Lifestyle Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. For years it’s been a dream of mine to arrive in Istanbul by sea.
To witness that magnificent city unfurl beside the Bosphorus in a brilliant sequence of minarets and domes, parklands and palaces. I was convinced it would be the most spectacular arrival and I wasn’t disappointed when, this past northern summer, I finally cruised up the Sea of Marmara to the glorious sight of Byzantium/Constantinople/Istanbul. My timing, as it turned out, was impeccable.
If I’d made this grand entrance much sooner I would have missed capping off the arrival with a berth at what must – surely – be the world’s most incredible cruise-ship parking lot . The €1.5 billion (about $2.
5 billion) Galataport development has opened in stages since 2020, but it is only this year that most of its 200-plus tenancies have been filled and the Karaköy harbourfront has become a buzzy, must-do addition to the ancient city. The standout feature of Galataport is its location. Unlike an increasing number of major cities (such as Venice and Rome) where the terminal is miles from the city action, in true Turkish style Istanbul welcomes cruise passengers into its heart.
Galataport straddles a 1.2km stretch of Karaköy waterfront below the landmark Galata Tower, with the lively labyrinth of old Istanbul on your doorstep. The views back over the city are remarkable, but my cabin aboard Seven Seas Grand.