The beaches of the prince's islands on the map. The Princes' Islands are home to disgraced emperors. How to get to the Princes' Islands from Sultanahmet

Our reader Natalia Gorbacheva talks about his favorite Turkish resort - the unique and beautiful Princes' Islands.

The Princes' Islands are a favorite vacation spot for residents and guests of Istanbul. Tourists from many countries of the world adore this place for its unique nature, beautiful beaches, historical heritage and amazing atmosphere.

Princes Islands: photos, videos, reviews and hotels + how to get from Istanbul

The Princes' Islands (aka Adalars) are located in the Sea of ​​Marmara, a few kilometers from the coast of Istanbul. An hour and a half on the ferry - and you are already far from the city madness, in a corner of unique nature. I love this place and year after year I come there for summer holidays.

Princes' Islands in Istanbul: content of the article

How to get from Istanbul to the Princes' Islands

So, for starters, how to get to the Princes' Islands from Istanbul.

If straight from the airport, then I personally took a taxi. Talk about exorbitant prices for transport at airports is a myth imposed by tour operators. There are counters here. It is enough to tell the taxi driver one word "Kabatash". This is the ferry station from where you travel to the island where your hotel in the Princes' Islands is booked. In general, you can leave for the Princes' Islands from four piers in Istanbul: Kabataş, Beşiktaş, Bostancı and Kadıköy.

See the schedule to get exactly to your island. Most often people go to Buyukada. It is the largest (Büyükada means “big island” in Turkish). The ferry is called Mavi Marmara, but if in doubt, just show the ticket to the ferry officer and ask "Buyukada?" If he nodded, feel free to sit down. I should note that the ferries run until 11pm, so if you have an overnight flight…

The road to the island of Buyukada from the "mainland" on the Mavi Marmara ferry will take an hour and a half.

The most important - there are no cars on the island. To get to your hotel, if it is not on the first line, you need to hire a chaise at a special Horse Station. It is located near the clock tower, you can even find it by smell. 🙂 But it's so cool to ride in a carriage, just like in the television series "Korolok - a singing bird"! On the way, you will admire the luxurious villas of wealthy Turks. It is a Turk, since it is forbidden to sell houses to foreigners on the island. But I had to see there too - the owner of the house, of course, is a Turk, but the mistress is ours. And this is pride!

Of course, I couldn't help but film the beauty of the Princes' Islands. Let's fall in love together? 

Hotels on the Princes' Islands

I personally really liked the hotels The Prince Hotel(you will see it when leaving the pier) and Marine House Boutique Hotel(it is also near the sea). The most important thing is that the hotels of the Princes' Islands do not have the famous Turkish "All Inclusive" system, for which we are now fighting in such an organized manner. 🙂 Only breakfasts, but they are very diverse (however, like everywhere else in Turkey). For lunch, be sure to go to local restaurants to try the famous Istanbul fresh fish.

• Cheap but good hotels in the Princes' Islands: description and reviews

Either tasty or beautiful!

Let's take a closer look at lunch and dinner. Here on the island I advise you to choose: either very beautiful, or very tasty. I'll try to explain the difference.

A whole street of restaurants stretches from the ferry station. The buildings are built on the water, and the windows overlooking the sea are always open. The feeling that you are sitting on a ship, you hear the splashing of the waves and the cries of seagulls ... The seagulls here are quite nimble: in five seconds, a bird can fly into the window, steal the food you honestly paid for with its beak from your plate and fly away. You will be crumpled, but it almost happened to me! But everything worked out, the seagull just sat on the window 🙂 Not only seagulls are waiting for you here, but also other birds - fat ones, it seems like albatrosses - fly around, walk on the floor of the restaurant. They come and look at you with kind eyes. Visitors hand-feed them like cats.

In September, after 18.00 a strong wind is already blowing and it is cold to sit close to the sea. The waiters will bring you a blanket, and while drinking real hot Turkish coffee, you will admire the twinkling lights of the shores of Istanbul at night. The distant city seems to wink at its younger sister, Buyukada.

