Adalar · Sea of Marmara · 2026
The Princes’ Islands — Adalar in Turkish — are Istanbul’s island district in the Sea of Marmara. The four islands visitors actually plan around are Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada. Smaller islets exist in the same chain; they are not automatic public day-trip stops.
People come for wooden mansion streets, pine hills, ferry decks and a slower tempo than the Historic Peninsula or the Bosphorus waterfront. This page is a destination guide — how the islands differ, how ferries and island transport work now, and which sights are actually visitable. It is not a packaged island tour product.
Cab Istanbul provides chauffeur rides and airport transfers on the mainland only — including Istanbul Airport (IST), Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) and car with driver to Kabataş, Kadıköy, Bostancı or Maltepe piers. Drivers do not operate ferries, do not drive tourist cars onto the islands, and are not licensed island guides.
Compare
Which island should you choose?
A first-time visitor with one day usually stays on Büyükada. The other three repay a slower trip if you want greener walks, a literary house museum or a shorter ferry. This is a fit table, not a ranking.
| Island | Character | Best for | Main sights | Swimming | Typical visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Büyükada | Largest; mansions; two hills; most services | First visit, museums, Aya Yorgi, beaches | Historic centre, Adalar Museum, Aya Yorgi, Dilburnu hinterland | Widest seasonal beach choice | Full day |
| Heybeliada | Greener; naval-school silhouette; seminary hill | Walks, İnönü House, pine and coves | İnönü House, Değirmenburnu, Aya Triada hill (exterior) | Seasonal coves and park shores | Half to full day |
| Burgazada | Compact literary island | Sait Faik, quieter walks, Kalpazankaya | Sait Faik Museum, Kalpazankaya, Aya Yani | Limited coves | Half day, or a slow full day |
| Kınalıada | Closest inhabited island; reddish ground | Shorter European-side ferry, compact loop | Hristos hill, Armenian church heritage, shore walks | Seasonal beaches | Half day |
Choose Büyükada if you want the broadest mix of streets, museum, hill church and swimming options. Choose Heybeliada for greener slopes and a house-museum walk. Choose Burgazada for Sait Faik and a smaller circuit. Choose Kınalıada if time is short and you want the first inhabited stop on many Kabataş boats.
Overview clips show landscape only. They are not proof of today’s ferry times, fares or which vehicles still run on the islands.
Getting around
Are the islands car-free — and what replaced the fayton?
Visitor copy still says “no motor vehicles, only bicycles and horse-drawn carriages.” That is outdated. Private visitor cars are restricted, which is why the islands feel quieter than mainland Istanbul. Municipal buses, service vans, emergency vehicles and IETT electric public transport do operate.
Horse-drawn carriages (fayton) are not a current activity. Fayton services ended around 2020. They remain part of island memory; they are not a ride you should plan. Island public transport is electric.
Adabüs and Adataksi
Adabüs is IETT’s electric bus network on the four visitor islands. Published lines change; confirm on iett.istanbul the day you travel:
- Büyükada: BA-1 Çarşı–Tepeköy–Kadıyoran; BA-4 Çarşı–Kumsal–Maden; further Nizam/Maden variants may be listed
- Heybeliada: HA-1 Çarşı–Akçakoca–İtfaiye
- Burgazada: BU-1 Çarşı–Kalpazankaya
- Kınalıada: KA-1 Çarşı–Narçiçeği
Adataksi is the municipal electric taxi / on-demand service. Useful if you do not want the hill on foot. Do not treat a chauffeur from the mainland as a vehicle that can simply continue onto Büyükada.
Pay Adabüs with an İstanbulkart. Resident Adakart concessions exist; they are not a tourist product. Fares are municipal and change — check IETT rather than any figure copied from an old blog.
Cycling, walking and effort
Rentals cluster near Büyükada’s pier. Heybeliada and the smaller islands are more walk-and-bus than bike-tour country. Weekend pedestrian streets get tight. The last approach to Aya Yorgi is steep. Helmets are sensible; do not assume e-bikes are unregulated or universally allowed on every path.
