Princes' Islands

The Princes' Islands form a chain of nine small pieces of land in the Sea of Marmara facing Istanbul, with four mainly inhabited: Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada, and Kınalıada. Each of them shows forested hills, coastal footpaths, and timber mansions in the quieter neighborhoods away from the ferry piers.

During the Byzantine era, these islands regularly served as banishment sites for deposed emperors and heirs, later hosting monasteries on the higher slopes. In Ottoman times, many of those religious sites continued as endowments, while additional residences for politicians and clerics were established.

On Büyükada, parts of the local community still carry forward Orthodox feast days, visible in Greek liturgies and timber church buildings. Family estates and summer houses rarely change ownership, as many of these properties have remained in the same hands across generations.

Motorized vehicles are banned on all the islands, so you need to walk or rent a bicycle to explore the lanes. Ferries run regularly from Istanbul, with crossing times ranging from about one to two hours depending on which island you choose.

The abandoned smaller islets like Sedef and Kaşık lie just a few hundred meters away, yet hold almost no buildings and are often reachable only by private boats in summer. On Heybeliada stands a former theological academy that remained closed for decades, its empty rooms still sparking debate today.