It is the largest of the archipelago consisting of 9 islands in the Sea of ​​Marmara. This island, located in the center of the archipelago, is a favorite place for tourists from all over the world. Now we will give you some special information about Büyükada, the largest and most popular island. We think that you will have information about Büyükada after reading our blog post.

The beginning of life in the Prince Islands dates back to ancient times. A historical texture from mythological times to the present welcomes you on the island. If you feel this when you first step on the island. 

Since the 19th century, rich people began to spend their summer holidays on the island. Tourism started to develop on the island since the 20th century.

We can list the other features that make Büyükada preferred: its nature, its location close to the city, its architecture and its rich attractions in terms of tourism.

Büyükada has a tour route that is approximately 16 km long. This tour route starts from the island center and rotates 360 degrees around the island. At the beginning of the tour route, there are beautiful mansions and waterside mansions. You can enjoy your tour through colorful streets full of flowers and fruit trees. After about 3 km, you will see that the number of houses decreases and nature welcomes you. Many tourists spend their time only in the center and return to the mainland without seeing the main places they need to see. Don't make this mistake. Immerse yourself in the nature of the island and relax. Until 2020, the main means of transportation on the island was the horse-drawn carriage. This has since changed and electric buses and taxis now constitute the main means of transportation. Apart from this, you can also tour the island on foot or by bike.

Our advice is to tour by bike.  To see every part of the island comfortably, you can visit our "All day E-bike tour in Büyükada" page and book a private tour.

We recommend that you start the Büyükada tour from the right side of the island. This way, you can go up less uphill and go down more downhill. In this way, you can see the must-see places in order. You will see many historical and landmark buildings on your way. Mizzi Mansion, Con Pasha Mansion, Trotsky House (in ruins), Dilburnu Nature Park, Lovers' Way, Aya Yorgi Church, Yücetepe Country Club, Grand Tour Road (the part that many tourists return without seeing. You can discover the unknown aspects of the island accompanied by the magnificent natural view.) Greek Orphanage and Islands Museum are located. For more information about places to visit, you can visit our "Places to see in Prince Islands" page.

There are many private beaches on Büyükada from mid-May to September. You can use one of these beaches on your tour. Especially Yörük Ali Beach is preferred by many local and foreign tourists with its opportunities. You can also reach the beaches with the free boat services located on the right side of the ferry pier in the island center.

After an enjoyable but tiring journey, it's time for a nice lunch break. There are many famous restaurants in Büyükada center. The best of these is Ali Baba Fish, located by the sea. It is a restaurant where you can always find fresh fish and Turkish, Greek and Armenian appetizers. During your coffee and dessert break, we recommend you to visit the Chocowhite patisserie located under the Splendid Hotel, which offers local tastes.

After a nice meal, you can mingle with the local people in Büyükada's bazaar. There are local shops to shop here. Souvenir handicrafts and colorful clothes. You can also buy your ice cream from the historical ice cream shops in Büyükada Clock Square and pose for the ice cream unique to the island.

You may like the island very much and want to stay on the island. Many boutique hotels here may be for you. If you want to stay on the island, our recommendation would be the Historical Splendid hotel. Here you can stay in your approximately 115-year-old rooms overlooking the Marmara Sea.

You can reach Büyükada from many points from Istanbul. Kabataş and Eminönü are the most used piers on the European side, and Kadıköy, Bostancı, Maltepe and Kartal are the most used piers on the Asian side. There are regular trips to the island at 1 hour or half hour intervals. The return journey is also made by regular ship services.

If you want more information about how to reach Büyükada from Istanbul and the departure times, you can click here.

We hope our article on Büyükada was informative for you. If you would like to plan a trip to Büyükada with the privilege of Princes Island Tour, you can fill out the "Tour Request Form" and contact us.