A day trip to Büyükada Island near Istanbul

I enjoyed exploring Istanbul, but every time I spend time in a city I also like to find ways to get out and explore quieter areas. And one of the interesting ways to escape Istanbul for the day is to take a ferry to one of the Princes’ Islands in the Sea of ​​Marmara. Since Büyükada Island is the largest and most popular of these islands, I decided to spend the day there.

Plus, taking the ferry from Istanbul is pretty easy. It’s part of the public transport network, so you can pay your fare with the Istanbulkart, the network’s payment card.

There are several ferry routes to the Princes’ Islands. My friend and I decided to take the ferry from Bostanci on the Asian side of Istanbul. We initially boarded the wrong ferry (a boat bound for Kınalıada, one of the smaller islands), but fortunately realized our mistake just before departure. Once on the correct boat, we had a journey of about 40 minutes before arriving at the island of Büyükada.

The Princes’ Islands are an archipelago of nine islands, located southeast of Istanbul. They are so-called because disgraced members of the imperial families were often sent into exile there during the period of the Byzantine Empire. In the 19th century, the islands became a popular holiday destination for Istanbul’s wealthy families.

The islands are still very popular as a day trip destination today. And while the islands are technically part of Istanbul, the pace is quite different from the city. Motorized vehicles are prohibited (except for small electric service vehicles), so everyone gets around on foot or by bike.

Büyükada means “big island” in Turkish and although it is the largest of the Princes’ Islands, it is still easy to get around and explore (the island has an area of ​​5.4 square kilometers). My friend and I first started by walking through the small streets of the neighborhood near the wharf, where there are several pretty Victorian-era cottages and houses.

Then we took a break at a seaside cafe to have lunch and warm up with a good çay (Turkish tea).

One of the popular ways to explore the island is to rent a bike and follow the roads and bike paths that circle the island. But after eating, my friend and I decided to continue our exploration on foot, heading to one of the island’s two small peaks.

At an elevation of 164 metres, İsa Tepesi is not very high, but the climb was still a good workout for us. And the higher we went, the more we felt like we were going deeper into the nature of the island. There are even a few small paths in the forest, and here and there, between the trees, we could see the sea, and Istanbul in the distance.

Isa Tepesi has two points of interest, which we walked by. The first, the Greek Orthodox monastery Sotiros Christou dates back to the Byzantine era, but it was not possible to get very close to it as the site is fenced.

Same thing a few metres away, when we arrived at what is one of the most famous places on the island: at the top of İsa Tepesi are the ruins of an old Greek Orthodox orphanage. This building, which was initially supposed to be a casino, is apparently the largest wooden building in Europe, and the second largest in the world. Although what remains of it today is in a rather lamentable state, it was still impressive to see.

My friend and I continued to follow the trails in order to go back down from İsa Tepesi and head towards Yüceptepe, the second small mountain on the island. The southern part of the island is protected and is part of the Büyükada Ecotourism Area. It highlights an ecosystem typical of the Mediterranean region. There are several trails there, and at the top of the mountain is another Greek Orthodox monastery dating from the 10th century, a rather popular place with tourists.

But my friend and I didn’t make it to the top. Instead, we decided to head to Dilburnu Park, located on a tip of the island, to enjoy the view of the sea and the other Princes’ Islands. We had to pay a few liras to get to the tip, but we were completely alone on the path and the pretty views were worth it.

Then we slowly started to return to the wharf, taking the opportunity to admire the sumptuous seaside residences. In fact, the street we were following, Çankaya Caddesi, has often been described as one of the most beautiful streets in the world, and I can totally understand why.

Then after a last Turkish coffee and a künefe, my friend and I took the ferry back to Istanbul. This day trip to Büyükada remains one of my best memories of my short stay in Turkey, and if I ever come back, I promise myself to explore the other Princes’ Islands!