Crociera con pranzo sul Bosforo

A Bosphorus lunch cruise is a private boat charter that runs across the middle of the day, usually between 11:00 and 16:00, with a meal served on board while the yacht follows the strait between Europe and Asia. The defining difference from a scheduled group cruise is control: your group is the only one on board, the departure time is set around your day rather than a printed timetable, and the route can linger wherever you want to stay longer.

Most lunch charters run two to four hours. Two hours covers the classic stretch from Kabataş up to the second bridge and back with a relaxed meal; three to four hours adds the upper Bosphorus, a swimming stop in summer or simply a much slower pace over coffee. Because pricing is hourly, you decide how long the day on the water lasts.

Because the yacht is private, the lunch menu is agreed in advance rather than picked from a fixed card. Tell us your group size, any dietary requirements and the style you prefer, and the catering is loaded before boarding. These are the three formats ospiti choose most often.

Classic Turkish Lunch

A full table in the Turkish style: a spread of cold mezze, haydari, hummus, stuffed vine leaves, smoked aubergine, followed by grilled mains, seasonal salad, seasonal fruit and Turkish coffee or tea. The most popular choice for families and first-time visitors.

Barbecue on Deck

Grilled at sea and served hot: chicken and lamb şiş, köfte, grilled vegetables and rice or bulgur pilaf. Best on the larger yachts, where the aft deck has room for a proper table.

Light & Seafood Menu

A lighter option for a warm day: mezze, salads, grilled fish or seafood, fresh bread and fruit. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free versions of every menu are available with advance notice.

The hourly rate covers the boat, the crew and the sail itself; the lunch catering is quoted separately per person so you only pay for what your group actually eats. Here is what sits inside and outside the charter fee.

Unlike a per-person ticket, a private lunch cruise is priced per boat per hour, so the cost per guest falls as your group grows. Rates start at €85 per hour for a 14–15 metre yacht carrying up to eight ospiti, and the minimum charter is generally two hours. Catering is quoted separately once you choose the menu style.

The prices above are starting rates and vary with the season, the day of the week and the exact boat. For an exact figure, send us your date, group size, preferred duration and menu style on WhatsApp, we reply with a full quote, usually within minutes, and the quote is free with no obligation.

The Boat Is Yours Alone

No shared tables, no queue for the rail, no stranger in your photographs. Everyone on board is part of your group, which matters most for families with small children, for proposals and for corporate ospiti who need to talk.

You Set the Time and the Route

Departure fits your day rather than a printed schedule, and the captain can slow down, linger at a landmark or extend toward the upper Bosphorus if the group is enjoying itself. Nothing about the route is fixed in advance.

The Menu Is Built Around Your Group

Turkish classics, a deck barbecue or a lighter seafood table, and every dietary requirement handled in advance. Birthday cakes, flowers and decoration can be arranged and waiting on board.

Direct Operator, No Commission Layers

The boats and crews are ours, so the price you are quoted is the price you pay. Reserve your date with an email or a WhatsApp message; you book online and pay securely by credit card.

Spring (April – May)

The most comfortable months on deck. Judas trees turn the hillsides purple in April, temperatures sit in the high teens and the light is clear without the summer haze, ideal for a long lunch outdoors.

Summer (June – August)

Hot on land but pleasant on the water, because the strait funnels a constant breeze. Lunch is usually served under the shade of the aft awning, and a swimming stop can be added on the way back.

Autumn (September – November)

Warm water, softer light and the fewest crowds on the Bosphorus. September and October are the quiet favourites among ospiti who have sailed here before.

Winter (December – March)

Bright, crisp days between the rain, with the heated interior salon serving as the dining room and the Bosphorus almost empty. The lowest rates of the year fall in this window.

Birthdays and anniversaries are the most common reason to book, closely followed by family gatherings where a restaurant would be too rigid, children can move around, grandparents get a comfortable seat indoors, and nobody is watching the clock. Corporate lunches work for the same reason: a team of twelve fits easily on a mid-size yacht, and the deck doubles as a meeting space between courses.

Wedding lunches, engagement parties and graduation celebrations use the larger boats, where 70 to 300 ospiti can be seated with catering and a sound system. For proposals, the crew will hold flowers and a cake below deck and bring them out at the moment you choose, usually as the yacht slows beside Maiden Tower.

Private charters board wherever suits your group best. Kabataş is the most common pier, sitting on the T1 tram and F1 funicular lines, about 20 minutes from Sultanahmet and three minutes from Taksim. Bebek and Kuruçeşme are the usual alternatives for ospiti staying in Beşiktaş, Nişantaşı or the northern districts.

Your confirmation names the exact pier with a map pin, and the crew is on the quay 15 minutes before departure. Door-to-pier transfer can be arranged on request for most central hotels, and the yacht can return to a different pier from the one you boarded at if that suits your afternoon better.

Send your date, group size, preferred duration and menu style, the fastest route is a WhatsApp message, and we usually reply within minutes with a full quote including catering. Once the details are agreed, your date is held without a deposit and payment is made on the day. You can also browse the full fleet on the yacht rental and charter page, or compare other times of day on the Bosphorus cruise hub.