The Princes' Islands are a great place to "escape" from the bustle of the city.

It was about beauty. Now about the food itself. The menu here is mainly fish. The fish is all freshly caught, but for those who wish, there is also meat: kebabs, tenderloins, etc. Only in coastal restaurants (Ali Baba, Su, etc.) are prices a little overpriced. They take interest for this most beautiful view, I guess. The taste and quality of food, in my opinion, is still ordinary: fish with bones (well, maybe I just got it), only one salad - vegetable, no desserts.

That's for "very tasty" you just need to go up to the taverns "on the second line". Here you will be served soft, juicy fish and meat, different salads, famous Turkish sweets. No wind blows, birds do not disturb, drunk compatriots (as in Antalya) too. I recommend Şen balıkçi (Jolly fisherman) restaurant. It's next to the Marine House Hotel, its sign glows bright blue neon lights. By the way, the Uzbek Rasul works there as a waiter, he speaks fluently in our language, and will gladly recommend the best dishes of Turkish cuisine for Russian appetite and character.

Well, where in Turkey without sweet fruits? Shops with them on the island every three steps: figs, melons, pomegranates, tangerines, grapes, etc. Big, fresh, delicious!

And this is Trotsky's house - it was on the Princes' Islands that he lived for several years after being expelled from the USSR. I think many would not refuse such a "link"!

The beaches of the Princes' Islands

But still we are going to swim in the sea and sunbathe in the sun. The Sea of ​​Marmara is very warm even in September. If, when choosing a hotel, you look at the map and see that your hotel is located close to the coast (that is, our favorite Turkish first line), then do not flatter yourself. Hotels on the Princes' Islands do not have their own beaches! The Antalno-Kemerovo-Bodrum version - from the balcony directly to the sun lounger - will not work here.

You have to go to public beaches either on horseback or on boats. Starting from 10.00, they set sail from the pier three times a day or more often (depending on the weather and season) at certain times. Each ship has the name of the beach written on it. I went to Yörükali beach several times. Travel to the beach by sea is free, and the entrance is already for money - 25 TL, on a day off 30 TL. But everything is civilized there - sun loungers, umbrellas, a toilet, changing cabins, a shower. You can stay on the beach all day and, according to the old Soviet habit, there is no need to drag a bag of food. The Yörükali bar sells combo lunches (pizzas, sandwiches + french fries + Coca-Cola), coffee, tea, and beer.

From the hills of Buyukada Island, you can take beautiful panoramic photos of the Sea of ​​Marmara.

So, here you can also enjoy the full program. The water in the sea is clear, warm, there are no strong waves, the shores are picturesque, yachts sail along them. Boats are also taken back.

Kids on the beach can build castles of yellow sand with pleasure, but in the evening no one will work with your children on the island. Animators, all kinds of children's clubs and mini-discos have never been here. Well, that's not what people come here for. However, a couple of playgrounds have been built near the embankment.

Why go to the Princes' Islands of Istanbul? you ask me. Yes, this is not the usual and such a native hotel-cocktail Türkiye. In my opinion, there really is nothing to do with kids here. This place is ideal for a honeymoon (closer and cheaper than the Maldives and the Dominican Republic), youth companies and families with children over 12 years old. You will really have a rest (without a mass of drunken compatriots), swim and enrich yourself culturally.

The Princes' Islands owe their name to a specific function that they performed during the time of the first Byzantine, and after the Ottoman Empire: they were a place of exile for crowned persons and other nobility, whose presence at the court seemed undesirable to one or another ruler. It is unlikely that the "prisoners" could feel any miserable among the surrounding beauty, but the fact remains.

