# Princes’ Islands, Istanbul > Nine car-free islands in the Sea of Marmara, about 1.5 hours by ferry from Kabataş to Büyükada, the largest. People get around on foot, by bike and by electric bus. Expect wooden mansions, pine woods, a hilltop monastery and small beaches. The ferry is about 151 TL each way on an Istanbulkart. Make it a full day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/princes-islands - City: [Istanbul](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul), Turkey - YesGo score: 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 5 h - Opening hours: The islands are always open; ferries run from early morning to evening, with seasonal timetables - With kids: Fine with kids - Şehir Hatları ferry: 151.23 TL each way on Istanbulkart (fare from 20 July 2026) - Single ticket without Istanbulkart: 171.89 TL - Departs from: Kabataş all year; Bostancı and Kadıköy on the Asian side; Eminönü by private operators - Crossing to Büyükada: ≈ 1.5 h from Kabataş, under an hour from Bostancı - Entry to the islands: Free — you only pay for the ferry - Getting around: On foot, by bike, İETT electric buses and AdaMini electric taxis - Büyükada electric bus: 158.35 TL per ride for visitors - Beaches: Mostly paid beach clubs; 2026 prices vary widely between sources - Aya Yorgi monastery: Free; about 1 km of steep uphill walking - Coordinates: 40.87494, 29.12830 - Facts checked: 29.10.2026 ## Key facts - **9 islands** — in the archipelago; ferries serve the 4 big ones — Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Büyükada (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Car-free** — private vehicles are banned; horse-drawn carriages were retired in 2020 and replaced by electric vehicles (source: English Wikipedia; Istanbul.com; Turkish press on the 2020 Istanbul municipality decision) - **≈ 1.5 hours** — by ferry from Kabataş to Büyükada, calling at the other three islands (source: Russian Wikipedia; feribotseferleri timetable guide) - **≈ 5.4 km²** — Büyükada, the largest island (source: English Wikipedia (5.4–5.46 km²); Russian Wikipedia (5.36 km²)) - **202 m** — Yücetepe hill, crowned by the Monastery of St George (Aya Yorgi) (source: English Wikipedia; Küre Encyclopedia) - **1929–1933** — Leon Trotsky lived in exile on Büyükada (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Britannica) - **1898** — the Prinkipo Greek Orphanage was built — a vast wooden building meant as a hotel and casino (source: English Wikipedia; Kültür Envanteri) - **Exile** — Byzantium banished out-of-favour princes and empresses here — hence the name (source: English Wikipedia; Britannica) - **1971** — the Halki Theological School on Heybeliada was closed (source: English Wikipedia; OrthodoxWiki) - **11 km²** — all the islands together — they form their own Istanbul district, Adalar (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **23 April** — St George’s Day: thousands climb to Aya Yorgi to make a wish (source: English Wikipedia; Turkish press (Hürriyet)) ## How to get to the Princes’ Islands 1. Take tram T1 from Sultanahmet to the Kabataş terminus — about 20 minutes. 2. Top up your Istanbulkart: about 151 TL each way, roughly 300 TL return per person. 3. Board the Şehir Hatları ferry marked Adalar. It calls at Kınalıada, Burgazada and Heybeliada; Büyükada is the last stop, about 1.5 hours. 4. For a shorter crossing, go from Bostancı pier on the Asian side: more sailings, under an hour. 5. Come back from Büyükada pier — boats run to Kabataş, Bostancı and Kadıköy. Getting off in [Kadıköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/kadikoy) makes a good evening. ## Princes’ Islands ferry: price and timetable The main operator is the city-run **Şehir Hatları**, sailing from Kabataş all year and also from Bostancı and Kadıköy. Private companies **Turyol** and **Mavi Marmara** run boats too, including from Eminönü and Bostancı; their fares and Istanbulkart rules differ, so check with the operator. Since 20 July 2026 the Istanbulkart fare is **151.23 TL**, and a single ticket from the machine is 171.89 TL. These figures come from Turkish news reports of the new tariff — we couldn't check the Şehir Hatları website, so confirm in the Şehir Hatları app or at the pier. Summer and winter timetables differ, and weekends and holidays have their own. Check the day's sailings, especially the last boat back, before you set off. > **Know your last ferry back** Evening sailings thin out, and