A Princes’ Islands Day Trip From Istanbul

For a first Princes’ Islands day trip from Istanbul, I’d choose one island and give it most of the day. Pick Büyükada if you’d like a longer walk with old houses and a hilltop stop. Pick Heybeliada if you’d rather have a shorter outing with tea by the harbour and time in the shade. The ferry is part of the day either way, so check the return before you decide how far to walk.

Choose your island

Büyükada for a longer walk

Büyükada is the largest of the Princes’ Islands. Start around the ferry pier and Saat Meydanı, then take some time on the residential streets. Look at the wooden houses from the pavement and keep entrances clear. The town is compact around the harbour, but the hills make a bigger difference once you get away from the shops.

For a longer route, aim towards Lunapark Meydanı and consider continuing up to the Aya Yorgi Church on the hill. The final climb is steep. Wear shoes with grip and bring water. If you want to visit the church itself, check access before going. The climb and the view can be worth planning separately from an interior visit.

If you want a flatter, shorter day, I’d stay around the waterfront and the first few streets inland. Choose lunch within easy reach of the pier and take a second short walk after you eat. You can see old houses and spend time beside the sea without making it a hiking day.

Heybeliada for a slower day

Heybeliada is smaller and a good choice if you’d rather wander for a few hours than cover a lot of ground. Start around the harbour, then explore the streets above it. For a longer walk, look up Değirmenburnu and check the current access and any entry charge if you’re planning to go into the recreation area.

The Heybeliada Seminary is another landmark, on Ümit Tepesi. Treat it as an optional detour and check whether visitors are being admitted before you climb up for an interior visit. If you’re mainly coming for a break by the water, the harbour and a walk through the residential streets are enough to fill the time between ferries.

Find your ferry from Istanbul

Check the island routes on the Şehir Hatları timetable. Kabataş is an option on the European side. Bostancı and Maltepe have island services on the Asian side. Some routes also serve other piers, so search for the exact origin and island you want rather than assuming every sailing uses the same stops.

Look for the ferry that suits where you’re staying, even if it isn’t the one that looks shortest on a map. A departure from Bostancı may work well if you’re already on the Asian side. If you’re near Taksim, check whether the F1 to Kabataş gives you an easy connection. Include the trip from your hotel to the pier when comparing routes.

Check fares and payment separately for each operator. If you’re taking Şehir Hatları, see its current tariff and make sure there’s enough balance on your İstanbulkart for the journeys you plan to take. If you’re using another operator, check whether it takes the card or sells separate tickets. The fares for an island trip and an inner-city crossing can differ.

Plan the return before you sit down to lunch

Find a return ferry to the pier you actually want. A boat may call at your island and head to a different part of the mainland than you expect. Save the time of the sailing you’d like to take and one later option. I’d aim for the earlier one, especially if I had dinner plans or an early start the next day.

Wind and sea conditions can affect ferries. Check service notices before leaving your hotel and again before walking away from the harbour. If you’re there on a busy weekend, leave extra time to get back to the pier and board. Give yourself enough margin to finish your walk without watching the clock the whole way down the hill.

Walking, food and what to pack

I’d walk if I were sticking to one part of the island. Roads are shared with bicycles, service vehicles and island transport, so listen for traffic and move over when you stop for a photo. If you’re considering a bicycle or another local transport option, check the current rules and what’s available at the pier. Some of the hills are steeper than they look from the ferry.

Take water, a layer for the boat and shoes you can walk in for a few hours. In hot weather I’d also bring a hat and choose a route with room for a shaded break. If you have dietary needs, check menus near the harbour before heading uphill, where you’ll have fewer choices.

For lunch, I’d compare menus near the harbour or pick up something simple from a bakery. Bir çay alabilir miyim? means “May I have a tea?” It’s all you need for a short break while you decide whether to take another walk. If you want a shorter ride on the water instead, see my Bosphorus ferry guide. For more places to visit back in the city, see my Istanbul guide.

My tip

Choose one walk and one lunch stop, then build the rest around the ferry. If you’re tempted to visit both islands in a day, look at how much time you’ll spend waiting for boats. I’d keep that time for a second cup of tea or an extra hour on the island you’ve already reached.