Only in the 19th century did they begin to settle voluntarily in the Adalars. Entrepreneurial and far-sighted representatives of the Greek, Armenian and Jewish communities appreciated the opportunity to spend the summer surrounded by picturesque nature away from the noisy Constantinople and chose the Princes' Islands to build their seasonal villas here. The Turks appeared on the archipelago after the end of the First World War, when they bought a yacht club on the territory of Buyukada for local parliamentarians. By the way, it is the diversity of the national composition that has led to an interesting mix of architectural styles, which will certainly be noted by experienced travelers.

Today, the Princes' Islands are one of the favorite vacation spots for Istanbul residents in the warm season. On weekends, you may encounter the problem of a heavy workload of water transport and catering establishments along its route. In this regard, it is recommended to plan a trip to the Princes' Islands on a weekday morning.

Henna Island – Kinalyada

Kinalyada is a small land area and the closest to the city, however, not many passengers get off at this stop, because there are much more stones (albeit of various breeds) than eye-pleasing vegetation. If you still decide to explore the surroundings, pay attention to the peculiar symbiosis of religions. On one and a half square kilometers, not only various ethnic communities coexist, but also a Muslim mosque built in the middle of the last century, Greek and Armenian churches. In addition, the top of one of the hills is crowned by the monastery of Christo, where Emperor Roman IV Diogenes, blinded by rivals in the struggle for the throne, ended his days almost a thousand years ago.

Burgazada Hill Island

The second name - Antigoni - was given to the island of Burgazada (Burgaz) by the founder of the fort Demetrius Poliorket in honor of his father, one of the commanders of the famous conqueror Alexander the Great. The settlement of the island happened much later, today the number of permanent residents is one and a half thousand people, and at the peak of the season it increases 10 times. 13 years ago, after a serious fire, a significant part of the forest that covered the surface of the island was destroyed. However, the main attractions of Burgaz - the 9th-century church of Ayia Yani, the hospital of St. George, the monastery of Christ and the holy spring of Ayios Loanis - remained untouched by fire and are now available for inspection. If you prefer more secular excursions, be sure to visit the house-museum of the outstanding Turkish poet and prose writer Sait Faik Abasyyanyk, who described the local landscapes and people in poems and stories.

Island with a bag – Heybeliada

Until the second half of the 19th century, only a small fishing settlement in the northern part of the island and three monasteries were located on an area of ​​2.5 km². The starting point of the new history of Halki can be considered the year 1846, when an isolated piece of land, like the other Princes' Islands, was connected with Constantinople by a regular ferry service. The modest huts of sea workers gave way to spacious summer houses of wealthy citizens (mainly Greeks), and eight hundred inhabitants literally turned into three and a half thousand in just half a century. At different times, many prominent figures of Turkish art found a home and inspiration here, and not only them. Alexei Tolstoy even wrote a story about the life of Russian emigrants who fled the revolutions, it is called “On the Island of Halki”.

Big Island

Buyukada is the largest in the entire archipelago of the Princes' Islands. This explains the fact that, despite its considerable distance from Istanbul compared to its "younger brothers", it is especially popular with vacationers from different countries.

The unique face of the area is formed not only by luxurious villas surrounded by lush gardens and equipped beaches. The highlight of the island is the unusual neighborhood of eleven churches: Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian; mosques and synagogues, as well as stunning panoramas of Istanbul, the Bosphorus and the Sea of ​​Marmara, which open from observation platforms in the mountains or the terraces of numerous coffee houses and restaurants near the pier.

In the latter, by the way, guests can taste the gastronomic pride of the Princes' Islands - freshly caught fish is deliciously cooked here, and prices, although quite high, do not differ too much from those in the capital. However, if the travel budget is limited, it is quite possible to limit yourself to a visit to a local supermarket or take lunch with you, as prudent Turks do. Please note that the entrance to the territories intended for picnics is paid, and you will not be allowed to sit comfortably in any place you like - the main part of the island is covered with pine forests, which are under state protection.

Inspection of local beauties from the window of a tourist bus is fundamentally impossible, since in all Adalars there is a categorical ban on the use of motor vehicles, an exception is made only for police and fire trucks. On the other hand, it is this approach that makes it possible to maintain a special quiet and calm atmosphere, which is cherished by the owners of elite real estate and citizens tired of the bustle.

