Büyükada, Princes' Islands
Büyükada (Adalar)
A car-free island day of bikes and wooden mansions
- Hours
- The island is always open; ferry timetables vary by season and day
- Tickets
- No entry fee. Ferry about 140–160 TL each way on İstanbulkart (after the July 2026 rise; check on the day)
- Address
- The largest of four islands south-east of the city; a clock-tower square stands at the pier
Where Istanbulites go at weekends for sea air. There are almost no cars; people get around by electric vehicle, bicycle or on foot. Beyond the pier square, white wooden mansions built by 19th-century Greek and Armenian families line the gardens, with seafood restaurants and ice-cream shops along the way. Climb to the Aya Yorgi monastery at the top and the Sea of Marmara and the other islands spread out below. It suits a day when you are tired of museums and just want a ferry ride.