Sailors will love the wonderful natural landscape surrounding Istanbul, the open seas and magnificent sunsets, as well as a voyage through Byzantine and Ottoman history as they sail past the impressive

castles, palaces and mosques. After navigating the Bosphorus and sailing under the two enormous bridges spanning Europe and Asia, meandering along the mosque-lined Golden Horn or cruising in the coves and bays of the Princes' Islands, it is easy to return to one of the two large marinas in the area. Both Atakoy Marina (on the European side) and Kalamis-Fenerbahce Marina (Asian side) offer a 24-hour service.
From the North Sea through the European interior, yachts can sail down the European channel system, the Rhine and Danube Rivers, into the Black Sea harbours and to the Bosphorus and Istanbul marinas, which is a safe and short way to reach the Turkish coasts.