As a result, visitors have three possible ways to travel. The most obvious and cost-effective is your own legs. Fortunately, even the Big Island is not so large that it takes a lot of time or effort to walk on foot. The only difficulty in this case is the relief: frequent descents and ascents are not an occupation for high-heeled socialites, take comfortable (ideally sports) shoes from the bowels of the suitcase. The reward will be the opportunity to independently choose the pace of movement that is ideal for all participants of the “expedition” and stop at especially vending points for inspection and photography.

Prefer something faster? Tourists are happy to provide bicycles for rent. There is an hourly rate (about 5 lira), but it is more rational to pay the rent for the whole day. And if physical activity is not what you went on vacation for, be guided by the recommendations of numerous guidebooks and sit in the phaeton. An open carriage drawn by a pair of horses will make a short or long tour (45 minutes for 70 TL and one hour for 80 lire respectively) around the island.

What is interesting, besides sacred buildings and examples of colonial architecture, does Buyukada offer to its guests? A mandatory element of the program is Rum Yetimhanesi, the largest wooden building in Europe. It is worth warning that the former hotel-casino, after being converted into an orphanage, has fallen into disrepair over the past century since its construction and does not look very presentable, but it is still worth visiting.

Russian-speaking tourists traditionally show interest in the house where the revolutionary Lev Trotsky, expelled from the USSR, lived for four years. We note right away that there are no identification marks on the building itself or on the way to it, so you can only rely on the help of a map or navigator. Access to the territory is closed, since the idea of ​​creating a museum has remained unrealized. The building itself was not restored after the fire of 1931, when the fire destroyed part of the famous personal archive of the disgraced Marxist. So you can admire the former splendor of the mansion only from afar, as far as the high fence and lush vegetation allow, which does not know the hand of the gardener.

If daylight hours on the Princes' Islands are not enough for you, it is not necessary to return to the mainland with the last ferry. Many villas have been converted into mini-hotels that will gladly accept guests for one or more nights. But even a short visit to this archipelago will surely remain a vivid and pleasant memory for you!

How to get there

Proximity to urban infrastructure has led to the choice of vehicles. For those who are used to traveling with maximum comfort, there are special excursion tours that include a transfer. However, the cost of such proposals cannot be called budgetary; numerous river taxis are more gentle for your wallet.

There is another option to get to the Princes' Islands - a public ferry, a ticket for which will cost about 5 lira (and for IstanbulKart owners - only 4 TL). There are several carriers, the most capacious ships are at Sehir Hatlari, they depart from the Kabatas pier in the European part of Istanbul, as well as from Kadikoy and Bostanci in the Asian. The current flight schedule can always be found on the company's website or directly at the ticket office at the berths - it changes depending on the season and, accordingly, the number of passengers.

If you plan to take the best seats on the open upper deck, it is better to arrive at Kabatas 20-30 minutes before the indicated time. Do not forget to throw something on your shoulders even on a warm sunny day - in the sea, in any weather, a cool breeze is possible.

Sailing from the shore, you will see a distant panorama of the capital, blue marble water, a former fort with a lighthouse - the Maiden's Tower and, of course, the Princes' Islands themselves.

The ferry approaches only four of the nine islands that currently exist, since Sedefadasi is little populated and of no interest to tourists, Kashikadasi has become private property, and Yassiada, Tavsanadasi and Sivriada are uninhabited.

The beaches of the Princes' Islands, (Istanbul, Turkey) - location, description, opening hours, entertainment and infrastructure. Useful tips and practical information from the "Subtleties of Tourism".

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People also come to the Princes' Islands (Adalar) for a beach holiday - much more peaceful than in Istanbul itself. The air is fresher here, there are no cars, but there are several fairly famous beaches and, moreover, quite large to accommodate everyone. The beaches are mostly pebbly, but with clear water and, as a rule, good views. The most famous beaches of the Princes' Islands are paid, and tourists usually find themselves on them. It's just that there is not much time from the ferry there to the ferry back to spend it looking for a free beach.

