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Princes' Islands
Archipelago in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul

Princes' Islands

The Princes' Islands, officially just Adalar ; alternatively the Princes' Archipelago; is an archipelago of nine islands off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, in the Sea of Marmara.

Plan a trip to Princes' Islands→From Istanbul

These constitute the municipality and district of Adalar within Istanbul Province. With a total land area of 11 km2 (4.2 sq mi), it is the fifth smallest district in Istanbul and, with a permanent population of 16,690 (2022), by far the least populous district in Istanbul.

Get in

Getting to Princes' Islands

No bridge, tunnel or airstrip so you get here by ferry from Istanbul city. To Büyükada takes about 90 min from European piers and 45 min from the Asian side. The last ferries depart around 23:00. Adalar Lines sail hourly from Kabataş via Kadıköy to Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Büyükada; they may loop back to the mainland at Bostancı. Mavi Marmara ferries sail hourly from Bostancı to Heybeliada and Büyükada.

See

Worth seeing

Saatli Meydan - "Clocktower Square" - is town centre, a block inland from the ferry pier. This area is nondescript, you need to walk a few blocks east or (better still) west to find the 19th century wooden mansions built as summer homes for the wealthy. Mizzi Mansion west at Çankaya Cd 17 was built in brick in Italianate style in 1894. In the 1930s it was a hotel; it's now a private residence, no tours.

  1. 01
    Prinkipo Greek Orphanage

    Six-storey wooden building, probably the largest wooden building in Europe, fallen into ruin and fenced off.

  2. 02
    Islands Museum

    Describing the islands from prehistoric times to the present day.

  3. 03
    Church of Saint George
  4. 04
    Halki Seminary on Ümit Tepesi
Do

Things to do

Grand Tour (Büyük Tur) means the 15 km circumference of Büyükada. The roads are well paved and scenic, with few gradients or vehicles. Bikes can be hired near the ferry pier. Boat trips start from the mainland city, not here. These are the way to view the outlying islands lacking a ferry service. Beaches are small, and you pay to use them.

Eat

Where to eat

Büyükada pier and nearby streets have dozens of eating places. Popular choices include Fıçı, Nissi, Ali Baba, Süleyman, Botanik, Konak, Kervan and Ada Saray. Şekercisi Cafe is a coffee and dessert cafe at Özdemir Sk 8, open daily 08:30-21:00. Loc'ada Büyükada, Yılmaz Türk Cd 175 (200 m north of Island Museum),. Pricey restaurant with rooms, you're paying for the view.

  1. 01
    Lunapark Restaurant

    Convenient restaurant in the mid-island square.

  2. 02
    Eskibağ Teras

    Pleasant place with views from the terrace.

How locals move

Getting around Princes' Islands the local way

  • Get inNo bridge, tunnel or airstrip so you get here by ferry from Istanbul city.
  • Get inMavi Marmara ferries sail hourly from Bostancı to Heybeliada and Büyükada.
  • Get inIDO ferries sail further out to the Marmara Islands and don't call at the Princes' Islands.
  • Get inYassıada has no ferry but is being converted into a museum island, so boat trips or heli-tours may visit.
  • Get aroundBetween islands, the ferries are frequent enough for day-trips.
  • Get aroundMost islands' sights are close to their ferry piers, so walking is the default transport.
  • Get aroundİETT electric minibuses potter round Büyükada: BA-2 runs every 10 mins to Birlik Meydanı.
  • Get aroundOn Heybeliada, minibuses HA-2 and HA-3 run round the coast.

From Wikivoyage: Istanbul/Princes' Islands, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.