Bosphorus Boat Trip for Brazilians: Prices in Reais and How to Choose

A boat trip on the Bosphorus costs from about R$37 on the city's public short tour (340 TL for foreign passengers) to around R$208 per person for a guided lunch cruise with us (from $38), and from about R$1,039 per hour for a private yacht (from $190 per hour). Which one is right depends on how much time you have, whether you want a guide in the boat, and whether the cruise is the main event of your day or just one part of it. If you want it all arranged, our guided Bosphorus lunch cruise is the simplest starting point.

This guide is written for travellers from Brazil and Portugal who search "passeio de barco no Bósforo" and want clear answers: what each type of boat costs in reais, how long it takes, what you see and how to choose. All real conversions use the European Central Bank rates of 5 November 2026, where US$1 is about R$5.47 and R$1 is about 9.16 Turkish lira. Rates move, so treat the reais figures as a guide.

Bosphorus boat trips at a glance, with prices in reais

The public fares are from the Şehir Hatları fare table for foreign passengers; local residents pay half. Our prices are per person unless shown otherwise.

The public ferry tours: the cheapest way on the water

Şehir Hatları, the city ferry company, runs two sightseeing tours from Eminönü pier, next to the Galata Bridge in the old city.

The short tour (Kısa Boğaz Turu) costs 340 TL for foreign passengers and leaves Eminönü at 14:40 every day on the current timetable, calling at Üsküdar and Ortaköy. It shows the palaces, mosques and bridges of the lower Bosphorus, so it is a good taste of the strait if you only have an afternoon.

The long tour (Uzun Boğaz Turu) costs 640 TL return for foreign passengers and goes all the way up to Anadolu Kavağı, the last village before the Black Sea. You get off there for lunch and a walk up to Yoros Castle, then take the boat back.

Children aged 0 to 6 travel free on both tours, according to the fare table. Buy tickets at the Eminönü pier; there is no guide and no commentary in Portuguese, but the views are the same as on a private boat. Our self-guided Bosphorus ferry guide explains the piers and the seats with the best views, and Bosphorus cruise tickets today covers last-minute plans.

For a very cheap crossing, a regular commuter ferry between Eminönü or Karaköy and Kadıköy costs 65.21 TL (about R$7) with an Istanbulkart. It does not follow the Bosphorus north, but it gives you the old city skyline from the water for very little.

Guided day cruises: when a guide is worth it

On a guided cruise you are picked up or met in the city, a guide explains what you are seeing, and the timing fits around the rest of your day. For many Brazilian visitors on a short trip, that is worth the difference over the public ferry.

• Morning Bosphorus cruise with a Spice Bazaar stop: from $40 per person (about R$219). A good first morning in Istanbul.
• Bosphorus lunch cruise with guide: from $38 per person (about R$208), with hotel pickup.
• Lunch cruise with hotel pickup and drop-off: from $75 per person (about R$410), 3 hours.
• Full-day Bosphorus cruise and two continents: from $88 per person (about R$481), adding stops on the Asian side.

If you want the cruise combined with a walk through the old city in one day, our walking tour and Bosphorus cruise page compares the options.

What you see from the water

Whichever boat you choose, the main sights along the lower Bosphorus are the same. Heading north from Eminönü:

1. The old city skyline: Topkapı Palace on its point, Hagia Sophia and the Süleymaniye Mosque above the Golden Horn.
2. The Maiden's Tower: the small tower on its rock off Üsküdar.
3. Dolmabahçe Palace: the 19th-century Ottoman palace, whose long marble front is best seen from the sea.
4. Ortaköy Mosque at the foot of the first Bosphorus bridge, the 15 July Martyrs Bridge.
5. Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian shore, just beyond the bridge.
6. Rumeli Fortress: the castle built by Mehmed II before the conquest of 1453, under the second bridge.
7. The yalı: the wooden waterfront mansions of Arnavutköy, Bebek, Kanlıca and Yeniköy.

The long public tour continues past Sarıyer to the fishing villages at the mouth of the Black Sea. Our page on the Bosphorus Strait has more on its history, and things to do on the Bosphorus suggests stops on land.

Dinner cruises: the evening option

A dinner cruise is the classic choice for a couple or a group of friends on their last night. Ours start from $57 per person (about R$312) for a Bosphorus dinner cruise with a Turkish night show, and from $90 per person (about R$492) for the luxury dinner cruise with folk and belly dance show and transfers.

These are show boats: you sit at a table, eat a set dinner and watch folk dance and belly dance while the boat sails past the lit bridges and palaces. If you want quiet and the view rather than a show, a private yacht at sunset is a better fit. Our Bosphorus dinner cruise guide explains the difference in detail.

Private yachts: when they make sense

A private yacht is the most expensive option per hour, but it changes completely when you split it. The Aura yacht charter starts from $190 per hour for up to 12 guests, about R$1,039 per hour for the whole boat. For a group of eight on a two-hour trip, that works out at roughly R$260 each, close to the price of a shared guided cruise, but the boat is yours.

Our 2-hour private Bosphorus yacht cruise with guide is from $600 per group (about R$3,280). Larger yachts for families and events are listed under Bosphorus yacht rental, and for an evening on the water, see the sunset Bosphorus yacht cruise.

A private yacht makes sense for:

• Families and groups of 6 to 12, where the cost per person falls sharply.
• Couples marking an occasion, such as a honeymoon or an anniversary.
• Photography, because you can ask the captain to slow down or stop near the sights.

How to choose: three common situations

You have one day in Istanbul. Spend the morning in the old city and take the public short tour at 14:40, or join a guided lunch cruise if you would rather not handle the piers yourself. See our Istanbul one-day tour page for a full plan.

You have three or four days. Do the public long tour on a calm day, with lunch in Anadolu Kavağı, and keep one evening for a dinner cruise or a sunset yacht.

You are travelling as a family or group. Compare the total cost of a private yacht for two hours with the per-person price of a shared cruise. From six people upwards, the yacht is often the better deal.

A note on seasons: when it is summer holiday time in Brazil in December and January, it is winter in Istanbul. The ferries run all year, but the open deck can be cold and windy, so bring a warm layer. July, the Brazilian winter holiday, is high summer on the Bosphorus, with long evenings and busy boats. Our best time to visit Istanbul guide covers the months in more detail.

Practical tips for Brazilian travellers

• Entry: Brazilian ordinary passport holders do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days, according to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Check our Turkey visa requirements update before you fly.
• Flights: Turkish Airlines flies nonstop between São Paulo-Guarulhos and Istanbul Airport (IST).
• Time difference: Türkiye is on UTC+3 all year, six hours ahead of Brasília time.
• Money: pay for the public ferries in Turkish lira; our private tours are priced in US dollars.
• Language: a Portuguese-speaking guide can be arranged on request, subject to availability; see our Portuguese-speaking guide in Istanbul page. For a longer trip around Türkiye, look at our Turkey tour packages from Brazil.

For more private boat and city options from our sister team, see private Istanbul tours.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul Bosphorus Lunch Cruise with Hotel Pick-Up & Guide: from $38 per person.
• Morning Bosphorus Cruise Tour in Istanbul with Spice Bazaar Stop: from $40 per person.
• Bosphorus Dinner Cruise in Istanbul with Turkish Night Show: from $57 per person.
• Aura Yacht Charter Istanbul: 13 m Private Motor Yacht for 12 Guests: from $190 per hour.

Frequently Asked Questions