Yoruk-Ali beach, on the largest island (Buyukada), for example, is able to receive one and a half thousand vacationers. Various events are regularly held here, and right by the beach there are suitable options for accommodation for a few days. This beach is located near Cape Language (Dil Burnu), and the entrance to it is paid - 40 TRY.

The most famous beaches of the Princes' Islands are paid, and tourists usually find themselves on them.

The second large island of Adalar, Heybeliada Island, is famous for its beaches near the Mill Cape. Ada Beach and Green Beach Club are popular and can be reached by a free shuttle from the ferry pier. Entrance to the beach - 40 TRY. The less famous, but very pretty Heybeliada beach is located near the Sadik Bay beach complex. It is very intimate and not even sandy, but terraced, but it differs in that there is a pine grove very close to the water.

Free shuttles that go to Green Beach and Ada Beach are either boats or horse-drawn vehicles. In any case, you should use them on the way there, but you can already get back on foot - go about half an hour downhill.

A small Burgazada boasts a rather modest but pleasant Kalpazan-Kaya beach. This beach, located under the rock of the same name, is distinguished by the restaurant of the same name, which is quite famous. True, there is a fee for entering this cozy beach - 20 TRY on weekdays, 25 TRY on weekends. But if you go a little further away from it, you can sit by the sea for free.

Prices on the page are for August 2018.

How to get to the beaches of the Princes' Islands

There are many types of water transport to the islands from the "European" part of the city. Berths in Istanbul are located at the terminal station of the light rail. The ferry, calling at the Kadikoy pier in the "Asian" part of Istanbul, sails to the Princes' Islands for an hour and a half, high-speed water taxis - less than an hour. The ferry bypasses in one flight all the inhabited islands of the archipelago in turn.

The Princes' Islands are an archipelago of nine islands that are administratively one of the districts of the province of Istanbul. They got their name due to the purpose for which they were used by the rulers of the first Byzantine and then the Ottoman empires. All representatives of the most august families and royal persons who were in disfavor were referred here.

In the 19th century, mainly wealthy representatives of the Armenian, Jewish and Greek communities began to rest here, but gradually the population became more Turkish due to the influx of Turkish capital.

Today, the Princes' Islands are one of the popular destinations for day trips from Istanbul. You can only get here by ferry, and on the territory of the islands there is only horse-drawn transport, and bicycles that you can rent (about 6 TRY per hour). Prices on the page are for April 2019.

The names of each of the islands are not only exotic (like the area itself), but also very difficult to pronounce.

But this is redundant

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Buyukada

The “Big Island” of Buyukada is, as the name implies, the largest in the archipelago. Its area is 5.4 square meters. kilometers, 7400 people live on it. It was Buyukada that was the main place of exile of the most august persons - contenders for the throne of the emperor. For some time, there was a nunnery on the territory of the island, where women objectionable to the court, as well as elderly monks, went. Interestingly, Empress Irina, who is the founder of this monastery, later became its resident herself.

Since the 19th century, ferries have been running here, and gradually the island begins to be popular both among tourists and among representatives of the Turkish nobility. A distinctive feature of Buyukada is the unique neighborhood of mosques, Christian churches and synagogues. The Church of St. Dmitry is still active, and the Orthodox are also given the opportunity to plunge into the holy springs - Ayazma.

There is also a unique wooden building of the orphanage - the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world.

A trip to the island of Buyukada

Heybeliada

The "island with a bag" Heybeliada is in second place in size and owes its name to the similarity with the saddle pack - "heide". Its dimensions are approximately 3 kilometers in length and 1.5 in width. Once upon a time, the island was called Demonisos, and there were as many as three monasteries on it, as well as a small fishing village. Gradually, from the 19th century, the population began to increase here, thanks to the ferry service that arose from the mainland. In the 20th century, the Trade School, the Naval College and other institutions began to appear here.

