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I decided to make my way up to the northernmost points of the Asian side of the Bosporus in Istanbul. Anadolu Kavağı and Anadolu Feneri are two fishing villages, one frequently on the tourist path, the other not. This entry is about Anadolu Kavağı.
I had tried several times before with Isaac, but we were always thwarted by some outside force – weather, missed ferries, late buses. Now that Isaac had moved back to the US, I had to go it alone.
Anadolu Kavağı
While most tourists arrive at Anadolu Kavağı on a touristic Bosporus cruise, my route was on one of the many buses from Kadıköy to Beykoz, then switching buses to the 15A. It was a good 90 minutes from Kadıköy until I found myself in the very touristy village known as Ieron Stoma (Ιερόν Στόμα) during the Byzantine period.
The area was full of about 15 to 20 fish restaurants all crammed next to each other (you can find a good meal here). Some were right on the water and others just inland. Shops were filled to the brim with all kinds of cheap and not-so-cheap souvenirs. I bypassed all of this and followed the signs to Yoros Castle.
Yoros Castle
Yoros Castle (Yoros Kalesi) is a Byzantine castle that was later occupied by the Genoese and Ottomans. It’s a good 20 minute hike uphill, some through a maze of restaurants and cafés.
Once on top, the views on both sides are breathtaking. You can look down the Bosporus and get a glimpse of modern Istanbul skyscrapers in the distance. On the other side is where the Bosporus meets the Black Sea.
Conclusion
All in all, Anadolu Kavağı is worth a stop on the touristic Bosporus cruise for some tasty and (sometimes) reasonably priced fish (watch out for bill cheats!). Yoros Castle isn’t a difficult climb and is nice to visit if not just for the views. The restaurants on top with the beautiful views are a nice alternative to the fish restaurants right along the Bosporus. Just note that this particular cruise is a full day, from 10:30am to 4:30pm.
