Princes' Islands – Büyükada, Istanbul

The Princes' Islands are a group of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, south-east of the historic city. Büyükada, the largest, was known in Byzantine times as Prinkipo, “the prince’s island”. The islands earned a darker reputation as places of exile: emperors, empresses and princes who fell from power were sent to their monasteries, among them Empress Irene, who was banished here after her deposition in 802.

Monasteries were founded on the island’s two hills. On the higher one, Yücetepe, stands the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St George (Aya Yorgi), a place of pilgrimage that still draws large crowds of people of many faiths, especially on 23 April and 24 September.

For much of the Ottoman period the islands were quiet fishing and farming communities with a largely Greek population. Everything changed in the 19th century, when steam ferries began regular services. Büyükada became a fashionable summer resort for Istanbul’s Greek, Armenian, Jewish, Levantine and Turkish elites, who built elegant wooden mansions and gardens along its shores. The grand Splendid Palas Hotel opened in 1908, and the enormous wooden building of the Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage on Yücetepe, originally designed as a hotel, became one of the largest wooden structures in Europe.

Büyükada also has its place in 20th-century history: Leon Trotsky lived here in exile from 1929 to 1933. Private motor vehicles have long been banned on the island; the traditional horse-drawn carriages were withdrawn in 2020 and replaced by electric vehicles. Today Büyükada, part of the Adalar district, remains a beloved day-trip and summer destination for Istanbulites and visitors.

Arrive at the elegant ferry terminal and stroll to the clock-tower square, then wander the streets lined with Victorian-era wooden mansions and bougainvillea-covered gardens, especially along Çankaya Caddesi.

Rent a bicycle or use the electric island vehicles to tour the island loop, stopping at quiet coves and viewpoints over the Sea of Marmara. Walk the steep path to the hilltop Aya Yorgi Monastery on Yücetepe for wide views across the islands to the Asian shore, and see the vast wooden former orphanage on the way.

Visit the Hamidiye Mosque and the island’s churches, and look for the former Trotsky house near the shore. In summer, the small beaches and beach clubs around the island are popular for swimming.

Food is part of the experience: seafood restaurants along the waterfront serve meze and fresh fish, and cafés offer ice cream and island pastries. Spring and early autumn are ideal; summer weekends are very busy. Plan a full day, catching an early ferry and returning before the last evening sailing.

On the way, the ferry stops at the smaller islands of Kınalıada, Burgazada and Heybeliada, each with its own character – you can break the journey on the way back for a stroll. Guided Princes' Islands tours with a boat transfer are a relaxed alternative to the public ferry in high season.

Getting there: Şehir Hatları public ferries sail from Kabataş, Eminönü, Kadıköy and Bostancı; the journey from the European side takes about 1.5 hours. Private fast boats are quicker. Use an Istanbulkart.

On the island: there are no private cars; walk, cycle or use the municipal electric vehicles.

Timing: avoid summer weekends and holidays if possible, and check the last return ferry time.

What to bring: comfortable shoes for the hill, water, sun protection and swimwear in summer.

Safety: the island is calm and safe; keep to marked roads when cycling.