| Official name | Princes’ Islands (Adalar or Prens Adaları), 9 islands in the Sea of Marmara, 4 inhabited and served by ferry |
| Getting there | Şehir Hatları ferry from Kabataş, Eminönü or Kadıköy (European and Asian sides), or from Bostancı (the shortest crossing) |
| Crossing time | Kabataş → Büyükada: about 1 hr 45; Bostancı → Büyükada: 35 to 45 min |
| Ferry fare | 151.23 ₺ per trip with an İstanbulkart, about £2.26 (£1 = 66.8022 ₺, TCMB rate of 12/11/2026) |
| Times | First departure from Kabataş 6:45 (7:30 on Sundays), last return from Büyükada to Kabataş 21:45 (winter timetable 2026) |
| On the island | No cars: on foot, by bike or by municipal electric minibus |
| Time needed | One day for Büyükada plus a second island |
| Best for | Anyone spending 4 days or more in Istanbul who wants a break from the Sultanahmet crowds |
To visit the Princes’ Islands, take the Şehir Hatları ferry from Kabataş (about 1 hr 45) or Bostancı (35 to 45 min): a trip costs 151.23 ₺ with an İstanbulkart. Start with Büyükada, the largest island and car-free, and keep the whole day free: in winter the last ferry back to Kabataş leaves at 21:45.
Stepping off the ferry, you walk through the Büyükada pier building, finished in 1915 to plans by the architect Mihran Azaryan (Sözcü). Ahead of you are the Clock Square and the bike hire stands lined up along the quay.
To stay near the Kadıköy pier and save an hour on the crossing, see my guide to the best hotels in Istanbul by area.
⛴️ How do you get to the Princes’ Islands?
The Şehir Hatları public ferry is the option I recommend: it is the cheapest, you pay with your İstanbulkart, and it calls at the four inhabited islands in this order: Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada, Büyükada. Which pier you choose makes a big difference to the journey time.
My verdict: from the European side, leave from Kabataş on the way out for the view of Seraglio Point and Hagia Sophia from the water, and come back via Bostancı and the Marmaray if you are short of time. Private boats (Dentur, Turyol) also run from Kabataş and Beşiktaş, but they do not always take the İstanbulkart: check at the ticket office.
Common mistake: “The ferry to the islands costs 50 to 70 TL.” That fare, repeated by several online guides, dates from 2025 or spring 2026. According to the official Şehir Hatları fare table checked on 13/11/2026, a trip costs 151.23 ₺ with a standard İstanbulkart (90.70 ₺ only for residents holding an Adakart). Another myth: “a 1 hr 30 crossing from anywhere”. From Bostancı it takes under 45 minutes.
🏝️ Which of the Princes’ Islands should you choose?
Büyükada for a first visit, no question: it is the largest, the best for wooden mansions and the only one with a proper climb to a viewpoint. If you have time for a second island, pick Heybeliada for its pine woods and quiet, or Burgazada to avoid the weekend crowds.
| Island | What to do | Time | My take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Büyükada | Ottoman mansions of Nizam and Maden, Aya Yorgi monastery, Greek orphanage, coves | 4 to 6 hrs | Unmissable |
| Heybeliada | Former naval academy, Aya Triada monastery, pine woods, cycling | 2 to 3 hrs | The most relaxing |
| Burgazada | House museum of the writer Sait Faik Abasıyanık, sunset at Kalpazankaya | 2 hrs | To escape the crowds |
| Kınalıada | Armenian church, pebble coves, the closest to Istanbul | 1 to 2 hrs | If you only have half a day |
🚲 How do you get around Büyükada without cars?
Cars are banned on the islands. You have three options: on foot (the centre and the seafront are flat), on a hired bike from near the pier, or on the municipal electric minibus that leaves from Araba Meydanı square, a few minutes from the harbour.
The odd detail: the horse carriages Büyükada was famous for were scrapped in 2020. Small electric buggies replaced them first, then in June 2024 came 12-seat electric minibuses that islanders call “azmanbüs”, the monster buses. They say the vehicles are too big for the narrow lanes and protested all the way to Istanbul city hall (Hürriyet, 20 June 2024). If a guide still promises you a carriage ride, it is out of date.
