PRINCESS ISLANDS

PRINCESS ISLANDS

Tour offers you a chance to explore Buyukada. Learn about the princes of the Byzantine Empire who once relaxed on these islands as you take a horse-drawn carriage tour in Heybeliada.

Explore Buyukada, the largest of Turkey's Princes islands, on this 9-hour excursion from Istanbul. Cruise across the Sea of Marmara, watching the sights of Istanbul slip from view.

You can explore the pedestrianized island in the best possible way - by bike (not included) or spend time at leisure, perhaps relaxing on one of its beaches, before returning to Istanbul.

From the boat you can look back on the sights of Istanbul, seeing iconic landmarks such as Topkapi Palace and the pretty Kiz Kulesi (also known as the Maiden's Tower), which was featured in the James Bond film, The World is Not Enough.

Dock in Buyukada and then take a stroll through the streets with your guide, soaking up the laid-back atmosphere of island life. Your guide will tell you about the island's history during the ride, and about its time as a place of exile for banished statesmen and royalty, and of its life as a monastic settlement during Turkey's Byzantine-Christian period.

Pass lovely wooden mansions that are stunning examples of the island's late Ottoman-era architecture, and look out over the sparkling sea. Seagulls are everywhere in Buyukada, and if you'd like to feed them your guide will give you simits (bread with sesame seeds) so you can toss them a treat.

Stop for lunch at a seafood restaurant, or have lunch on the boat, and then spend the rest of your day at leisure on the island.