Turkey · Beach & Island

8-Hour Büyükada Princes' Islands Tour with Phaeton Ride and Lunch

8 Hours Round trip from Büyükada Easy pace

Take the ferry to one of the Princes' Islands

Admire the views of Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Cruise across the Sea of Marmara to Büyükada, the largest of the Princes' Islands
02 See lavish Ottoman mansions and beautiful Victorian summer villas
03 Tour the pedestrianized island by phaeton through elegant wooden mansions and natural scenery
04 Enjoy lunch at a cosy seaside fish restaurant with views back toward Istanbul's skyline

Explore Büyükada, the largest of Turkey's Princes' Islands, on this full-day trip from Istanbul. Cruise across the Sea of Marmara as the city's skyline slips from view, then discover the pedestrianized island by phaeton while hearing about its history from your expert local guide. Admire lavish Ottoman mansions, beautiful Victorian summer villas, and lovely natural scenery, then enjoy lunch at a cosy seaside fish restaurant. You will also have time to relax on this laid-back island retreat before returning by ferry.

Take the ferry to one of the Princes' Islands, Büyükada (Big Island), a quiet seafront town and summer holiday escape from the city.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 8 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Istanbul, Büyükada

Languages Arabic, English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Büyükada Ferry Trip and Island Discovery

Take the ferry to one of the Princes' Islands, Büyükada (Big Island), a quiet seafront town and summer holiday escape from the city. Leave the Golden Horn by ferry to Sarayburnu (Seraglio Point), the headland from which the domes and minarets of Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque can be seen.
Pass four islands with their charming old Ottoman houses and finally reach Büyükada, the largest of the islands, with your island tour guide.
See the lavish Ottoman mansions and other beautiful Victorian summer villas around the island.
Take a tour of the island by phaeton (horse and cart) and pass elegant old wooden mansions and beautiful natural scenery. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a cosy seaside fish restaurant and relax while looking back at the domes and minarets among the skyscrapers of modern Istanbul's skyline. This is a perfect day for relaxing and enjoying one of Istanbul residents' favourite summer retreats.
Return by ferry and drop off at the hotel or port.

Where this trip takes you

Sea of Marmara, Büyükada, Golden Horn, Topkapı Palace

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Büyükada 2 cities · 8 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Hotel pick-up and drop-off by air-conditioned, non-smoking tour coaches
Entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
Lunch
English-speaking professional licensed Turkish tour guide
Service charges and local taxes
Free pick-up service is available only from city centre hotels on the European side.

What's Not Included

Drinks at lunch
Tips and gratuities
Personal expenses

Know before you go

Please inform me about your hotel details when you book the tour.
It's when Istanbul's crazy traffic and the stressed lifestyle of its inhabitants start getting to you that you should escape for a day to the Princes' Islands. These islands are a 90-minute ferry ride away, and what you can expect when you get there is peace. Your destination is Büyükada, the biggest of a set of 9 islands. Cars are forbidden, luxurious vegetation surrounds the islands, and traditional Ottoman houses and villas are waiting to be discovered.
Cruise on the Marmara Sea to go to Heybeliada for a horse carriage tour and, soon after that, retake the ferry to go to the biggest island, Büyükada. This is followed by lunch and free time on Büyükada. Return to Istanbul by ferry and transfer back to hotels.
Phaeton ride, Splendid Hotel, wooden houses Büyükada, literally "Big Island" in Turkish, is the original Princes' Island and the largest and most populated of the Princes' Islands. Büyükada was used as an exile destination and as a monastery region during the Byzantine Christian period. During Byzantine history, the island was also used as a prison for those opposing the Emperor. It was to Büyükada that the Byzantine empresses Irene and Zoe and Anna Dalassena were sent.
Explore Büyükada, the largest of Turkey's Princes' Islands, on this full-day trip from Istanbul. Cruise across the Sea of Marmara, watching the sights of Istanbul slip from view, and then explore the pedestrianized island in the best possible way - by horse-drawn carriage. Hear the history of this laid-back island from your expert local guide and then spend time at leisure, perhaps relaxing on its beaches, before returning to Istanbul.

Logistics