Practical effort, without invented elevations: Büyükada rewards a full day and includes a hard hill if you want the monastery. Heybeliada is hillier than it looks from the pier. Burgazada is compact. Kınalıada is the shortest inhabited loop.
Ferries
How to reach the Princes’ Islands
The reliable backbone is Şehir Hatları, the municipal ferry company. Boats are daily and frequent on published lines — not “seven weekly ferries.” Summer and winter timetables differ (the 2026 winter book began in early September). Always read sehirhatlari.istanbul for that day’s calls. Severe weather can delay or cancel boats; check notices rather than assuming the islands shut down.
European-side visitors usually use Kabataş (near Dolmabahçe Palace) and, on some runs, Beşiktaş. Eminönü appears as a call on some Kabataş–Adalar boats rather than a stand-alone origin. Asian-side visitors use Kadıköy, Bostancı (the shortest common hop to Büyükada, including a night ring) and Maltepe. Tuzla–Pendik–Büyükada serves the far east. Kartal is not on the current official Adalar line list reviewed for this page — do not plan it as a default 2026 origin.
Licensed private operators (names that still appear in searches include Turyol, Dentur and Mavi Marmara) may run seasonal or faster hops. They are extras to verify that morning, not a replacement for Şehir Hatları. İstanbul Deniz Taksi is a bookable municipal sea taxi — useful for groups or odd hours, not the default tourist fare.
| Departure pier | Islands served | Operator / type | Typical journey | İstanbulkart / ticket note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kabataş (some boats via Eminönü and Kadıköy) | Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada, Büyükada — not every boat hits every stop | Şehir Hatları public ferry | Kabataş to Büyükada often about 60–100+ minutes with island stops | İstanbulkart; confirm sehirhatlari.istanbul |
| Kadıköy | Same Adalar corridor as Kabataş boats that call here | Şehir Hatları | Shorter than a full Kabataş run; still allow island-stop time | İstanbulkart |
| Bostancı | Four main islands on the ring; some boats continue toward Europe | Şehir Hatları ring, including night service | Bostancı–Büyükada is typically the short Asian hop | İstanbulkart; night surcharge may apply on night boats |
| Maltepe | Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada, Kınalıada — many departures skip some islands | Şehir Hatları | Short Asian-side crossing; read which stops are listed | İstanbulkart |
| Beşiktaş | Adalar–Beşiktaş published runs | Şehir Hatları | Confirm that day’s island order | İstanbulkart |
| Tuzla / Pendik | Büyükada on the Tuzla–Pendik–Büyükada line | Şehir Hatları | Far-east Asian connection — check the book | İstanbulkart |
| Bostancı (Sedef line) | Büyükada and Sedef Adası on limited runs | Şehir Hatları | Not a default first-visit route | İstanbulkart; verify if Sedef is operating that day |
Ferry videos are atmosphere, not a timetable. Last return boats matter more than the outbound — especially in winter light.
Island hopping in one day
Many Şehir Hatları Adalar boats do stop island-to-island, so two islands in one day is possible if you read the same-day book and protect the last return to the mainland. It is not a hop-on service every few minutes. For most first visits, one island is enough.
History and houses
A short history of the Princes’ Islands
The archipelago sits in Marmara, not on the Bosphorus. In the Byzantine centuries some islands held monasteries and received royal exiles — that is not a licence to call every rock an “exile island.” In the late Ottoman steamship era the four main islands became summer resorts for Istanbul households: Greek, Armenian, Jewish and Muslim families built wooden villas, gardens and waterfront houses that still set the street picture.
The appeal now is that layered domestic architecture — late Ottoman and Levantine wood, steep gardens, pier towns — more than a single monument. Specific houses below are labelled with what you can actually enter.
Büyükada
Büyükada — the main visitor island
Büyükada (“Big Island,” historic Prinkipo) is the largest of the nine and the usual first stop after the pier clock and the café streets. Service vehicles and Adabüs share the roads with walkers and bikes. The historic centre sits between Nizam and Maden; wooden houses climb both flanks. Hamidiye Mosque and Agios Dimitrios church mark the mixed religious streetscape. Lunapark / Birlik Meydanı is a path node toward the southern hinterland — treat it as a junction, not a promised amusement park.
