Bebek transfer and taxi to the Bosphorus bay

Bebek is a small, well-off neighbourhood of Beşiktaş on Bebek Bay. Its waterfront has the Bebek Mosque by the pier, designed by the architect Kemaleddin in the early twentieth century, and a run of cafés, restaurants and yacht moorings.

Boğaziçi University occupies the wooded hill above the bay. Rumelihisarı, the fortress Mehmed II built in 1451–52, is a short drive north along the shore, and the large waterfront mansion that houses the Egyptian Consulate is one of the bay's landmarks.

The bay is a favourite stop on Bosphorus walks: the shore path runs south towards Arnavutköy and north towards Rumelihisarı, and the cafés by the water stay busy until late. For a visitor, Bebek is a quieter base than central Beyoğlu, at the same €50 fare from IST.

There is one main road through Bebek, the shore avenue, and it is narrow by Istanbul standards. On weekend afternoons and summer evenings it backs up, and stopping on it is short and tightly controlled.

Residences and apartment hotels on the hillside are reached by steep side streets. Give the driver the exact address and any entrance details, such as a back gate or a garage door, so he can pull in rather than stop in the traffic.

The driver waits for you right at the exit door you come out of at IST or SAW, with a printed sign showing your name. We track the flight, so delays are absorbed at no extra cost.

Going back, Bebek to Istanbul Airport measures about 39 km and 38 minutes with no traffic, Bebek to Sabiha Gökçen about 42 km and 31 minutes. The shore road is the slow part, so leave earlier than the figures suggest.

Flying out early in the morning? The shore road is at its emptiest then, and the measured times above are close to what you can expect. Later in the day, give the bay its reputation for slow traffic the respect it deserves.

Settle the fare with the driver at the door. Euros, pounds and lira are all accepted in cash, and the card terminal in every car takes Visa and Mastercard, contactless as well.

Child seats are free with the children's ages. A return from IST in the Eco Van is €100, and a V-Class return €130.

Booking needs a date, a time and the exact address in Bebek. If you are still deciding, a WhatsApp message with "Bebek" alone gets your questions answered.