Karaköy pier: where the sunset cruise boards
Where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus, below the Galata Tower and next to the Galata Bridge.
Sunset Bosphorus Cruise · From €40 per person
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Karaköy is on the European side, where the Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus, next to the Galata Bridge. Our sunset cruise boards here and sails from 17:00 to 19:00, earlier in winter. There is no hotel transfer on this cruise, so you come to Karaköy yourself: the T1 tram stops in Karaköy, and the Tünel funicular comes down from İstiklal Street.
Key facts
- Location
- European side, at the mouth of the Golden Horn
- Tram stop
- Karaköy, on the T1 tram
- Other ways to arrive
- Tünel funicular from İstiklal Street (about 1.5 minutes); city ferries from Kadıköy and Üsküdar; on foot from Galata and Galataport
- Exact meeting point
- We send the exact boarding point, with a map pin, when we confirm your reservation on WhatsApp.
Cruises from this pier
How to get there
- From Sultanahmet
- Take the T1 tram towards Kabataş. Karaköy is the fourth stop, after Gülhane, Sirkeci and Eminönü, just across the Galata Bridge.
- From Taksim and İstiklal Street
- Walk down İstiklal Street to Tünel Square and take the Tünel, the historic underground funicular, down to Karaköy. The ride takes about a minute and a half.
- From the Galata Tower
- Walk downhill towards the water. Karaköy is at the bottom of the Galata slope.
- From Galataport and the cruise terminal
- Karaköy is next door: walk along the shore towards the Galata Bridge, or take the T1 tram from Tophane one stop to Karaköy.
- From the Asian side
- City ferries run from Kadıköy and Üsküdar to Karaköy.
On the day
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before boarding. The cruise leaves at 17:00; in winter, when the sun sets earlier, the time can change, and we tell you the exact time when we confirm your reservation. Trams are busy in the late afternoon, so leave some extra time.
Around the pier
Karaköy is one of the oldest harbour districts of Istanbul, with cafés, galleries and a view across the Golden Horn to the old city. The Galata Tower stands on the hill above, and Galataport, the cruise-ship terminal with the Istanbul Modern museum, begins just along the shore.
Questions and answers
Which of your cruises leaves from Karaköy?
Our sunset cruise, every evening from 17:00 to 19:00. The time can change in winter, when the sun sets earlier.
Is there hotel transfer to Karaköy?
No, the sunset cruise does not include hotel transfer. Karaköy is easy to reach by the T1 tram or the Tünel funicular.
How do I get from Sultanahmet to Karaköy?
Take the T1 tram towards Kabataş. Karaköy is the fourth stop, just after crossing the Galata Bridge.
I am arriving on a cruise ship at Galataport. Can I join?
Yes. Karaköy is next to Galataport, a short walk along the shore. Tell us your ship's departure time when you book.
Tell us your date. We will do the rest.
Send a request with your preferred cruise, date and group size. We reply with availability and details.