Use clips for mood. They do not decide whether a monastery, beach club or museum is open this week.
Aya Yorgi (Agios Georgios) on Yücetepe
The hill church-monastery of Aya Yorgi is Büyükada’s classic climb: pine, switchbacks, then a steep last walk. Dress modestly. A pilgrimage concentrates around 23 April; confirm that year’s access rather than assuming a festival timetable. People go for the terrace view as much as the church. Do not plan an unverified “wine and sandwich” ritual as if it were an official rite.
Adalar Museum (Aya Nikola Hangar)
The Adalar Müzesi — Museum of the Princes’ Islands — is the islands’ active city/regional museum, not a second “town hall museum.” It occupies the hangar at Aya Nikola on the southern shore. Official pattern: closed Mondays; summer hours around 10:30–18:00 and winter around 10:30–17:00 (confirm on adalarmuzesi.org). Permanent rooms cover geology, communities, architecture and daily island life; ticket prices change, so do not copy an old lira figure.
Trotsky’s house — exterior only
Leon Trotsky lived on Büyükada from 1929 to 1933 (he left in June 1933), a first station of exile after leaving the Soviet Union. The building visitors look for is the Sivastopol Köşkü (also called Yanaros), a private, long-neglected mansion. It is not a public museum. Do not enter the garden or the ruin. If you walk that street, you may see the exterior through a fence — that is the whole visit.
Greek Orphanage (Prinkipo) — do not go inside
The vast wooden pile on the northern hill is the Büyükada Greek Orthodox Orphanage (Prinkipo Greek Orthodox Orphanage; built in the late 1890s as the Prinkipo Palas hotel, architect Alexandre Vallaury). It is not a “Prinkipo Environmental Center” and it is not a walk-in monument. The interior has been closed for decades on safety grounds. A restoration agreement was signed on 15 June 2026; restoration is not an opening day. In 2026 the Adalar Museum has shown a related exhibition — use that if you want the history indoors.
Dilburnu and the pine hinterland
West and south of the town, pine and coastal paths around Dilburnu are the “nature” half of a Büyükada day. Some videos label this a national park. Treat it as hinterland and municipal nature-park landscape, not an IUCN ticketed national park.
Landscape footage is not a trail map and not a swimming-water report.
If you have one day: Büyükada
Arrive on an early Şehir Hatları boat. Walk the pier streets and one mansion axis (Nizam or Maden). Choose either the Adalar Museum or a longer hill walk — stacking both plus a beach only works if you skip the museum rooms. Adabüs toward Maden or Aya Nikola saves the hottest asphalt. If legs remain, climb Aya Yorgi. Swim only if a seasonal beach is open and you have already locked the last ferry. Eat on the waterfront and leave margin for the return boat.
Swimming
Büyükada beaches and island swimming
Managed beaches on Büyükada are seasonal and usually paid. Water and weather vary; ignore “crystal-clear” brochure language and check municipal beach or water notices in season. The table lists places that were active seasonal destinations in 2026 research — not a ranking of “best beaches.”
| Beach | Island | Character | Access | Facilities | Current note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakibey | Büyükada (Maden) | Family-oriented private beach | Adabüs toward Maden; operator also advertises a seasonal boat shuttle from the pier | Paid day entry; loungers and shade typical | ACTIVE seasonal (nakibey.com). Confirm price and “family entry” rules on the day — do not reuse old lira figures. |
| Yörük Ali | Büyükada | Popular paid shore club | Confirm the on-island approach that day | Paid facilities typical | ACTIVE seasonal |
| Prenses Koyu | Büyükada | Cove / club beach | Confirm access | Paid typical | ACTIVE seasonal; use the current name, not only “Princess Beach” |
| Eskibağ | Büyükada | Quieter visitor positioning | Confirm | Seasonal / variable | Listed among 2026 active seasonal shores — verify before you walk there for a swim |
Heybeliada and the smaller islands have seasonal coves (Değirmenburnu’s park shore is the practical Heybeli option). Burgazada’s Madam Marta is a cove, not a locked beach-club recommendation. Do not rank one island as “having the best beaches.”
