BOSPHORUS & BLACK SEA Sightseeing and Swimming Cruise with lunch on-board

The one and only sightseeing cruise to Bosphorus and Black Sea on a private boat with lunch. Have the chance to zigzag and set foot both in Europe and Asia and swim along the Black Sea shores of Northern Istanbul.

Bosphorus that separates Asia from Europe and unites the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and Aegean. The Bosphorus is the 32 km (20 mile) long strait and it’s no surprise that any conqueror who was anybody had his sights set on the Bosphorus. During World War I, the Bosphorus was the key to the Black Sea and Russia. The Sultan held the key. The Entente powers wanted it. What they failed to get in battle they got by a treaty. Pass by pastel-colored old wooden mansions home to many celebrities, posh marble palaces, majestic mosques with their ubiquitous minarets, quaint villages dotting the riverside and colorful neighborhoods, mighty fortresses of Rumeli and Anadolu. Since the strait is a seasonal migration route for fish to and from the Black Sea, the Bosphorus is heavily fished. It is crossed by three bridges and two underground tunnel with railway and road. One of the most beautiful coastlines in the world!

We’ll start in Kabatas and after 20-minutes cruise, we arrive in the quaint town of Ortakoy, among Istanbul’s coolest, chic-est, most artsy neighborhoods, with trendy boutiques, atmospheric cafés and bistrots, and crowds of young, sophisticated residents and visitors. Be sure not to miss the eclectic-baroque mosque work of architect Nikogos Balyan, the designer of Dolmabahce Palace, a scion of the famous Armenian family of imperial architects. Enjoy masterful examples of calligraphy executed by the 31st Ottoman Sultan, Abdulmecid – who was an accomplished calligrapher and father of last 4 Ottoman Sultans. During his reign, series of reforms (imperial reorganization) promulgated, founded the first French theatre in Constantinople, decrimalisation of homosexuality and Ottoman paper currency was also introduced.

Crossing over to Asia and visit ornate nine-room Ottoman imperial hunting lodge, Kucuksu Palace. Crusing back to Europe to visit mighty Rumeli Fortress, at the narrowest part of the Bosphorus (about 700 meters). Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror ordered the great fortress to be built on the European shore in order to control commercial and military traffic in preparation for the siege of Constantinople. Stunning Bosphorus sights by day and indulge in a freshly prepared lunch menu onboard. Seasoned chicken breast or cutlets, chef’s vegeterian meal choice of the day, buffet with an array of sides/snacks and seasonal salad. Then, we cruise back to Asian shores and dock at Anadolu Kavagi, which means control-post in Ottoman-Turkish, suggesting the strategic importance of its location.

Before tour’s end, we will anchor down just off the coast of Poyrazkoy, northernmost suburb of Istanbul near the mouth of the Bosphorus on the shore of the chilly Black Sea. Whether you’re an experienced swimmer or a beginner, don’t miss out the opportunity to swim in only city built on two continents. Enjoy splendid views of this adorable fishing village, Yoros Castle and Yusa or Joshua Hill. Prophet Joshua who was very close to Prophet Moses and took his place as the leader of the Bani Israil after his death according to Quran and servant of the Lord in the Bible.