Istanbul Jazz Festival 2027: Expected Dates and Yacht Evenings

Short answer: The Istanbul Jazz Festival, organised by İKSV (Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts), usually runs from late June to mid July. The 2027 dates, venues and line-up are not announced yet (checked 22 October 2026). The 2026 edition, the 33rd, ran from 30 June to 13 July 2026. In 2026 the one concert venue on the Bosphorus shore was The Marmara Esma Sultan Mansion in Ortaköy, which has had one evening concert in each of the last four editions. İKSV’s own Caz Vapuru, a daytime ferry concert from Kabataş, is a separate event and not connected with us. Our part is on the water: a private yacht before or after a concert, from Karaköy past the Ortaköy shore, from €150 per hour with a two-hour minimum, or the shared sunset group tour at €34 per person. A late-night return is possible on request, confirmed in writing.

Istanbul Jazz Festival: recent editions and 2027

The festival has been held since 1994. İKSV’s history page says “every year in July”, but the 2021 edition ran from 1 to 18 September (Hürriyet Daily News, 24 June 2021) and the 2022 edition opened on 25 June. The 2026 programme had nearly 30 concerts across more than 10 venues (European Jazz Network, 14 April 2026) and close to 200 artists over 14 days (Hürriyet Daily News, 25 February 2026).

The festival venue on the Bosphorus shore

İKSV’s 2026 venues ranged from the Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre and the Atatürk Cultural Centre (AKM) to stages in Kadıköy and Ataşehir. Apart from Kabataş pier, where the Caz Vapuru sets off, only one was on the water: The Marmara Esma Sultan Mansion (Esma Sultan Yalısı) in Ortaköy, Beşiktaş, on the European shore of the Bosphorus. It is named after Esma Sultan, daughter of Sultan Abdülaziz, and has stood there since the 19th century (The Marmara Hotels). The Hilton and Swissôtel venues have “Bosphorus” in their names, but they are hotels on the hill in Harbiye and Vişnezade, not on the shore.

Esma Sultan hosted one evening concert in each of the last four editions: Monday 17 July 2023, Tuesday 16 July 2024, Wednesday 9 July 2025 and Monday 6 July 2026 (21:00, “Brazilian Night by Mari Froes”). Whether it is a venue in 2027 is not announced. İKSV’s access advice is the bus or a sea shuttle to Ortaköy pier, 400 m away; that is public transport, not a landing for our yachts. We do not land guests at Ortaköy pier or at the mansion, and we do not hold position off a venue during a concert.

İKSV’s Caz Vapuru is not our cruise

İKSV runs its own concert on the Bosphorus: the Caz Vapuru, a ferry concert. The 2026 timetable, on Sunday 12 July: Kabataş Transfer Centre 11:00, Anadolu Kavağı 12:30 to 14:30, back in Kabataş 15:30. Live bands and a DJ played on deck. It sailed on a Sunday in mid-July in each of the last four editions (16 July 2023, 14 July 2024, 13 July 2025, 12 July 2026); 2027 is not announced. It is a daytime event on a ferry, run and ticketed by İKSV. We are not connected to it: our cruises are not part of the festival, are not the Caz Vapuru and do not include concert tickets.

Before or after a concert: an evening on a private yacht

The concerts are on land; the yacht is the evening before or after. A two-hour private cruise from Karaköy passes Dolmabahçe Palace and Çırağan Palace, then the Ortaköy shore, with Ortaköy Mosque beside the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and the Esma Sultan Mansion on the waterfront. It goes as far as Rumeli Hisarı and Anadolu Hisarı before turning back. The yacht and crew are for your group only.

• Before a concert. Cruise from Karaköy and back, then go on to the venue by land. We cannot promise when you will get there, so leave time to spare.
• After a concert. A later departure, with a late-night return on request, confirmed in writing for the date in the same quote.
• Live music on board. Musicians are an extra, quoted separately, like catering and alcoholic drinks; soft drinks are included. It is your own evening, not a festival concert.