Heybeliada
Heybeliada — saddlebag island, walks and a closed seminary
Heybeliada is the second-largest island and, from the water, the one with the long naval-school façade behind the pier. The town is cafés, wooden houses and a year-round lodging strip. Get around on foot and HA-1 Adabüs. Fayton rides are not part of a current plan.
Naval High School — look, do not tour
The campus on the water is Deniz Lisesi, a military high school. It is a landmark, not a visitor attraction. Do not treat it as a museum. The historic church Panagia Kamariotissa sits in that same waterfront story; assume exterior/historic interest unless a current visiting notice says otherwise.
Halki Seminary (Ruhban Okulu) — still not a reopened school
On the central hill, the Holy Trinity (Aya Triada) monastery complex includes the Halki Seminary / Heybeliada Ruhban Okulu. The school closed in 1971. In 2026 the buildings have been under restoration and reopening has been discussed at political level; those talks are not the same as a working seminary. Do not write that it has reopened, and do not sell an interior visit. The hill is a landscape walk, not a campus tour.
İsmet İnönü House — open; Hüseyin Rahmi — not a current museum
The İsmet İnönü Evi (İnönü Vakfı) is an active house museum: typically closed Mondays, with a midday break (confirm hours). Entry has been ticketed since 2024; do not lock a lira price. The Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar house has been restored but, as of 2026 reporting, is not open again as a museum — do not put it on a must-see list.
Değirmenburnu Nature Park is the easy green-and-swim edge of Heybeliada. Seasonal, municipal, useful after the town walk.
Burgazada
Burgazada — Sait Faik, Kalpazankaya and a smaller circuit
Burgazada (Fortress Island) is the third-largest of the visitor four: one main hill, a tight town, and enough path for a half day that does not feel rushed. The name remembers a fort associated in tradition with Antigonus I; “Burgaz” is simply “fort” in Turkish. A woodland fire on 6 October 2003 burned on the order of about 40 hectares — not the old “4 km²” figure.
Sait Faik Museum
The Sait Faik Abasıyanık Museum (Çayır Sokak, Darüşşafaka) is the island’s essential interior: the writer’s house, papers and rooms. Official pattern: Wednesday–Sunday about 10:30–16:45, Monday and Tuesday closed, some public holidays closed. Admission is free by the family’s will. Confirm announcements on saitfaikmuzesi.org.
Kalpazankaya
The far rock is a viewpoint and the site of Kalpazankaya Restaurant, a current Burgazada seafood/meze terrace (kalpazankaya.com.tr). Reach it on foot or on BU-1. Hours are seasonal — call ahead. The old line that it was “Sait Faik’s favourite café” is not used here as a verified biographical fact; it is a long-standing lookout with a working restaurant.
In town, Aya Yani (Agios Ioannis) is the historic church to notice on a street loop. Bayrak Tepe / Hristos is the hill monastery/viewpoint layer — confirm access rather than promising a ticketed site. Madam Marta is a swimming cove, not a managed club to rank.
Burgaz clips are not a restaurant reservation and not a 2003 fire documentary.
Kınalıada
Kınalıada — the closest inhabited island
Kınalıada (Henna Island) is the first inhabited call on many Kabataş boats and the smallest of the four visitor islands. Iron and copper in the ground give the reddish tone behind the name. The loop is short: pier, shore, KA-1 Adabüs, a hill monastery and a compact residential grid.
Armenian community history is part of the island’s modern summer identity — churches and houses, not a tourist statistic. Do not repeat old “90 percent” summer-population claims. Surp Krikor Lusavoriç is the Armenian church to know by name; liturgy hours are not locked here. The Hristos Monastery on the hill is the viewpoint/heritage climb.
Byzantine footnote, kept short: after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, former emperor Romanos IV Diogenes is traditionally associated with exile on Proti (Kınalıada). It is context, not a marked archaeological park.
Water views are not a swimming-quality report. Seasonal beaches exist; they do not make Kınalıada “the beach island.”
The rest of the chain
Other islands in the archipelago
Nine names appear on maps. Only four are the ordinary visitor set.
- Sedef Adası — limited Şehir Hatları boats on a Bostancı–Büyükada–Sedef pattern. Confirm before you go; it is not a default first island.
