The Bosphorus Strait

After deciding to fly with Turkish Airlines to Marrakesh, we discovered our journey would include a mandatory stopover. We chose Istanbul – a city that, to me, had always felt wrapped in a certain mystery, its story unfolding across centuries. We landed at 06h00, stepping out into early morning darkness, greeted by cold, rainy weather that did little to lift our travel-worn spirits. Anticipating our fatigue, we had planned a gentle introduction to the city: a leisurely cruise along the Bosphorus Strait – an easy, restorative way to spend the day after a long, sleepless flight.

Istanbul is the world’s only metropolis straddling two continents – Europe and Asia – separated by the Bosphorus Strait. This unique geography splits the city into a European side (commercial/historical) and an Asian side (residential/relaxed), connected by bridges, tunnels, and ferries. 

The start of the day was overcast and cold…

It’s easy to mistake the Bosphorus Strait for a river – but it is anything but. This narrow, sinuous channel is a natural sea strait, a ribbon of saltwater that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, and in doing so, divides continents – Europe on one side, Asia on the other. 

There are many sights to see on this cruise, including the Grand Çamlıca Mosque on the skyline.

At just 30 kilometres long, it narrows dramatically in places – pinched to a mere 750 metres between the imposing Ottoman fortresses of Rumelihisarı and Anadoluhisarı – before widening again toward the Black Sea. Depths shift unpredictably, from relatively shallow edges to over 120 metres midstream, giving the Bosphorus a dynamic, almost restless character.

Dolmabahçe Palace as seen from the water.

It is also a living corridor. For centuries, fish have followed ancient migratory routes through these waters, moving between seas with the seasons, sustaining both marine life and the communities along its shores. And once – surprisingly, almost inconceivably – these waters were patrolled by giants. The formidable Great white shark was once a known presence in the Bosphorus and the nearby Sea of Marmara, with individuals recorded at staggering sizes of up to 1,500 kilograms. Today, that reality feels almost mythical. The disappearance of these apex predators, driven by dwindling tuna stocks and rising pollution, is a quiet but profound loss – one that speaks not only to changing ecosystems, but to the fragile balance of life in even the most storied and seemingly timeless places.

The Kuleli Military High School seen from the Bosphorus Strait.

A defining aspect of the currents in the Bosphorus is the unique manifestation of a “double current” running through the length of the strait. This unique current is composed mainly of an undercurrent and a surface current. The relatively similar heights of the surfaces of the neighbouring seas sustain this double current. The undercurrent, composed of denser saline water, flows uphill from the pressure of the water column in the Sea of Marmara. A surface current of less saline water flows through the Bosphorus strait from the Black Sea on top of the undercurrent.

In 2024, 41 363 ships transited the strait, including thousands of tankers and bulk carriers. The 1936 Montreux Convention is an international treaty granting Turkey control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, regulating the passage of naval warships and merchant vessels between the Mediterranean and Black Seas. It ensures freedom of passage for civilian ships but restricts non-Black Sea military vessels in both peacetime and wartime. All the way up and down the straight, there are enormous Turkish flags – there can be no mistaking who the land belongs to!

Docking in Anadolu Kavağı.

Anadolu Kavağı is a historic fishing village on Istanbul’s Asian shore, serving for centuries as a vital strategic, military, and customs checkpoint between the Black Sea and the Bosphorus. Anadolu Kavağı was originally called Hieron (Ancient Greek: ἱερόν) and was an important outpost for the Romans and the Byzantines. Anadolu comes from the Greek word anatoli, meaning “the land to the East,” while kavak means “controlled pass.” From Byzantine times to the present, this has been a strategic checkpoint for vessels going through the Bosphorus.

Anadolu Kavagi is known as a fishing neighbourhood . You can eat the fish caught in the early hours of the morning, freshly cooked, in all the restaurants.

To get to Anadolu Kavağı from the Eminönü area, the best method is by ferry, which offers a scenic 1h 40m journey. The service provider is Sehir Hatlari – which is a public ferry. You leave at 10h30 and reach Anadolu Kavağı at 12h25. At the Anadolu Kavağı Pier, you have a break until 15h00, when you board again and make your way back to Eminönü. The return trip only costs around R250 – which we thought was great value for a whole day of entertainment…

Yoros Castle is likely close to 764 years old!

Aside from having a meal and wandering the town, the only other activity in Anadolu Kavağı is to hike up to Yoros Castle, on the hilltop above the town. There is no definitive evidence as to when this castle was built on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, but it is believed to have been built during the rule of the Byzantine Palaeologian dynasty. It is often cited as being founded around 1262, making it over 764 years old! It was likely built by Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos or Manuel I Komnenos to control the Bosphorus Strait, later used by Genoese and Ottoman forces, with extensive renovations occurring in the 15th century.

The Nazar amulet on a private residence in Anadolu Kavağı.

The traditional blue glass charm – known in Turkey as the Nazar amulet and in Greece as the Mati – is one of the most recognisable symbols across the Mediterranean and Middle East. More than a simple souvenir, it carries centuries of belief tied to the idea of the “evil eye”: a curse thought to arise from envy, admiration, or ill intention. Typically handcrafted from molten glass, each piece is formed into layered concentric circles – deep cobalt blue, white, and pale blue – creating the unmistakable stylised eye. The colour blue is traditionally associated with protection and good energy, believed to counteract harmful intent. The charm is thought to act as a silent guardian, absorbing negative energy before it can affect the wearer or their surroundings. According to popular belief, if a Nazar becomes cracked or breaks, it has fulfilled its purpose – having taken on too much negativity – and should be replaced.

Turkish deliciousness…

After walking around the little village, and admiring all the friendly local cats, we popped into one of the waterfront restaurants to enjoy a Turkish coffee, and taste some local pastries (including baklava, sweet pumpkin with pistachio crumble and stewed quince with cream).

View from restaurant.

Sweet local kitties.

On the way back, the weather had cleared and we had spectacular views of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, also known as the Third Bosphorus Bridge. This is a vehicular bridge over the Bosphorus strait, to the north of Istanbul’s two older suspension bridges. Opened on 26 August 2016, it is a hybrid (suspension/cable-stayed) structure recognized as the world’s widest (59m) and longest hybrid bridge to feature a railway. Spanning 2164m, its 322m-high towers make it one of the tallest suspension bridges globally. It was simply stunning in the clear, winter light…

View of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge.

Next week we continue to explore more of the attractions in Istanbul.

Jacqui Ikin & The Cross Country Team