PRINCES’ ISLANDS OF ISTANBUL

 

            Princes’ Islands are nine small islands located in the Marmara Sea. Only four of them are inhabited and noteworthy to visit. The islands provide their visitors nice waters to swim and scenery to sightsee. You can go to islands with ferries that go off every day. Here are the islands and activities you can do during your visit.

 

            The first stop of the ferries is Kinaliada. You can stroll down the whole island in half an hour. There are not a lot of places to visit as the island is pretty small compared to others, but the beaches are nice if you prefer to swim. If not, there are few places to visit. Kınalıada Mosques which was built in 1964 is one of them. The island also hosts Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Church, Dönüşüm monastery and Panayia Greek Orthodox Church.

 

The second stop and the third largest island of the nine is Burgazada. Its highest point is at Bayraktepe also known as Hristos Hill. In addition to public beaches and beach clubs, there are few important places to see. Aya Yani Greek Orthodox Church which dates to 842 and Hristo monastery on Bayraktepe dating from 865 are some of the places you can visit. Sait Faik Abasıyanık, who was an important Turkish writer, lived in Burgazada. His house was turned into a museum, and it is open to visitors today. Also, Burgazada Sanatorium, founded in 1928, is one of the oldest sanatoriums in Turkey.
























The next stop and the second largest island is Heybeliada, which dates back to the 16th century. There are beautiful beaches as well as picnic areas where you can relax. Visitors can use electric vehicles and bicycles to tour around the island. The island also offers cultural structures to see. Some of them are İsmet İnönü House Museum, Huseyin Rahmi Gurpinar Museum, Heybeliada Naval High School, Bet Yaakov Synagogue and Agios Nikolaos Church.

 

The last and largest island is Buyukada. It is probably the island that attracts most local and foreign tourists.  Even though the function of the island has changed through history, the island was inhabited both in Byzantine and Ottoman times. Now, it offers a variety of activities to its visitors which they can do on foot or by electric vehicles and bicycles. Visitors can visit, Islands Museum, Aya Yorgi Hill and Church and Hamidiye Mosque. If you want to feel nostalgic, you can also stroll down the streets to see historical houses.