Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: Turkish Show & Meze

Watch monuments from two empires while you eat and the Bosphorus slides past your table.

A 4-hour dinner cruise on the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia, with Turkish meze, soft drinks and two glasses of local alcohol, plus live entertainment including folk and belly dancing. You board from central Istanbul hotels and spend the evening watching Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace and the Bosphorus Bridge from the water while performers work the deck.

Step-by-step itinerary

Bosphorus dinner cruise with entertainment

• Board the Bosphorus dinner cruise
• Cruise along the Bosphorus Strait
• Pass by Spice Bazaar and Bosphorus Bridge
• Pass by Ortaköy and Dolmabahçe Palace
• Pass by Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia
• Pass by Üsküdar on Asian shore
• Enjoy Turkish meze dinner onboard
• Watch folk and belly dancing show
• Return to starting point

What’s included

• Turkish meze.
• soft drinks and two glasses of local alcohol.
• live folk and belly dancing entertainment.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from central Istanbul hotels.
• all fees and taxes.

Times

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• Every day 20:00

Information

Dine on Turkish meze while cruising the Bosphorus for 4 hours, watching Byzantine and Ottoman monuments pass.

Group Up to 200

Live guide English Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. When you book, you choose your hotel from 14 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you can type in your address. Pickup is about 45 minutes before departure. See the exact addressSee the pickup points

Book up to 3h before

Ages Adult (9 and older) · Child (2 to 8 years)

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Wheelchair accessible Accessible transport Stroller-friendly Infant seats available Public transport nearby Not recommended with heart problems Infants must sit on laps

More information The exact meeting point address, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

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The experience

The boat leaves a central Istanbul pier in the evening and heads into the Bosphorus Strait, the waterway that splits the city between two continents. As you move through the water, the monuments appear: Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque sit across from each other in the old city, their silhouettes lit against the darkening sky. Dolmabahce Palace, the 19th-century Ottoman imperial residence, lines the European shore. The Bosphorus Bridge spans overhead. Ortaköy, the waterfront neighborhood beneath it, glows from the water. The whole passage takes in the architecture that marks the shift from Byzantine to Ottoman rule, all visible from your table.

Dinner is Turkish meze, small plates of appetizers, served as you cruise. Two glasses of local alcohol come with the meal, along with soft drinks. The entertainment runs through the evening: folk dancers and belly dancers perform on deck, moving between tables. The show is the reason the cruise fills the time. Without it, you'd be watching monuments in silence. With it, the evening becomes a performance and a meal and a passage through history at once.

Hotel pickup and drop-off from central Istanbul hotels is included, so you don't arrange transport to the pier. The cruise lasts 4 hours total. Children from age 2 are welcome, and infants can sit on an adult's lap or in a specialized infant seat if you request one. The boat is wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces accommodate wheelchairs.

Top questions

Can I be picked up at my hotel?

You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. When you book, you choose your hotel from 14 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you can type in your address. Pickup is about 45 minutes before departure.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 8 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What monuments will I see from the Bosphorus during the cruise?

Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge and Ortaköy all appear as the boat moves through the strait. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque face each other across the water in the old city; Dolmabahce Palace lines the European shore; the bridge spans overhead; and Ortaköy sits beneath it on the waterfront.

Is the entertainment live, and what kind of dancing is included?

Yes, live performers work the deck during the cruise. The show includes folk dancing and belly dancing, performed between tables while you eat.

What food and drinks come with the ticket?

Turkish meze, small appetizer plates, are served during the cruise. Two glasses of local alcohol and soft drinks are included. Imported drinks are not.

Operated by Turkey Tours Planners. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago