Dolmabahçe to Ortaköy: a half-day walk on the Bosphorus

This walk follows the European shore of the Bosphorus from Dolmabahçe Palace through Beşiktaş to Ortaköy. It is about 3 km long and runs on level pavement beside the water. With a visit to the palace, it fills half a day. Start in the morning: weekday mornings are the quietest time at the palace.

Start at Dolmabahçe Palace

Take the T1 tram to its last stop, Kabataş, and walk 10 to 12 minutes north along the shore to the main gate. From Taksim, the F1 funicular runs down to Kabataş. The clock tower at the entrance was added under Sultan Abdülhamid II.

The palace was built for Sultan Abdülmecid between 1843 and 1856. The visit covers the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall with its 36 m dome and 4.5-tonne chandelier, and the Harem. Guides suggest two and a half to three hours for both wings. The Museum Card is not valid for the Selamlık.

Along the shore to Beşiktaş

From the palace, continue north on the shore road. After about 1 km you reach the Beşiktaş ferry pier, with the Istanbul Naval Museum beside it. The Ottoman navy minister founded the museum in 1897, and its current building opened in 2013. Its two upper floors show imperial caïques, the long rowing boats of the sultans. Check its opening days before you go.

Çırağan and Ortaköy

From Beşiktaş, Çırağan Caddesi follows the water to Ortaköy, about 2 km further on. On the way you pass Çırağan Palace. Sultan Abdülaziz had it built between 1863 and 1867. A fire in 1910 left only its outer walls, and the restored palace is now a hotel.

Ortaköy is a neighbourhood of Beşiktaş district. On its pier square stands the Büyük Mecidiye Mosque, usually called Ortaköy Mosque. Garabet and Nikoğos Balyan, the architects of Dolmabahçe, built it for Sultan Abdülmecid in the 1850s. The mosque stands close to the European tower of the Bosphorus Bridge. The lanes down to the square are lined with stalls selling kumpir, a large baked potato filled with butter, cheese and toppings. At weekends local artists often sell their work at small markets.

Practical notes

Opening days, hours and timetables change with the season. Before you set off, check the palace on the National Palaces website (millisaraylar.gov.tr), and buses and ferries on the IETT and Şehir Hatları websites.