Büyükada
The largest of the Princes’ Islands — car-free streets, wooden mansions and pine woods.
Büyükada’s harbour, clock tower and grand nineteenth-century mansions recall its days as a summer retreat for Istanbul’s wealthy families. With no private cars, guests explore by bicycle, electric vehicle or on foot.
The ferry ride from Kabataş or Eminönü passes the Old City skyline and the smaller islands of Kınalıada, Burgazada and Heybeliada. Seafood restaurants line the harbour.
- →Horse-drawn carriages have been replaced by electric vehicles; book island transport for groups in advance.
- →Summer weekends are very crowded — choose weekdays.
- →Ferries can be cancelled in strong winds; keep a backup activity in mind.
Tours visiting this place
Hotels nearby
A large five-star conference hotel in the business district of the Asian side.
A five-star hotel on the Asian shore, overlooking Kalamış Marina and the Sea of Marmara.
An intimate luxury hotel in a restored early twentieth-century building, set around a garden courtyard in the heart of Sultanahmet.
Places nearby
- Aya Yorgi Hill (Yücetepe)3.3 km
A hilltop Greek Orthodox monastery on Büyükada’s highest point, with views across the Sea of Marmara.
- Emaar Square Mall15.0 km
A large modern mall on the Asian side near Çamlıca, with an aquarium and family attractions.
- Kadıköy Market & Moda15.4 km
Kadıköy’s market streets and the Moda seafront — the everyday Istanbul of the Asian side.
- Çamlıca Mosque & Hill17.6 km
Türkiye’s largest mosque, opened in 2019 on Çamlıca Hill, with views over the Bosphorus and both continents.
- Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi)19.2 km
The tower on a small islet off Üsküdar — a symbol of the Bosphorus, reopened in 2023 as a museum.
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)19.2 km
Sultan Ahmed I’s imperial mosque, famous for its six minarets and blue İznik-tiled interior.