An afternoon İn Bosphorus with HASAN GÖKSU expertise

Hasan GÖKSU Uzmanlığıyla...

No matter how beautiful the nature is, a visitor should taste fish and new rakı (ouzo) to fully enjoy Bosphorus.
Do not leave Istanbul without such a memorable experience.

This strait is 32 kilometers long. But its width varies from 500 meters to 3 kilometers.
The Ottomans controlled the Bosphorus by two castles. Normally the two castles were built at a narrow point facing each other to prevent incoming help to Constantinople.
It is most visible where Europe meets Asia at this geographical part of the world. There are two suspension bridges which connect the two continents. In ancient Greek, bous is cow and poros is crossing place. Both make Bosphorus, which means the place where the cow crossed. Io had an affair with Zeus. Thus Zeus was unfaithful to his wife Hera. To make up for this He turned his lover into a cow. This cow travelled to East across Bosphorus.
Bosphorus has a rich military history. Byzas were one of the earliest to be present in the region. Later Ottomans would cross the water strip every Jihad season. In WW I Bosphorus eyewitnessed many military campaigns.
When you board a cruise boat you will be able to spot the Seraglio at the South End facing the Leander's Tower, Dolmabahçe palace where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk passed away , the Çırağan palace now run as a hotel by Kempinsky group ,the two castles; Rumelihisarı and Anadolu Hisarı, Boğaziçi University, former Robert College,Two mosques one in Ortaköy and the other in Üsküdar, a great number of poshy Yalıs.
Turks usually form crowds at Ortaköy seaside or Salajak promenade at the weekends. Kanlıca and Sarıyer is also full of Turks enjoying the beauty and grandeur of Boğaziçi. Tarabya -Therapeia-is popular at nights with its costly restaurants, where local celebrities sing and raqı is consumed with fish. Arnavutköy is also packed with anglers and strollers . Since private ownership invades the most there is little to enjoy on the Asian coastline. Beylerbeyi,Kuzguncuk, Çubuklu and Beykoz are some of the few areas which offer relief gaps to pedestrians roaming on the coast. In ancient Greek, bous is cow and poros is crossing place. Both make Bosphorus, which means the place where the cow crossed. Io had an affair with Zeus. Thus Zeus was unfaithful to his wife Hera. To make up for this He turned his lover into a cow. This cow travelled to East across Bosphorus.
Bosphorus has a rich military history. Byzas were one of the earliest to be present in the region. Later Ottomans would cross the water strip every Jihad season. In WW I Bosphorus eyewitnessed many military campaigns.
When you board a cruise boat you will be able to spot the Seraglio at the South End facing the Leander's Tower, Dolmabahçe palace where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk passed away , the Çırağan palace now run as a hotel by Kempinsky group ,the two castles; Rumelihisarı and Anadolu Hisarı, Boğaziçi University, former Robert College,Two mosques one in Ortaköy and the other in Üsküdar, a great number of poshy Yalıs.
Turks usually form crowds at Ortaköy seaside or Salajak promenade at the weekends. Kanlıca and Sarıyer is also full of Turks enjoying the beauty and grandeur of Boğaziçi. Tarabya -Therapeia-is popular at nights with its costly restaurants, where local celebrities sing and raqı is consumed with fish. Arnavutköy is also packed with anglers and strollers . Since private ownership invades the most there is little to enjoy on the Asian coastline. Beylerbeyi,Kuzguncuk, Çubuklu and Beykoz are some of the few areas which offer relief gaps to pedestrians roaming on the coast. Bosphorus has cute fisherman villages on Black sea. Rumelifeneri is one of them. Some old houses are still resisting to concrete.

Yeniköy is the fashionable
area on European side. During the last 50 years unfortunately concrete invaded the Bosphorus Hills

A typical joke about the First bridge is

" Which is the longest bridge in the world?"

Answer - Golden Gate. No, I'm sorry it is a wrong answer.

"The correct answer is of course the Bosphorus Bridge"-

Why !?!?!?!?!?!?!? -

"Because it takes 2 hours to go across in rush hour traffic " :-)) :-)) :-))


Sophia Lau of Australia was glad she was in Bosphorus.


Kanlıca is one of the prestigious areas on Asian side.


A very old Yalı- A surviving witness of three centuries


Increasing tanker traffic
is constituting a menace to the city.

Istanbul people say:

A side rail-road should be built on the sea all along the Asian coast from Üsküdar to Beykoz as soon as possible to comfort the traffic.




This aerial photo of Istanbul gives a great idea about the structure of Bosphorus. On the left it is Black sea at the time of sunrise, and Marmara sea is on the right. Even İzmit bay is clearly visible in the photo. On this side of the Bosphorus-i.e European side there are three lakes Terkos; near the black sea, Küçük and Büyük Çekmece whereas on the Asian side there is one behind Ömerli dam. With a careful look you can easily spot the Prince Isles offshore Bostancı. Büyükada, Heybeli, Burgaz, Kınalı are some of them. City of old Istanbul is situated on the triangular peninsula at the very end of Bosphorus
In good old days Ortaköy used to be a peaceful student resort.
But Today people flood to the Sunday Market. Populate the bars and cafes. Baked Potatoes are very popular which come with at least a dozen toppings which may vary from various vegetables like carrots, peas etc.to meat products like sausages, salami and special local sauces, salads and creams.


Anadolukavağı

It is the last stop on a Bosphorus trip.Once you are there don't waste time looking at the fish restaurants rush uphill to the castle.If starving buy a fish or mussel sandwich from a take away $ 1.50 approx. Do your best to avoid some of the restaurants. They may rip you off!


Steamships are an indispensable part of Istanbul view


Anadolu Hisarı is still a peaceful weekend resort.


If you are one of the happy few do not waste time elsewhere.
Enjoy Bosphorus at Çırağan Palace,Hotel Kempinsky.

The second Bridge on the Bosphorus. Much was expected to relieve the traffic but it only contributed to land speculators huge profits.