Garipçe

Last updated on July 31, 2025.

Garipçe is a small, isolated fishing village on the shores of the Bosporus. It makes for a great day trip for those who want to get away from the chaos of Istanbul.

Introduction to Garipçe

Garipçe is located in the Sarıyer district. According to Homer, the ancient name of the village is Charybdis (Χάρυβδις). Today, it has fewer than 400 residents, many descendants of immigrants from the town of Sürmene near Trabzon, and is famous for its Turkish breakfasts and fish restaurants. 85% of the village is forested and 23 different species of birds have been spotted there.

Getting to Garipçe

I made the trip with my friend Isaac on our day off of work. We took the Istanbul M2 metro line to the Hacıosman stop. Once there, we waited for the #150 bus towards Rumeli Feneri. We took it to Garipçe Merkez, the center of the village. You can also take the #40 bus from Taksim Square.

Exploring the Village

There’s not much to see in the village itself, but it’s a great place to sit and watch the fishermen preparing their nets before heading out to sea.

Garipçe Castle

On the hill above town you’ll find Garipçe Castle (Garipçe Kalesi), an Ottoman fortress built between 1757 and 1774 by Sultan Mustafa III. It covers an area of 9,010 square meters (97,000 square feet). Some sources mistakenly refer to it as a 15th-century Genoese fortress.

I wouldn’t recommend going inside the fortress alone. There were a few interesting characters hanging out around during my visit. It also smelled like urine and there was lots of garbage and broken glass strewn about.

If you do get up to the castle, you can admire the great views of the Bosporus. You can also get a decent view of the village and harbor below.

Another View of Garipçe

For another great view of the village, head up the road on the side of the small inlet opposite the castle.

Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge Controversy

There was a lot of controversy over the building of the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, the third bridge to cross the Bosporus. It’s located just south of Garipçe. The public thought it would destroy the harmony and authenticity of the village as well as having a negative impact on the environment after thousands of trees would have to be cut down for its construction.

The villagers initially had overwhelmingly positive reactions to the bridge because it meant the possibility of more tourism and much-needed improvements to structures and the fortress. So far it’s been proven that life continues much the same as it has before the bridge project began, which is both positive and negative. The village seems to be untouched by the bridge, with the harmony remaining as well as the lack of improvements, but opinions aren’t so positive anymore.

Where to Eat in Garipçe

As I mentioned earlier, the village is famous for breakfast and fish. My students had actually recommended Asma Altı Restaurant for breakfast. We didn’t get a chance to try it but I will on a return trip.

Aydın Balık

We sat down for a quick lunch at Aydın Balık. We decided to have fish and some meze dishes. The food was excellent.

Map of Garipçe