Deep Blue Bosphorus: A Slow Boat Ride Between Two Continents

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The Bosphorus is about 30 kilometres long and connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. At its narrowest, it is only about 700 metres wide. Beneath that deep blue surface, two currents flow in opposite directions: the surface water moves from the Black Sea towards Marmara, while saltier water deeper down flows the other way. It is also known as one of the most difficult waterways in the world to sail, because it is narrow and full of bends.

One cool, sunny, windy autumn day, I stepped onto a boat full of tourists for a ride along the Bosphorus, the strait that runs through the middle of Istanbul. 

Mosque on the shore seen from a cruise boat on the Bosphorus, Istanbul
A mosque I could see from the boat.

View of the shore as the tour boat moves away from the Bosphorus coast in Istanbul
The boat slowly pulled away from the shore to begin the journey.

On Deck in the Autumn Wind

Standing on the deck, I felt the autumn wind blow past me. It did not make me any colder. It only carried the fresh air of the sea. All around me were the sounds of waves slapping against the side of the boat, seagulls calling to one another, and now and then the horn of a ship. Everything blended together into a sound that felt ordinary and yet belonged only to Istanbul.

Blue sky and blue water in different shades over the Bosphorus strait
Sky and water in the same blue, in different shades.

Buildings along the shore passing by from the deck of a Bosphorus cruise
I kept gazing at the buildings passing before my eyes.

The Deep Blue of the Bosphorus

What I noticed most was the colour of the water. It was a strange, deep blue, darker than I expected and still beautiful. I had never seen sea water of such a colour that held my eyes so completely.

Modern cable-stayed bridge with large cables spanning the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia
I was struck by the huge cables of the modern bridge that stretches between Asia and Europe.

Both shores were lined with buildings that felt distinctly Turkish: palaces and mosques. In the middle of the strait, ships moved in both directions. Some of the big cruise ships looked like enormous hotels floating on the water.

Wider stretch of the Bosphorus strait with deep blue water
A slightly wider part of the strait, where the water is even bluer

Shoreline scenery gliding past a boat on the Bosphorus in Istanbul
The scenery kept slipping past, strangely beautiful.

Waterfront scene along the Bosphorus photographed from the cruise boat
I kept taking photos of moments I thought were worth keeping.

Dolmabahçe at the Water's Edge

As we drifted over that blue, the boat passed many buildings along the shore. The one that impressed me most was Dolmabahçe, a rectangular palace stretched right along the coast, with rows of windows side by side and their bright reflections spilling onto the water.

Deep blue water of the Bosphorus stretching ahead of the cruise boat
The journey through endless blue carried on.

Some context: Dolmabahçe Palace was built between 1843 and 1856 for Sultan Abdülmecid I. It was designed by the architect Garabet Balyan and his son. Its sea-facing front runs for about 600 metres along a marble quay. In 1856, the Ottoman court moved here from Topkapı Palace. The name Dolmabahçe means "filled garden" (dolma means filled and bahçe means garden), because the site was once a small bay of the strait. It is also the palace where Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, spent his final days.

Dolmabahçe Palace stretched along the Bosphorus shore in Istanbul
Right ahead is Dolmabahçe Palace, the place that impressed me most.

Historic waterfront buildings along the Bosphorus in Istanbul
These buildings have a touch of the old world about them, and they still leave me in awe.

One City, Two Continents

And so the boat carried me through a place where two worlds meet. What fascinated me most is that Istanbul is one city, yet the Bosphorus is a natural border that divides it into two halves on two different continents. Standing in the middle of the strait, I only had to look towards the western shore to see Europe, busy and lively, with its grand palaces. Then I turned my head towards the eastern shore, and there was Asia, where life seemed quieter and more thoughtful.

Large cruise ship floating on the Bosphorus strait
A giant cruise ship floating on the water.

Blue and white colours dominating the view of the Bosphorus strait
The strait is filled with two colours: blue and white.

The deep blue water never gave me a feeling of separation. It felt more like a ribbon of silk joining two halves of the world, allowing East and West to exist side by side in one single city.

View of the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul from a sightseeing boat
This is the most beautiful boat trip I have ever taken.

Modern and historic buildings side by side along the Bosphorus in Istanbul
Istanbul's mix of modern and historic architecture.

I had thought this would be an ordinary boat ride, like any other. But the Bosphorus turned out to be far more beautiful than I ever imagined, and it left me with so many feelings and so many lasting impressions.

Bosphorus strait and the waterfront architecture beside it in Istanbul
It is not only the strait, but also the buildings beside it, that create a harmony that is hard to put into words.


Location: Istanbul, İstanbul, Türkiye

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