timetables change with the season. Note the last return boat in the morning. On summer weekends the ferries and Büyükada get packed — go midweek if you can. ## Which Princes’ Island should you visit? | | Büyükada | Heybeliada | Burgazada | Kınalıada | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Best for | First visit, all the highlights | Quiet, pine woods, coves | A sleepy residential island | A half day | | From Kabataş | ≈ 1.5 h, last stop | Second to last | Second stop | First stop, closest | | Highlights | Aya Yorgi, mansions, orphanage | Halki seminary, forest | Waterfront, Sait Faik house museum | Rocky shore | | Crowds | Busy | Moderate | Quiet | Quiet | | Swimming | Yes, beach clubs | Yes, calm coves | Yes | Yes, rocks | One day, one island — Büyükada. Been before or want peace — Heybeliada. You can do two: hop off at Heybeliada, then take the next ferry on to Büyükada. ## Things to do on Büyükada - Climb to the Monastery of St George (**Aya Yorgi**) on 202 m Yücetepe — a steep kilometre with views over the islands and the city. - See the **Prinkipo Greek Orphanage**, a huge wooden building from 1898 — outside only, it is closed. - Walk past the 19th-century wooden mansions on Çankaya and Nizam streets. - Start from the 1899 ferry terminal and the clock-tower square. - Find the house where Trotsky lived in 1929–1933 — abandoned and closed today. - Cycle the loop road round the island, through pine woods and past the beaches. ## Is it worth visiting the Princes’ Islands? Yes, if you have more than three days in Istanbul: it is a proper break from the city — sea air, no traffic, no rush. With only two or three days, spend them on the old city and get your sea view from a [Bosphorus ferry](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/bosphorus-ferry) instead. The islands got their name in Byzantine times, when out-of-favour princes and empresses were exiled here. In the 19th century they became the summer retreat of Istanbul’s Greek, Armenian and Jewish families — hence the wooden mansions. Cars never arrived. ## Beaches: can you swim? Yes — all four main islands have places to swim: small sand and pebble beaches, rocks and wooden decks. The best known on Büyükada is **Yörük Ali**, near Dilburnu point. Most comfortable spots are paid beach clubs with sunbeds. Reported 2026 prices differ several-fold, so we don't quote one — ask at the gate. Free swimming means wild rocky stretches. Swim season is June to September; the water is still cold in May. The far side of each island, away from the pier, is quieter. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Istanbulkart topped up with at least 350 TL per person - [ ] I know the time of the last ferry back - [ ] Leaving in the morning — it's a full day - [ ] Good shoes for the climb to Aya Yorgi - [ ] Water and some cash for bike hire and cafés - [ ] Swimsuit and towel, June to September ## Istanbul by the water, compared Every waterside place in Istanbul rated by YesGo. - [Bosphorus ferry cruise](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/bosphorus-ferry) — YesGo score 76/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Price: verifying - [Maiden’s Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/maidens-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Boat and entry: verifying - [Kadıköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/kadikoy) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [Galataport](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/galataport) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Karaköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/karakoy) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Arnavutköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/arnavutkoy) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Bebek](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/bebek) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Beylerbeyi Palace](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/beylerbeyi-palace) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 800 TL - [Rahmi M. Koç Museum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/rahmi-koc-museum) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 550 TL - [Emirgan Park](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/emirgan-park) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free - [Princes’ Islands](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/princes-islands) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · ≈ 151 TL ferry each way - [Istanbul Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/istanbul-aquarium) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 1,000 TL ## The islands and the Asian shore in a day Morning ferry to Büyükada, evening boat back to Kadıköy, a walk on to Üsküdar and sunset at the Maiden’s Tower. 