunch Cruise with Swimming Opportunity

4.5 (1,933)

from $168Check dates

◐ Daytime

GetYourGuideHalf day

Istanbul: Bosphorus Strait and Black Sea Lunch Cruise

4.8 (21)

from $168Check dates

See everything on GetYourGuide →See everything on Headout →See everything on Tiqets →Prices checked on October 17, 2026

• GetYourGuide's Bosphorus and Black Sea cruise with lunch includes time to explore Anadolu Kavağı: 5 hours, rated 4.6 from 161 reviews.
• Tiqets' 9-hour guided day (Velena Travel) stops at Anadolu Kavağı and swims off Poyrazköy in summer, but has only three reviews (3.7).
• Headout's lunch cruise with swimming has by far the most reviews (1,933, rated 4.5), but we could not confirm where it stops, so check the itinerary if Anadolu Kavağı matters to you.

Our view: for Anadolu Kavağı and Yoros Castle, the public Long Tour is better than any lunch cruise. It gives you two and a half hours ashore, which the private cruises do not promise. Book a lunch cruise if you want the swim at Poyrazköy or prefer free cancellation online. For other day trips by water, see day trips from Istanbul.

The Black Sea mouth on the chart

For the villages and palaces you pass on the way up, see landmarks seen from the water.

Anadolu Kavağı FAQ