Local tip: top up your İstanbulkart before leaving Istanbul. Top-up machines are scarce on the islands and you need credit for the minibus and the ferry back.
My advice: bike along the seafront and through Nizam, then walk the last part of the climb to Aya Yorgi. The minibus spares you the hill, but not the final 30 to 45 minutes on the cobbled path.
What is there to see on Büyükada?
The Aya Yorgi monastery, on top of Yüce Tepe hill, is the viewpoint I would put first: the last stretch is on foot along a steep cobbled path, allow 30 to 45 minutes uphill. At the top you get a small chapel and a view over the whole Sea of Marmara.
The wooden mansions of the Nizam and Maden districts are the other reason to come: late Ottoman summer houses, some restored, others abandoned. Leon Trotsky lived in exile on the island from 1929 to 1933. The former Prinkipo Greek orphanage, a huge wooden building closed to the public, can be seen from the road.
On the way up to Aya Yorgi, a slope nicknamed “Azap Yokuşu”, the hill of torment, threads are tied to the trees: they are wishes. On 23 April and 24 September thousands of visitors climb up to make a wish, some barefoot and in silence (DHA, 23 April 2022). If you want peace and quiet, avoid the island on those days.
If you only have 2 hours: M4 metro or Marmaray to Bostancı, ferry to Kınalıada (the first stop), a stroll around the harbour and a cove, then back on the next ferry.
Ferry, day tour or Istanbul Tourist Pass: which one?
The public ferry is unbeatable on price if you travel independently. The guided tour is worth it if you want lunch and a guide without organising anything, and it costs nothing extra if you already have the Istanbul Tourist Pass.
| Option | Price | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Şehir Hatları ferry return | 302.46 ₺, about £4.53 | The boat only | Independent travellers |
| Tour sold by the pass publisher | about £20.86 without the pass | Boat from Ayvansaray, guide, lunch on board, Büyükada (1 hr 30) and Heybeliada (45 min) | People who do not want to plan anything |
| Istanbul Tourist Pass | Tour included (2-day pass: about £166.03 on GetYourGuide on 30/10/2026) | The same tour + more than 100 attractions | Museum hoppers |
My maths: on your own, the ferry costs about £16 less than the tour. With the pass the tour costs nothing extra, but it sets the timing: departure 9:30, back at Ahırkapı at 16:30, booking 24 hrs ahead in the app and your original passport required.
My full comparison is in my guide to the Istanbul Tourist Pass.
🗺️ My top itinerary for a day on the Princes’ Islands
- 8:40: ferry at Kabataş, grab a seat on the outer deck, port side, for the view of Seraglio Point.
- 10:30: arrive on Büyükada, coffee and simit at the harbour before the crowds.
- 11:00: minibus or bike to the foot of Yüce Tepe, then walk up to the Aya Yorgi monastery before the heat.
- 13:00: down through Nizam and its wooden mansions, fish and meze for lunch.
- 15:00: a swim in a cove (June to September) or a walk around the Maden district.
- 16:30: ferry to Heybeliada, stroll around the harbour and the pine woods.
- 18:30: ferry back to Bostancı, then the Marmaray or the M4 metro depending on your hotel.
To fit this day into your trip, slot it in as day 4 of my 5-day Istanbul itinerary, or after a day on the Asian side in Kadıköy.
🚕 How do you get back from the Princes’ Islands without a taxi scam?
The trap comes on the way back, not on the island: as you get off the evening ferry at Kabataş or Bostancı, the taxi rank is waiting with its “flat fares”.
Last ferry, Kabataş quay around 23:30: that is when the meter “breaks” and the ride to Sultanahmet becomes a flat fare plucked out of thin air.
👉 Click here and install Uber before you go
The price of an Uber ride is shown upfront. Trip and driver logged in the app, card payment, no haggling.
Kevin’s tip: order your Uber as the ferry pulls into the quay, the route is tracked and the price set before you get in.