1. [Princes’ Islands](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/princes-islands) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · ≈ 151 TL ferry each way 2. [Kadıköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/kadikoy) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free 3. [Üsküdar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/uskudar) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free 4. [Maiden’s Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/maidens-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Boat and entry: verifying > **Rent a bike on Büyükada** Rental shops sit by the pier. The loop road runs through pine woods and past the beaches. The last stretch up to Aya Yorgi is too steep to ride — you'll walk it. ## Good to know Adalar simply means “islands” in Turkish: it is the archipelago, the Istanbul district and the destination on the ferry boards. Büyükada’s Greek name was Prinkipo — hence the orphanage’s name. ## Tips - Go on a weekday: summer weekends mean queues for the ferry and crowds on Büyükada. - In a hurry? Board at Bostancı on the Asian side instead of Kabataş. - Climb to Aya Yorgi in the morning before the heat, and carry water. - On the way back, hop off in Kadıköy for dinner and the Asian side’s nightlife. ## Questions ### How do I get to the Princes’ Islands from Istanbul? Tram T1 to Kabataş, then the Şehir Hatları ferry to Büyükada — about 1.5 hours. From the Asian side, Bostancı pier is quicker. Pay with an Istanbulkart. ### How much is the ferry to the Princes’ Islands? Since 20 July 2026, 151.23 TL each way on an Istanbulkart, or 171.89 TL for a single ticket — about 300 TL return. Private operators set their own fares. ### How long is the ferry to the Princes’ Islands? About 1.5 hours from Kabataş to Büyükada, less to the nearer islands. Under an hour from Bostancı. ### Which Princes’ Island is best to visit? Büyükada for a first visit — it has the most to see. Heybeliada for quiet and pine woods. Kınalıada, the closest, for a half day. ### Is the Princes’ Islands trip worth it? Yes if you have more than three days in Istanbul — it is a calm, car-free break by the sea. On a short trip, the old city and a Bosphorus ferry come first. ### Can you swim at the Princes’ Islands? Yes, June to September. Beaches are small and mostly paid beach clubs; Yörük Ali is the best known on Büyükada. ### What is there to do on Büyükada? Climb to the Aya Yorgi monastery, cycle round the island, see the wooden mansions and the old Greek orphanage from outside. ### Can I use Istanbulkart on the Princes’ Islands ferry? Yes on Şehir Hatları ferries. Private operators may have their own tickets and fares — check at the pier. ### Are there cars on the Princes’ Islands? No. Private vehicles are banned; you get around on foot, by bike or on electric buses and taxis. Horse carriages ended in 2020. ## How we checked Ferry and electric bus fares are from the tariff in force since 20 July 2026, reported identically by two Turkish outlets; the Şehir Hatları website could not be checked, so fares are marked “verifying”. We don't publish a timetable — it changes by season and day of the week. Beach club prices differ several-fold between sources, so we leave them out. Wikipedia gives Büyükada as 5.36–5.46 km², so we show ≈ 5.4. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. We don't repeat the popular “largest wooden building in Europe” claim about the orphanage: it is disputed. ## Sources - English and Russian Wikipedia: Princes’ Islands, Büyükada, Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage; Wikidata Q1020668 - Encyclopaedia Britannica: Kızıl Adalar - Adalar Haber and feribotseferleri: Şehir Hatları and island transport fares from 20 July 2026 (UKOME decision) - Istanbul.com: Princes’ Islands day trip guide, 2026 - Küre Encyclopedia: Aya Yorgi Kilisesi; Hürriyet on the Aya Yorgi pilgrimage - Kültür Envanteri: Büyükada Rum Yetimhanesi - OrthodoxWiki: Theological School of Halki --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.