Have
you ever hopped on some kind of public transportation – not knowing where it
would go?
During
our travels in Turkey, that’s happened to us several times. It’s just inevitable
when you are trying to figure out how things work in a foreign place.
Well,
while staying in Emirgan
lately, we’ve observed these water taxis picking up and dropping off people
along the Bosphorus in Istanbul. These small boats seem to
run about every 10 to 15 minutes, but we didn’t know where they landed on the
Asian side.
The
other Sunday, my husband posed the question, “Let’s just hop on one of those
boats and see where it goes. Wanna go?”
Of
course, we hopped on the boat and ended up visiting the sleepy, waterside
village of Kanlıca.
We did this the next two weekends in a row via these water taxis. The cost is 5
tl per person, which is a lot more than the regular ferry boats (2 tl).
However, the weekend ferry boat schedule to small destinations such as Kanlıca
is quite limited.
 |
| This past weekend, we took my cousin Greg from Nebraska to visit Kanlıca via the water taxi too. Just sit back and enjoy the short ride across the Bosphorus. |
We had no idea what to do in Kanlıca so we walked north along the
shoreline where we passed dozens of fishermen and swimmers. Honestly, the walk
wasn’t that scenic, but it was relaxing.
Before stopping near the Çubuklu Iskelsi (about 2 km.), I got yelled at by an armed Turkish jandarma because apparently I had stepped onto a military pier. I never saw the sign
indicating no photos and no trespassing. Oops!
 |
| Don't step on this pier like I did! |
I waved, shouted “pardon”
and hoped I would be forgiven for my yabancı moment.
We hopped on a bus back to Kanlıca and decided to walk around the
small crafts market. I bought a ladybug nazarlık bracelet and a glass nar paperweight. Two Turkish women also
were knitting and selling these adorable baby outfits and socks.
 |
| Most of these small gifts cost only 5-15 tl. |
I noticed the nearby waterside cafes and suddenly remembered that
Kanlıca is known for its creamy and tart yogurt! Visiting Kanlıca is listed in
the Top7 Things to Do and Places to Visit on the Asian Side by The Guide Istanbul.
We grabbed an open table at the busy café and ordered 2 yogurts
with powdered sugar. You also can order the yogurt with jam or honey.
For some reason, I had
expected a more frozen-like or whipped yogurt (don’t ask why!), but nope, it
was a traditional thick, creamy Turkish yogurt. Our order came with a large bowl of powdered
sugar so you could sprinkle in as much sweetness as you wanted. The vast
quantity of powdered sugar here reminded us of eating beignets in New Orleans
as we did for our wedding weekend in 2010.
 |
| We also bought a large tub of yogurt to take home, which went well with fresh peaches for breakfast. |
After our yogurt snack, we played with several
street cats and their kittens and briefly walked around Kanlıca.
Just off the main square area, we found an antique store and
several old wooden Ottoman houses. Then, it was time to catch the 4:50 p.m.
ferry back to Emirgan.
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of
Istanbul for a few hours, head to this charming village. Simply getting to Kanlıca is half the fun!
How to get Kanlıca:
The water taxis depart every 10-15 minutes near the Emirgan
Iskelesi on the European side.
Or check the regular ferry boat schedule here by departure location and
destination.
A third option is to take bus No. 15 from Üsküdar to Kanlıca; or by a Beykoz-bound dolmuş from Üsküdar.
 |
If you want a simple, but
delicious Turkish meal by the seaside, try Yakamoz,
pictured in the yellow building, here in Kanlıca.
|
 |
Boats docked near
the Kanlıca Iskelesi. Don't worry, the water taxis are motor boats.
|
6 comments:
To my shame, I have never been to Kanlica or read much about it. Thanks for the idea.
what a cool place. i would love visiting there but would have to fins some way other than a boat. i get sea sick just looking at a boat!
@BacktoBodrum, you are welcome! Definitely a cute area to check out when you are in Istanbul someday.
@Joyce, hmmm...perhaps by a dolmus or a bus then to get there? ;-)
it's great to have these little havens to escape the lunacy of the big city for a while before it's 'Once more unto the breech, dear friends!'.
how did you rent a water taxi of the sort you were in. that is the kind i'm looking for. the ones i've seen look like modern boats with no outside area. i'd much appreciate some info. thanks!
@the Ugly Troof, As I explained in the post, the water taxis we've used are either from Emirgan to Kanlica or from Kanlica to Emirgan. These boats are right at the docks.
You can also get some from Kurucesme to either go to Galatasaray Adasi or to some of the restaurants on the Asian side.
If you want to hire a private water taxi, I'm afraid I don't know how to do that.
Post a Comment