Detours
SPOTLIGHT
Istanbul by Boat By Tim Johnson
It’s a unique pleasure to glide through the waves, from one continent to the next in the matter of a few minutes – and rarer still to sail to hidden neighbourhoods in one of the world’s greatest cities. Forming a blue slash that divides Istanbul and a strait that separates Europe and Asia (and connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara), the mighty Bosphorus is plied by dozens of ferries every day, with some 17 million people living along its shores. Here are the best neighbourhoods to explore, by boat.
BYZANTINE PORT: YENIKAPI One of the busiest ferry docks in the city and the gateway to the oldest part of Istanbul, archaeologists have discovered that Yenikapi was also once a Byzantine port, its waters scattered with undersea treasures, amphoras and other artifacts. Dating back to the 5th century, the surrounding area is also ancient – leave the ferry and walk out to some of the oldest ruins in Istanbul, the remains of walls and fountains and churches, all within a few blocks of the water.
16 • Vacations ® • Spring 2019
HIPSTER NEIGHBOURHOOD: KARAKÖY Founded as a rough-and-tumble port (and still bustling with boats, which arrive and depart every few minutes), this tightly packed neighbourhood has recently gone hipster. Once gritty and packed with industrial workshops, it got a big boost when the Istanbul Modern gallery opened here 15 years ago. Now its cobblestone streets are lined with record shops that still sell vintage vinyl, barbershops that offer a hot shave, and all sorts of tiny, bustling cafés, plus a few restored hammams, where you can indulge in a traditional Turkish bath.