- Yassıada, officially Demokrasi ve Özgürlükler Adası — a memorial/museum island with special access, not a hop-on Adalar stop.
- Sivriada, Kaşık Adası and Tavşan Adası — do not treat them as public tourist islands.
Practical
When to go, where to eat, where to sleep
Spring and autumn are the comfortable walking seasons. Summer is beach season and weekend crush — start early. Winter is quieter, with a published winter ferry book and shorter daylight; boats still run, but weather can disrupt them. Weekdays are calmer than Saturdays.
Island food is waterfront fish and meze, breakfast rooms, ice cream and tea gardens. The only restaurant named here as a current, located business is Kalpazankaya on Burgazada. Closed venues are omitted. Prices are not listed.
| Restaurant / café | Island | Style | Best for | Current note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalpazankaya Restaurant | Burgazada | Seafood and meze, viewpoint terrace | A sit-down end to the BU-1 or walking circuit | ACTIVE — confirm seasonal hours (kalpazankaya.com.tr) |
Overnight: Büyükada has the most rooms; Heybeliada keeps year-round inns; Burgazada and Kınalıada are thinner. This is not a hotel guide — for mainland nights see Istanbul hotels and pair the island with a pier pickup.
Accessibility
Piers, gangways, cobbles and hills are uneven. Adabüs and Adataksi help limited mobility on the larger islands. The last Aya Yorgi walk is a poor choice for wheelchairs or anyone who cannot do a steep unpaved climb. Ask Şehir Hatları about the specific boat’s accessibility. The islands are not “fully accessible.”
Bicycles and pets on ferries
Rules differ by boat and season. Check Şehir Hatları before you roll a hire bike or travel with a pet — do not assume a free, always-on policy.
Mainland transfer
Airport or hotel to the ferry pier
From Istanbul Airport the useful European piers are Kabataş and Beşiktaş. From Sabiha Gökçen the useful Asian piers are Bostancı, Kadıköy and Maltepe. Cab Istanbul can take you hotel-to-pier and wait for the return on the mainland. The driver does not board the island circuit with you and does not replace a licensed guide among Istanbul attractions.
FAQ
Princes’ Islands visitor questions
What are the Princes’ Islands?
Adalar: Istanbul’s Marmara archipelago. Visitors normally mean Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada.
How many Princes’ Islands are there?
Nine names are commonly listed (four main islands plus Sedef, Yassıada, Sivriada, Kaşık and Tavşan). Only the four main islands are regular tourist destinations.
Which islands can tourists visit?
The four inhabited visitor islands on Şehir Hatları Adalar lines. Sedef only on limited boats. Yassıada / Demokrasi ve Özgürlükler Adası is a special-access memorial island, not a casual hop.
Which island is best for a first visit?
Büyükada, if you want streets, a museum, a hill church and the widest seasonal swimming choice in one day.
Is Büyükada worth visiting?
Yes, as the largest and most serviced island — if you accept hills, weekend crowds and a ferry that is part of the day, not a footnote.
What is the difference between Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada?
Büyükada is the broad first-visit island. Heybeliada is greener with İnönü House and the seminary hill. Burgazada is compact and literary. Kınalıada is the closest, shortest inhabited loop.
Are cars banned on the islands?
Private visitor cars are restricted. Service, emergency and IETT electric vehicles operate. “Completely car-free” is too simple.
Are horse-drawn carriages still operating?
No. Fayton services ended around 2020. Do not plan a carriage ride.
How do people get around Büyükada now?
On foot, by rented bicycle, by Adabüs and by Adataksi. Not by fayton and not by a mainland chauffeur’s car.
What are Adabüs and Adataksi?
IETT electric buses (numbered BA, HA, BU, KA lines) and the municipal electric taxi / on-demand service. Pay with İstanbulkart; check iett.istanbul.
Can you rent bicycles?
Yes, especially around Büyükada’s pier. Hills and weekend crowds make it uneven — not “easy cycling everywhere.”
How do I get to the islands from Kabataş?
Şehir Hatları Kabataş–Adalar boats, often via Kadıköy, then Kınalıada–Burgazada–Heybeliada–Büyükada. Allow about 60–100+ minutes to Büyükada depending on stops.
