Crystal yacht lit at night on the Bosphorus

Evening city lights of Istanbul seen from a private yacht cruise

Bosphorus Night Cruise

from €150,00 / hour

★ 4.9–5.0700+ verified reviews on Google, Viator and GetYourGuide

TÜRSAB A-805Licensed agency — verify it yourself

Since 1967Family business on the Bosphorus

Whole yachtPriced per yacht, never per seat

A night cruise under the illuminated bridges on a calmer Bosphorus, on a yacht that is yours alone. From €150 per hour, two-hour minimum.

Category: Bosphorus Events

Description

Description

Key takeaways

Departure any time after dark, at the hour you choose; it gets dark in Istanbul today at 19:17.
Private charter from €150 per hour, minimum 2 hours; the whole yacht is yours, never a shared deck.
Illuminated bridges, palaces and waterside mansions; on full-moon nights, moonlight on the water.
Departure from Karaköy; free cancellation up to 24 hours before sailing.

Private Bosphorus Night Cruise in Istanbul

Price and booking: a private night cruise on the Bosphorus costs from €150 per hour (2026 season, whole yacht, not per person) with a 2-hour minimum. Departure is from Karaköy at the hour you choose after dark. What makes it different from a daytime cruise: the ferry traffic thins out, the water settles and the bridges and palaces are lit; you see the Bosphorus without the crowds and without the noise. Send your date and group size on WhatsApp for availability; cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure.

Sunset in Istanbul today is at 18:51; it gets dark at 19:17. A night cruise starts any minute after that. If you would like the sunset as well, we bring the departure forward by an hour so you get the sunset, the blue hour and the lights coming on in one cruise. Times for your date are on the sunset times page; moonlit nights are on the full moon calendar.

What the Bosphorus Looks Like at Night

After dark the strait becomes a different city. The Maiden’s Tower and Ortaköy Mosque are floodlit, the lights of the 15 July Martyrs Bridge hang over the water, and the Dolmabahçe and Çırağan palaces and the wooden mansions of the Asian shore reflect in it. The ferry and boat traffic that fills the Bosphorus by day thins out at night; engine noise drops, the water settles and the hum of the city stays on the shore. From the deck you have both shores’ lights in one frame with a dark, glittering strip of water between them.

Full-moon nights add one more layer: as the moon climbs over the Asian side and rises behind the bridges, its light lies on the water like a long road, the shimmer locals call yakamoz. From the shore it is hard to see between the buildings; from the middle of the water you have the moon, the silhouettes and the path on the water at once. The 2026–2027 dates and each night’s moonrise are on our full moon calendar.

Route and Duration

Two hours: out of Karaköy past the Maiden’s Tower, along Dolmabahçe and Ortaköy Mosque, under the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and back along Beylerbeyi Palace and the Kuzguncuk shore. Three hours: the route continues to Arnavutköy, Bebek and Rumeli Fortress, returning along the Asian shore with the lights of Kandilli and Çengelköy beside you. Nothing is fixed: if you want to hold position under the bridge for photographs or eat dinner in front of a particular view, the captain sets the pace for it. Routes and boarding points are described on our Bosphorus yacht tour and boarding points pages.

Who Books a Night Cruise?

Couples: a marriage proposal under the illuminated bridge, an anniversary or a honeymoon night. Groups of friends: a birthday or a celebration with your own playlist. Companies: after-dinner hosting or a corporate event; the shortest way to show guests the city once the day’s programme is over. Summer visitors: in July and August the deck is hard work by day and a different place at night with the breeze. Moon watchers: twelve nights a year; pick a date from the calendar and write to us.

Food, Drinks and Music

The cruise price covers the private yacht, the crew and the fuel for your route. Everything else is optional and itemised separately: champagne or cocktail service, cheese and fruit platters, a meze table or a seated dinner, decoration, a photographer. Tell us the occasion and we propose a setup; nothing is added until you approve the items and the price. How dinner on board works is explained in our private Bosphorus dinner cruise guide. Bring your own music or a DJ; if you are bringing equipment, tell us in advance so the crew can plan power and setup.

From the helm — Alican, captain

Night sailing is calmer than daytime: less traffic, flatter water, and I plan the route around the lights. Out of Karaköy I hold a minute in front of the Maiden’s Tower, then go under the bridge; that is where the phones come out. On the way back I keep to the Asian shore, where the mansion lights fall closest to the water. You tell me the departure time; I will tell you where the moon comes up that night.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does the night cruise start?

Any time after dark. It gets dark in Istanbul today at 19:17; in summer most guests choose a 21:00–22:00 departure, in winter 19:00–20:00. If you want a later slot, say so when you enquire and we confirm availability.

How long is it, and what is the route?

Two hours minimum. In two hours you sail from Karaköy past the Maiden’s Tower, Dolmabahçe and Ortaköy Mosque, under the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and back along the Beylerbeyi and Kuzguncuk shore. Three hours reaches Bebek and Rumeli Fortress. The route is set with you; if you want to stop and watch the lights, the captain stops.

How much does a night cruise cost?

From €150 per hour, two-hour minimum, priced for the whole yacht rather than per person. A couple and a group of friends pay the same. Fuel, crew and the route are included; catering, decoration or a photographer are quoted separately and added only when you approve them.

Can we see the moonlight on the water at full moon?

On a clear full-moon night, yes: as the moon rises over the Asian shore its light lies on the water like a long road, what locals call yakamoz. Dates and moonrise times are on our Istanbul full moon calendar; there is no group tour for full moon, it is arranged as a private charter.

Is it cold at night?

From October to mid-May evenings cool quickly. Every yacht has a heated enclosed saloon as well as the open deck, so you spend an hour outside for the lights and the rest inside with the skyline. In summer a night cruise is the most comfortable escape from the daytime heat.

Can you arrange food and drinks?

Yes. Anything from a meze table to a seated dinner is quoted when you enquire and never added without your approval; halal, vegetarian, vegan and allergy needs are straightforward. Bring your own playlist or a DJ, the sound system is yours.

Booking direct — no agency in the middle. Booking sites do not sell what is on this page: they sell seats, we charter you the whole yacht. Write to us and no reseller takes a commission out of your budget, and your request does not pass through a middleman who flattens it into a standard package. Constantine Yachts is run by AST Turizm — TÜRSAB licence no. A-805, on the Bosphorus since 1967. Your date, your boarding time, your route and your extras are agreed with the same people who prepare the yacht.

Booking and cancellation. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure — any prepayment is refunded in full. Inside 24 hours, contact us and we will try to move you to another slot. If the captain cancels a departure for safety, you choose: another day or a full refund. Full terms in our FAQ.

Book Your Night Slot

Send your date, group size and preferred departure time on WhatsApp or in the form below; we confirm availability and a fixed price for the whole yacht in writing the same day. If you want to start with the sunset, see the private sunset cruise; for the yacht all day, see yacht charter.

Moments from Our Night Cruises

Night celebration on the yacht deck with the Bosphorus Bridge illuminated behind

Couple with celebration cake under the illuminated Bosphorus Bridge

Your evening on the Bosphorus starts here

Tell us the date, your group size and the occasion — you get a fixed quote in writing the same day. No port tax, no booking fee, no service charge at the end.