For a couple or a small group, the shared sunset group tour runs daily from Karaköy for about two hours, on a yacht and timed to sunset: €34 per person from 19 March to 2 November (children 3–7 €15, under 3 free), with a live English-speaking guide, tea, Turkish coffee, snacks and a printed souvenir photo. It boards only at Karaköy, and because it is timed to sunset, check it against your concert time. See also Istanbul sunset times and the private Bosphorus dinner cruise.

Prices, piers and booking

A private yacht is priced per yacht, not per seat: from €150 per hour with a two-hour minimum, and from €120 per hour for six hours or more. The rate covers up to 12 guests; each guest above 12 adds €25, once per charter. For example, 20 guests for three hours is €450 + €200 = €650. With our partner fleet we take groups of up to 200 guests.

Boarding is at Karaköy, in front of Balıkçı Kemal restaurant. A private charter can also start at Kuruçeşme, Bebek, Beşiktaş, Kabataş or Kadıköy on request, with a distance-based surcharge in the written quote (boarding points). Ortaköy is not on our pier list. The written quote comes the same day (contact). A deposit of at least 30% confirms the date, and the balance is paid on the day. Festival evenings are fixed dates, so the cancellation terms are stated in the written quote. Agencies: see yacht charter for travel agents.

Istanbul in late June and July 2027

With the European Games and the UNESCO session in the same period, it is worth asking early for a particular evening. Delegation and team evenings: see corporate events on a yacht and the corporate dinner cruise.

The Akbank Jazz Festival is a separate autumn festival, organised by Akbank Sanat with BKM: its 36th edition ran from 26 September to 11 October 2026 (Cumhuriyet, 23 July 2026; Gazete Oksijen, 28 September 2026), and its 2027 dates are not announced. See Istanbul in October 2027.

Every other 2027 date, from the Supercopa in February to F1 in October, is in our Istanbul events calendar 2027.

Constantine Yachts is an independent yacht charter company and is not affiliated with İKSV, the Istanbul Jazz Festival, Akbank Sanat, BKM or the Akbank Jazz Festival. Our cruises are not part of either festival, and we do not sell concert tickets.

Page last updated 22 October 2026. Dates checked against İKSV (iksv.org and caz.iksv.org) and the press on 22 October 2026.

Istanbul Jazz Festival 2027: Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Istanbul Jazz Festival 2027?

The dates are not announced yet (checked 22 October 2026). The festival usually runs from late June to mid July; from 2022 to 2026 it opened between 25 June and 7 July. The 2026 edition, the 33rd, ran from 30 June to 13 July 2026; the 2027 edition would be the 34th.

When will the 2027 programme be announced?

İKSV has not said. In recent years the dates and the first line-up were in the press in late February or early March (23–25 February 2026; 6 March 2025). We update this page when the 2027 dates are out.

Which Istanbul Jazz Festival venues are on the Bosphorus?

In 2026, apart from the Caz Vapuru’s departure pier at Kabataş, one: The Marmara Esma Sultan Mansion in Ortaköy, on the European shore. It had one evening concert in each edition from 2023 to 2026. Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus and Swissôtel The Bosphorus are hotels on the hill, not on the water. The 2027 venues are not announced.

Is your cruise part of the festival or the Caz Vapuru?

No. The Caz Vapuru is İKSV’s own daytime ferry concert from Kabataş (in 2026: Sunday 12 July, 11:00 to 15:30, via Anadolu Kavağı). Constantine Yachts is not affiliated with İKSV; our cruises are not part of the festival and do not include concert tickets.

Can we go to a concert by yacht?

No. We do not land guests at Esma Sultan, Ortaköy pier or any other venue, and we do not promise an arrival time. The yacht is the evening before or after, from Karaköy or another listed pier on request; you go to the concert by land. A late-night return after a concert is available on request, confirmed in writing for the date.

How much is a yacht evening during the jazz festival?

A private yacht is from €150 per hour for the whole yacht, with a two-hour minimum; up to 12 guests are included, and each guest above 12 adds €25, once per charter. Soft drinks are included; musicians, catering and alcoholic drinks are quoted separately. The shared sunset group tour is €34 per person (19 March – 2 November). A deposit of at least 30% confirms the date; the cancellation terms are stated in the written quote.