By Mehmet Kurtkaya
Founder of Twarp.com, exploring Turkey since 1995
Last updated: May 10, 2026

Anadolu Kavagi, last stop of Bosphorus ferry and Yoros Castle Istanbul

Istanbul by Night, Passenger boats, fish market, bosphorus cruise, Anadolu Kavagi where the Genoese castle up the hill offers views of the Black Sea and the Bosphorus. Anadolu Kavagi is the last stop of the Bosphorus cruise of the Istanbul municipality ferry boats.

Yoros Castle up the hill in Anadolu Kavagi was built by a Genoese trade colony. It is also amazing to think that Anadolu Kavagi was also home to a Phoenician trade colony, sailors sailing from Lebanon, some 3000 years ago. Recent archaeological excavations are being conducted at the castle.

WHAT TO DO IN ANADOLU KAVAGI AND YOROS CASTLE

Anadolu Kavagi is a small fishing village north of the Bosphorus on the Asian side where you can have lunch. You may eat fried mussel sandwiches if you are into seafood, especially good during winter and spring. You should bargain for the fish before you enter any fish restaurant. There are also many waffle shops and fast food places around the boat station.

You can do a short trek above the small fishing village to the Genoese Yoros Castle overlooking the Black Sea and the Bosphorus. The vistas are wonderful, with a blue sea extending over to Odessa, Ukraine. You will see ships going to countries around the Black Sea such as Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia. They look like small whitish dots on the blue of the sea. And if you turn around, you will see the straight of Bosphorus in all its grandeur lying to the south.

HOW TO GO TO ANADOLU KAVAGI AND YOROS CASTLE

Anadolu Kavagi is the last stop of municipality ferries departing Eminönü. Please note that most other Bosphorus cruises and tours do not travel as far as Anadolu Kavagi. Inquire before joining a cruise as Anadolu Kavagi is close to the Black Sea entrance of the Bosphorus and far from Eminönü or Beşiktaş.

Insider Tip: The municipal ferry from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavagi takes about 90 minutes each way. Check the return schedule before you get off the boat. The last ferry leaves Anadolu Kavagi in the late afternoon. The hike up to Yoros Castle takes about 15-20 minutes uphill; wear comfortable shoes. The fish restaurants along the waterfront are tourist-oriented. The view from the castle at sunset is spectacular as seen in the video above.

About the Author

Mehmet Kurtkaya is the founder of Twarp.com, one of the web's longest-running Turkey travel resources (est. 1995). His research into Anatolia's ancient civilizations is published in Who Built Göbeklitepe and Echoes of the Ice: How Migrations Made Civilizations.