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Bosphorus Sunset: A Ferry Ride to Remember

Last updated Dec 10, 2021 | Published on Feb 4, 2020
 Bosphorus Sunset from the ferry dock in the Kadıköy neighborhood.

Bosphorus Sunset from the ferry dock in the Kadıköy neighborhood.

After spending almost two weeks in Istanbul, Daniel and I had one last item on our list: catching a Bosphorus sunset from the water. We had witnessed several amazing sunsets during our visit to Istanbul so far, but none from a boat. We considered taking a cruise but decided that was too much money and opted for a ferry ride instead.

And that is how we ended up taking a day trip to the Kadıköy neighborhood on the ferry. It seemed like a good opportunity to check out a new neighborhood as we’d spent most of our time so far rambling around the European side of the city and checking out the top things to do in Istanbul. Crossing the Bosphorus meant that we were actually travelling to Asia as Istanbul is a city that spans across two continents.

Once in Kadıköy, we spent the afternoon exploring the Kadıköy Market and learning all the best things to do on the Asian side of Istanbul. There are quite a few interesting murals painted on the sides of various buildings in the Kadıköy neighborhood. We’d heard about the murals but weren’t sure where exactly to find them and so hunted around the neighborhood for a few hours.

But the real highlight of the day was the spectacular Bosphorus sunset during our return trip on the ferry. The sun put on an amazing show as it slowly dipped below the horizon and painted the sky a gorgeous array of colors. It was a fitting end to our fabulous visit to Istanbul, which continues to be one of my favorite cities.

It was also a much cheaper way to catch a Bosphorus sunset as opposed to shelling out a bunch of money for a touristy cruise. The ferries are plentiful in Istanbul and often much faster than taking a car or other overland transportation. Ferries are also incredibly easy to take. All you need is an IstanbulKart (Istanbul Card), which is an all-round boarding pass that can be used on public transportation including the metro, buses and trams. We used Google Maps to help us plan our route and it worked like a charm.

Read on to see some pictures of our day trip to Kadıköy as well as the Bosphorus sunset later in the day.

Ferry to Kadıköy Neighborhood

View of the Sultanahmet neighborhood as we rode the ferry to Kadıköy.

Daniel chillaxes on the ferry.

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Unicorn selfie.

Lots of boats on the Bosphorus!

These seagulls flocked around the ferry… probably because other passengers were feeding them.

At the ferry dock in Kadıköy.

Kadıköy Farmers Market

Approaching the Kadıköy Market.

Fresh produce at the Kadıköy Market.

More goods at the Kadıköy Market.

A pickle store! Yessss!!!!

Murals in the Kadıköy Neighborhood

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Mural in the Kadıköy Neighborhood

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Mural in the Kadıköy Neighborhood

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Mural in the Kadıköy Neighborhood

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Mural in the Kadıköy Neighborhood

Bosphorous Sunset from the Ferry

Bosphorus Sunset from the ferry dock in the Kadıköy neighborhood.

Bosphorus Sunset from the ferry dock in the Kadıköy neighborhood.

Romantic Bosphorus sunset selfie time!

Romantic Bosphorus sunset selfie time!

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The sunset continues from the ferry dock in the Kadıköy neighborhood.

…and continues…

 Bosphorus sunset with the Süleymaniye Mosque in the background.

Bosphorus sunset with the Süleymaniye Mosque in the background.

It just gets even better the closer we approach the Karaköy neighborhood.

…and even better!

Where are we now?

Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2020
Vagabonding Journey Status: Day 101

We are in Istanbul, Turkey.

For more details on our vagabonding journey, see my previous posts:

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The Pigeon Valley Trail (Güvercinlik Vadısı) connects the communities of Göreme and Uçhisar in Cappadocia. At approximately 4 km in length and with fabulous views of fairy chimneys and whimsical rock formations (not to mention pigeons), the trail is very popular. But when we hiked it, we encountered an unexpected adventure.

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Hi, I'm Unicorn!

I am an avid hiker, traveler, and adventurer who is on the mission to explore hiking trails around the world.  I’m also obsessed with National Parks, long-distance trails and other outdoorsy things.

I hope to share this knowledge with you and inspire you to explore new hiking trails too!

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