Fans of Christian shrines will be interested in the 14th century St. Mary's Church, the monasteries of Terki Dunya and Aya Yorgi Uchurum. In addition, Heybeliada is popular among tourists during the summer seasons, thanks to the numerous sightseeing tours.

5 things to do in the Princes' Islands

1. Find out on which of the islands Leon Trotsky spent 4 years of his life.
2. Take part in a unique donkey tour on any of the islands.
3. Visit the first private zoo in Istanbul at Burgazada.
4. Find out why in one of the restaurants in Burgazy the owner fills the glass every day in the hands of the monument.
5. Try raki - the national Turkish alcoholic drink.

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Burgazada

On the area of ​​Burgazada ("Fortress") takes an honorable third place. From the port of Istanbul, this island is 15 kilometers away, while it has an almost square shape: both its length and width are 2 kilometers. It began to be settled only from the 20th century by the Turkish nobility, but so far the indigenous population does not exceed 1500, while up to 15 thousand people can be on the island at the same time during the season.

The main attraction of Burgazada is the Church of Aya Yani. It itself was built in the 9th century, and the last restoration took place here only in the 19th century. For those who love antiquities, a visit to the island will be a real gift. There is a dungeon under the church, which can be reached by 11 steps.

In addition, there is a monastery of Christ, the first building of a sanatorium in Turkey, as well as the holy spring of Ayios Loanis.

Kinalyada

Henna Island, the fourth in a row, ends the beauties of the Princes' Islands. It got its name because of the color of the soil, which has a characteristic shade from the iron contained in it. Here you can find relatively little greenery, but a large number of stones: it was from here during the heyday of the Byzantine Empire that materials for the construction of fortress walls were exported. Due to the lack of greenery, Kinalyada is not very popular with tourists.

Cedefadas

The "Pearl Island" of Cedefadasa is the smallest of the inhabited islands of the group. Previously, evergreen trees grew abundantly on the island, thanks to which it resembled mother-of-pearl from afar. Today, as a result of erosion, green spaces have decreased, but after the transfer of the island to private ownership in the 20th century, the construction of a settlement was organized here, and today it again welcomes tourists.

Other islands

The islands of Kashikadasi (“spoon island”), Yassyada (“carnal island”), Sivriada (“pointed island”) and Tavshanadasi (“hare island”) are not inhabited, therefore they are not of particular value to tourists.

One of the most common destinations for day trips from Istanbul is the Princes' Islands (Adalary). They are an archipelago of islands located in the Sea of ​​Marmara, 18-35 km from the capital.

Previously, there were 10 of them - the princes of the islands of Istanbul, but during the next earthquake one went under water, now there are 9 of them. They got their name because disgraced royals, nobility and priests were referred here. One of the most famous exiles is the mother of Emperor Constantine VI, Empress Irina.

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Since 1946, steamships have been sailing here. and the islands are becoming a popular summer resort. The movement of motor vehicles in them is prohibited, so these places can rightfully be considered environmentally friendly.

Numerous coves, small beaches, narrow streets with original houses, green parks, cozy cafes attract both the local population and tourists. You can get here only by ferries and sea buses. Sea transport in Istanbul is developed on a par with land transport, so there are no difficulties with this. You will learn everything about the seaport.

Of the 9 islands of the archipelago, 5 are open to the public:

Kashikadasi is private property. The rest are very small, there are practically no tourists in them. Below we will tell you not only how to get from Istanbul to the Princes' Islands of Istanbul, but also show you a photo.

Buyukada is the largest in the archipelago. Its name translates as "big island". On an area of ​​5.36 sq. km is home to about 7500 people. It was here that the most august persons - contenders for the throne of the emperor - were mainly referred. In 1929-1933 Leon Trotsky lived here. Prince D. Golitsyn, who left Russia in 1917, found refuge here.

- a memorial place for the Turkish people.