Rumeli Kavağı: fishing village and restaurants at the top of the Bosphorus
Rumeli Kavağı is a fishing village on the European shore, north of Sarıyer, almost where the Bosphorus opens onto the Black Sea. It faces Anadolu Kavağı across the strait. It is the second-to-last stop of the Şehir Hatları long cruise from Eminönü, and the terminus of the European-shore coastal lines. People come for a fish lunch on the quay, far from the Sultanahmet crowds, and to see a Bosphorus still lined with wooded hills. The village is small: an hour or two is enough for a stroll around the harbour and a meal.
Highlights
The harbour and the quay
Fishing boats are moored in front of a row of fish restaurants (grilled fish, fried calamari, mussels). This is where you have lunch after the long cruise: ask for the price of the fish by weight before ordering.
The northern Bosphorus
From the shore you can watch cargo ships and tankers head for the Black Sea, and see the Asian shore with Anadolu Kavağı and the hill of Yoros Castle, covered in our page on Anadolu Kavağı and Yoros Castle.
The village lanes
A few sloping streets climb behind the quay between low houses and gardens. The village has no monument to visit: the appeal is the atmosphere, the view and the meal.
Going further
Farther north, the road leads to Garipçe and the Rumeli Feneri lighthouse, at the entrance to the Black Sea; these places are easier to reach by car or taxi than by public transport.
Practical info
Tips
- The village can be visited at any time, outdoors, and entry is free. On the Şehir Hatları long cruise (fare seen in October 2026: 640 TL return for foreign passengers), the boat stops at both Rumeli Kavağı and Anadolu Kavağı: pick one shore for lunch rather than rushing between the two. Quayside restaurants sometimes charge high prices, especially at weekends: ask for the price by weight, check the bill, and read our guide to where to eat fish in Istanbul. For the other villages on this shore, see the Bosphorus villages, European side. For another way onto the water, see kayak and speedboat on the Bosphorus.
How to get there
Rumeli Kavağı pier, Sarıyer, Istanbul. By boat: Şehir Hatları long cruise from Eminönü (stops at Beşiktaş, Üsküdar, Kanlıca, Sarıyer, Rumeli Kavağı); check the Şehir Hatları site for seasonal times. By road: bus from Sarıyer, which you reach by bus from Beşiktaş or Hacıosman (terminus of metro line M2); check lines and times in a transport app before you go. See also our guide to getting around Istanbul.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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