Anadolu Kavağı and Yoros Castle: the end of the Bosphorus

Updated on October 4, 2026

Anadolu Kavağı is a fishing village on the Asian shore, where the Bosphorus opens onto the Black Sea. It is the terminus of the Şehir Hatları long cruise: you arrive by ferry from Eminönü, have lunch at one of the fish restaurants on the quay, then, if you wish, climb to the ruins of Yoros Castle, perched on the hill above the village. The castle overlooks the entrance to the strait: the view takes in the Bosphorus, both shores and the Black Sea. Entry to the site is free and it is visited in the open air; part of the ruins is closed, however, and the neighbouring area is military.

Highlights

The ruins of Yoros Castle

The fortress, irregular in plan, keeps sections of Byzantine walls and towers, with courses of stone and brick. It was held by the Byzantines, then occupied by the Genoese (hence its nickname, "the Genoese castle"), before the Ottomans retook it after 1453. Excavations were carried out from 2018 to 2021: some fenced-off areas cannot be entered.

The climb through the village

From the quay, a street climbs between the houses to the castle. Allow 20 to 30 minutes on foot, on a steady slope: take water in summer.

The village and the harbour

The small quay is lined with fish restaurants (grilled fish, fried calamari, mussels) and snack stalls. It is the classic stop of the long cruise: see our Bosphorus cruise page.

A site inhabited since antiquity

According to ancient sources, the headland held the Hieron, the sanctuary of Zeus Ourios, protector of sailors, before the Byzantines and then the Genoese built a fortress to control the strait.

Infos pratiques

Tips

Access to the castle is free, with no real opening hours (open air), but the inside of the enclosure is partly closed. The neighbouring military zone bans photography: follow the signs. On the winter long cruise (departure from Eminönü at 10:35, arrival around 12:25, return at 15:00), the stop of about 2 h 30 is just enough for lunch and the climb to the castle; if you want to visit the castle without rushing, take a regular ferry one way or the boat from Üsküdar instead. Long cruise fares (as of October 2026): 640 TL return for foreign passengers. For the trip from Üsküdar, a timetable site gives about 70 TL, to be checked. Quayside restaurants sometimes charge high prices: ask the price of fish by weight before ordering, as in our guide where to eat fish in Istanbul.

How to get there

Anadolu Kavağı pier, Beykoz, Istanbul. Şehir Hatları ferries: the long cruise from Eminönü (stops at Beşiktaş, Üsküdar, Kanlıca, Sarıyer, Rumeli Kavağı), or the line from Üsküdar; the 2026 departures from Anadolu Kavağı found for the Üsküdar line are 7:30, 14:30, 16:00, 16:15 and 17:50, to be checked on the Şehir Hatları site. Buses also serve the village from the Asian side. The castle stands at the top of the hill, on foot from the quay.