Can I go from Kadıköy?
Yes. Many Kabataş–Adalar boats call at Kadıköy. Confirm the day’s table.
Can I go from Bostancı?
Yes — usually the shortest regular hop to Büyükada, including a night ring. İstanbulkart.
How long is the ferry to Büyükada?
From Kabataş, often about an hour to an hour and forty minutes with island stops. From Bostancı, typically much shorter. Season, boat and skipped stops change the clock.
Can I use Istanbulkart?
Yes on Şehir Hatları Adalar boats and on Adabüs. Night boats may carry a surcharge. Check the operator if you only have a contactless bank card.
Are there ferries between the islands?
Yes on many Şehir Hatları Adalar runs. Frequency is not metro-like. Read the same-day stops.
Can I visit two islands in one day?
Possible if you protect the last mainland return. For a first visit, one island is the calmer plan.
What are the best things to do in Büyükada?
Mansion streets, Adalar Museum, Aya Yorgi if you can climb, Dilburnu pines, a seasonal beach, and the ferry itself.
Is Aya Yorgi open?
It is an active church-monastery site with a steep approach. Hours and pilgrimage days vary — confirm closer to your date, especially around 23 April.
Can visitors enter the Greek Orphanage?
No. The interior is closed. Restoration agreed in June 2026 is not a visitor opening.
Can visitors see Trotsky’s house?
Only from the street, if at all. It is not a museum.
Is the Adalar Museum open?
Yes — Aya Nikola Hangar, typically closed Mondays. Confirm hours on adalarmuzesi.org.
Is Halki Seminary open?
The school has been closed since 1971. 2026 restoration and talks are not a reopening. Do not plan an interior visit.
What can I see on Burgazada?
Sait Faik Museum, town streets, Aya Yani, and Kalpazankaya for the view and a current restaurant.
What is Sait Faik Museum?
The writer’s house museum on Burgazada, run with Darüşşafaka, free, usually Wednesday–Sunday.
What can I see on Kınalıada?
A short inhabited island: reddish terrain, Armenian church heritage, Hristos hill, shore walks and a faster European-side ferry.
Which island has the best beaches?
Do not rank them. Büyükada has the most named seasonal clubs (Nakibey, Yörük Ali, Prenses Koyu, Eskibağ). Other islands have coves. Conditions vary.
Is Nakibey Beach open?
It is an active seasonal family beach. Confirm the season, price and entry rules with the operator; it is not a year-round free shore.
Are beaches free?
Managed clubs are usually paid. Do not assume a free lounger beach.
Can you swim around the Princes’ Islands?
In season, at listed beaches and some coves. Water quality and weather vary — check current municipal notices.
Are there restaurants on the islands?
Yes — waterfront fish, meze, breakfast and cafés, especially on Büyükada and Heybeliada. Kalpazankaya on Burgazada is a verified current named stop.
Can I stay overnight?
Yes. Büyükada has the most beds; Heybeliada has year-round inns; the smaller two are limited. Book ahead in July–August.
What is the best season?
Spring and autumn for walking. Summer for swimming, with weekend crowds. Winter is quiet, with ferries on a winter book.
Do ferries run in winter?
Yes, on a winter timetable. Weather can still cancel or delay boats.
Are the islands wheelchair accessible?
Not as a whole. Electric buses help. Piers and the Aya Yorgi climb are difficult. Check the specific ferry.
How do I get from Istanbul Airport to the ferry pier?
Mainland transfer to Kabataş or Beşiktaş, then Şehir Hatları. Cab Istanbul can do the airport–pier car segment only.
How do I get from Sabiha Gökçen to the islands?
Mainland transfer to Bostancı, Kadıköy or Maltepe, then the ferry. The chauffeur stays on the Asian shore.
Before you go
A calm Adalar day
Pick one island. Read Şehir Hatları and IETT the morning you travel. Leave the fayton in the past. Walk or take the electric bus. Treat closed interiors — the orphanage, Trotsky’s house, Halki as a school — as history you do not enter. Come back through the same mainland pier your driver can actually use.