📱 Mobile data on the islands for ferry times, Maps and Uber
On the islands you will need data to check the time of the last ferry and find your way around Büyükada’s lanes.
Last ferry time, map of the Nizam lanes, path up to Aya Yorgi: on the islands everything runs through your phone.
👉 Click here to buy your Airalo eSIM now before you go
Get a discount on your first purchase with this link
Kevin’s tip: Airalo is the cheapest provider I have found; activate the eSIM the night before, on a compatible phone, so it works from the moment you board.
When should you go to the Princes’ Islands?
From May to October, on a weekday. On summer weekends and bayram holidays the ferries are packed and Büyükada overflows. In winter the island is almost empty and ferries are fewer: note the time of the last return as soon as you arrive. The seasons in detail are in my guide to the best time to visit Istanbul.
🏨 Where to stay for easy access to the Princes’ Islands?
Two sensible choices: on the Asian side in Kadıköy, 50 minutes by ferry, or one night on Büyükada to see the island once the day-trippers have gone.
| Where | Why | See hotels |
|---|---|---|
| Büyükada | The island at its quietest in the evening and early morning | Hotels on Büyükada |
| Kadıköy | Direct ferry to the islands, lively area in the evening | Hotels in Kadıköy |
Princes’ Islands FAQ
How do you get to the Princes’ Islands from Istanbul?
Take the Şehir Hatları public ferry from Kabataş, Eminönü, Kadıköy or Bostancı with your İstanbulkart. From Kabataş allow about 1 hr 45 to Büyükada; from Bostancı, on the Asian side, 35 to 45 minutes. The ferry stops at all four inhabited islands.
How much is the ferry to the Princes’ Islands?
According to the official Şehir Hatları fares checked on 13/11/2026, a trip costs 151.23 ₺ with a standard İstanbulkart, about £2.26. A return comes to 302.46 ₺. The 50 to 70 TL fares quoted online are out of date.
Which of the Princes’ Islands should I visit first?
Büyükada, the largest: wooden Ottoman mansions, the Aya Yorgi monastery on top of Yüce Tepe and coves for a swim. If you have time, add Heybeliada for its pine woods, or Burgazada to avoid the crowds.
Are there still horse carriages on Büyükada?
No. The carriages were scrapped in 2020. You get around on foot, by bike or on the municipal electric minibus, running since June 2024 and nicknamed “azmanbüs” by islanders, who find it too big for the narrow lanes.
How long do you need for the Princes’ Islands?
A full day for Büyükada and a second island. Leave before 9:00 and note the time of the last ferry when you arrive: in winter the last departure from Büyükada to Kabataş is at 21:45.
Is the Princes’ Islands tour included in the Istanbul Tourist Pass?
Yes. The publisher includes a guided tour with lunch on board, leaving Ayvansaray at 9:30 and returning to Ahırkapı at 16:30, covering Büyükada and Heybeliada. Without the pass it costs about £20.86. Book 24 hours ahead in the app; your original passport is required.
Can you swim on the Princes’ Islands?
Yes, from June to September. Büyükada and Heybeliada have paid beach clubs with sunloungers and a few free rocky coves. The water is still cool in May.
Read next
- Visiting the Bosphorus: ferry or cruise
- Best things to do in Istanbul
- Getting around Istanbul: metro, tram and ferry
Sources and references
- Şehir Hatları, official fares for the Adalar lines, checked on 13/11/2026
- Ada Gazetesi, 2026 winter ferry timetable to the islands, checked on 13/11/2026
- Istanbul Tourist Pass, Princes’ Islands tour, checked on 13/11/2026
- Hürriyet, the Büyükada electric minibus row, 20/06/2024
- Sözcü, the history of the Büyükada pier, 08/10/2021
- DHA, wishes at Aya Yorgi, 23/04/2022
- TCMB, exchange rates of 12/11/2026
Transparency: this article contains affiliate links to GetYourGuide, Booking, Istanbul Tourist Pass, Uber and Airalo. If you book through them I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
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