Princes' Islands, Istanbul: neighborhood guide

The Princes' Islands (Prens Adaları, usually just Adalar) are nine islands in the Sea of Marmara about 5 km off Istanbul's Asian coast, and they are part of the city. Büyükada is the largest and has the most facilities; Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada also take ferries. The rest are small, private or closed.

From the mid-19th century the islands became summer homes for Istanbul's merchant class, who built wooden mansions in competing styles. Most are still private and cannot be visited from inside, but the streets around them are the main sight. There are no private cars, so the pace is walking, cycling and electric minibus.

The mood swings hard with the season. April, May, September and October are pleasant and manageable. June to August are crowded and touristy, especially weekends. November to March are gloomy and largely deserted, with cold winds off the water.

Stay if you want two quiet nights, sea air and a car-free base, and you accept that every city sight costs a ferry ride. A summer weekend on Büyükada is the classic version. Book ahead for those dates, because day-trippers fill the island and rooms go early.

Do not stay if this is your first Istanbul trip. The Historical Peninsula, Galata and the bazaars are on the European side, and a 45–90 minute ferry each way eats the morning. Do not stay in winter either: many places close, ferries thin out and the islands lose the reason you came.

A middle option works well: keep your Istanbul hotel and take one weekday day trip. Leave on an early ferry, walk or cycle Büyükada, and return before the last boat around 23:00.

Food is simple and seasonal: seafood meze, grilled fish, salads and Turkish breakfasts, mostly along the waterfront near the ferry piers on Büyükada and Heybeliada. Prices rise with the view and with the summer weekend crowds; inland streets a few blocks back are usually cheaper.

In summer, expect long waits at waterfront tables on Saturday and Sunday evenings. In winter, many places shut and you may find only a handful of open cafés. Bring cash in small lira notes for small vendors, and check opening hours on the day rather than trusting a listing.

There is no bridge, tunnel or airstrip: you arrive by ferry. Adalar Lines run roughly hourly from Kabataş via Kadıköy to Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Büyükada, sometimes looping back to Bostancı. Mavi Marmara ferries run about hourly from Bostancı to Heybeliada and Büyükada, with a couple of daily sailings from Beşiktaş via Kabataş and Eminönü. Times and frequency change by season, so check the day before.

Between islands, ferries are frequent enough for a day trip: Büyükada to Heybeliada is about 10 minutes. On land, walking is the default because most sights sit close to the piers. On Büyükada, bicycle hire is available near the pier, and İETT electric minibuses run to Birlik Meydanı and along the east coast. Taxis wait at the ferry piers. The horse-drawn carriages retired in 2020.

Buy an Istanbulkart or use contactless where accepted, and keep the last-ferry time in mind: miss it and you are paying for an island room you did not plan.