The Bosphorus Panorama Tour is an excellent way to combine a boat ride with some of Istanbul’s historical sights and its delightful views from the sea. The Gulf is located between two continents – Europe and Asia Minor.

Maiden Tower

The journey along Bosphorus allows you to see the Maiden Tower from the sea. It is also called Kyz Kulesi or Leander Tower in the honour of a hero of ancient mythology. According to legend, Leander was crossing the Strait at night to reach his beloved, who was a priestess of Aphrodite. She lit a fire that the young man was guided by. One day this lighthouse went out, and Leander died. In the morning, the girl saw the body of the deceased lover and, in despair, threw herself from the tower.

The Maiden tower is one of the symbols of Istanbul. The only way to get into it is by water. The construction is in the Asian part of the city, which according to one version was built as a watchtower during the reign of the Emperor Constantine Great. Under the Ottomans, the building served as a beacon, then as a military liaison centre, a hospital and a prison. It has suffered numerous fires and earthquakes, but it has been rebuilt every time.

During the tour, tourists will find out why the building is called Maiden. There is a legend about a daughter of a Byzantine emperor who was locked to be saved in the tower.

Rumeli Hisari Fortress

It is also called the Rumeli Fortress or Boaz-Kesen. It is located in the European part of Istanbul.

The fortress of Rumeli Hisari was founded in the middle of the 15th century by order of Sultan Mehmed II to cut off Constantinople’s access to the Black Sea and begin its assault. The name of the tower in translation means «cutting a throat» – indeed, after its construction the bay became impossible to sail.

The architectural ensemble of the fortress includes several towers:

Zaganos Pasha – rising to 57 above sea level;

Sarouja Pasha – height 24 m and height 33 m;

Khalil Pasha.

The narrowest part of the Bosphorus Strait was chosen for the construction. More than 3,000 builders and craftsmen worked there, completing the work in a record period of 4.5 months.

In the middle of the last century the fortress was restored. The work was quite extensive and took five years.

Observation deck in Asia

This is one of the best observation areas in the city. From here you can see great views not only of Istanbul, but also of Bosphorus. This is a great place to enjoy beautiful scenery and take memorable photographs.

Bosphorus bridge

The Bosphorus Bridge is now called the Martyrs Bridge on July 15 in memory of the Turkish military putsch of 2016. Its main features are:

–         The total length is 1.56 km;

–         The width is 33.5 m;

–         A total height is 160 m; the height of the vaults over water is 64 m;

–         The main span length is 1.074 km.

It was built in 1970, opened in 1973. It’s a bridge across the Strait that separates the European and Asian parts of Istanbul.

The Bosphorus Bridge was the first suspension bridge across the Strait. It was built from steel. More than 200,000 vehicles pass through the bridge every day. It’s closed for pedestrians.

You can book Istanbul tours, including the Bosphorus tour on our website. The price includes professional guide services and a round-trip transfer.