The Princes' Islands (Adalar in Turkish) are an archipelago of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, about 18km southeast of Istanbul. Four of them — Büyükada (the largest and most popular), Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada — are the ones visitors reach on the public ferry. Named after Byzantine princes who were exiled here, the islands served as a place of banishment, a Greek Orthodox spiritual center, and later a summer retreat for Istanbul's wealthy. Today, they're car-free havens where the only transport is electric vehicles, bicycles, and walking.
Büyükada Island: Ferry, Timetable & Things to Do
Captain Ahmet Yıldız · Updated
The Princes' Islands are a car-free archipelago in the Sea of Marmara — just an hour from Istanbul but a world away, with Victorian mansions, pine forests, and peaceful beaches.
What Are the Princes' Islands?
Büyükada — Turkish for "Big Island" — is the largest of Istanbul's Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara: car-free, reached by public ferry from Kabataş or Kadıköy, and known for its wooden mansions, the hilltop Aya Yorgi monastery and harbour-front fish restaurants. It makes an easy full day trip from the city.
Yacht Charter in IstanbulSee it from the water · from €220View cruise Büyükada — The Big Island
Büyükada is the main attraction and the largest of the Princes' Islands. Its streets are lined with grand Victorian-era wooden mansions (köşks) built by Ottoman-era Greek, Armenian, and Jewish families. The Aya Yorgi Church and Monastery sits atop the island's highest hill, offering panoramic views of the Sea of Marmara and Istanbul's distant skyline. The island's beaches, particularly Yörükali, are popular swimming spots in summer. The harbor front is lined with seafood restaurants serving the day's fresh catch.
How to Get There
Public ferries leave from Kabataş on the European side and from Kadıköy or Bostancı on the Asian side, usually calling at the smaller islands before Büyükada; check the operator's timetable on the day you go. The islands are a Marmara day trip; for the Bosphorus side of the city, MerrySails runs a shared sunset cruise from Karaköy and a dinner cruise from Kabataş. If you are weighing the islands against a day on the Bosphorus, the Bosphorus cruise vs Princes Islands comparison sets the two side by side.
Büyükada Ferry Timetable and Journey Times
The Şehir Hatları island ferry from Kabataş calls at Kadıköy, Kınalıada, Burgazada and Heybeliada before Büyükada. On the weekday and Saturday timetable the trip takes 1 hour 45 minutes from Kabataş and 1 hour 20 minutes from Kadıköy. The evening 18:25 from Kabataş stops only at Heybeliada and reaches Büyükada in 1 hour 10 minutes. The times below were read from the Şehir Hatları Kabataş–Adalar timetable on 14 October 2026. On Sundays the morning sailings differ and the first one leaves Kabataş at 07:30, so check that column before a weekend trip.
Tip: A full day on your own fits between the 09:00 from Kabataş, which arrives at 10:45, and the 16:30 back, which reaches Kabataş at 18:20: about 5 hours 45 minutes on the island.
| Weekdays and Saturdays | Şehir Hatları timetable |
|---|---|
| Morning and midday ferries from Kabataş | 06:45, 08:00, 09:00, 10:05, 11:05, 12:00 |
| Afternoon gap | No ferry from Kabataş to Büyükada between 14:00 and 16:30 |
| Last ferry back to Kabataş | 21:45 from Büyükada, arriving 23:35 |
| Last ferry back to Kadıköy | 21:45 from Büyükada, arriving 23:05 |
What to Do
Cycle around Büyükada's perimeter road (about 12km) for stunning coastal views. Visit the Aya Yorgi Church at the hilltop — the walk up through pine forests is beautiful. Explore the island's charming back streets with their flower-draped wooden mansions. Have a traditional Turkish lunch at a waterfront restaurant. Swim at one of the beaches (best in summer). Browse the handicraft shops along the main street. Rent a bicycle or hop on one of the municipality's electric buses to cover more ground — the island's horse-drawn phaetons were retired in 2020.
Landmarks Beyond the Harbour
The Adalar municipality's own guide to Büyükada describes the island's two classic loops: the long tour that starts near the pier and circles the whole coast, and the short tour from the old carriage square (Araba Meydanı) to the Dilburnu headland, then past Âşıklar and Lunapark to Maden and back. You can walk or cycle either loop. These are the landmarks the municipality lists along the way.
- Aya Yorgi Church and Monastery: on the island's highest hill; the first building on the site dates from the 6th century.
- Hristos Monastery: on İsa Tepesi (Christ Hill), where the Greek Orphanage building dates from 1898.
- Hamidiye Mosque: built by Sultan Abdülhamid II in a Western-influenced style; one of the island's five mosques.
- Ayios Dimitrios Church in Kumsal: where the island's Orthodox community holds its main services.
- Surp Asdvadzadzin Armenian Catholic Church: consecrated on 15 August 1858.
- Con Paşa Mansion: on Çankaya Caddesi, listed among the island's historic buildings.
- Yörükali and Nizam beaches: beside the Dilburnu headland.
Best Time to Visit
Spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) are ideal — pleasant weather without summer crowds. Summer weekends can be extremely busy with Istanbul residents escaping the city heat. Winter visits are quiet and atmospheric, with fewer tourists and a melancholic beauty to the empty mansions. If visiting in summer, take an early morning ferry to avoid crowds and secure a good lunch spot.
Büyükada FAQ
Short answers to the questions visitors ask most before a day on the islands.
How much is the ferry to Büyükada?
The Şehir Hatları island lines charge 151.23 TL per ride at the full fare without an Adakart, which is what a visitor pays. The 50% discount that Şehir Hatları gives personalised İstanbulkart holders when they transfer from other public transport does not apply on the island lines.
Where does the Büyükada ferry leave from?
Island-line ferries leave from Kabataş and Beşiktaş on the European side and from Kadıköy, Bostancı, Maltepe and Tuzla-Pendik on the Asian side. Check the Şehir Hatları timetable on the day you travel.
Are there cars on Büyükada?
No private cars run on the island. Visitors walk, rent a bicycle or use the municipality's electric buses. The horse-drawn phaetons were retired in 2020.
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