Princes Islands Istanbul: Boat Cruise & Island Exploration

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (627 reviews) 97% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/27

Duration7h–9h

GroupUp to 100

LanguagesEN · RU

Mobile ticketAccepted

Leave Istanbul's Noise Behind: A Boat Ride to Two Car-Free Islands

You board a boat in the Old City, sail past three iconic Istanbul landmarks, then spend the morning on Heybeliada exploring pine forests and historic sites, followed by three hours of free time on Büyükada — the largest island — to hike, swim, eat, or simply sit. The return journey brings you back past Topkapi Palace and the Maiden's Tower as the light changes. Includes an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned boat, and all transport between islands.

7h–9h

Step-by-step itinerary

Cruise and explore Princes' Islands

Sail under Galata Bridge
View Galata Tower
Admire Topkapi Palace from water
See Maiden's Tower
Visit Heybeliada Island
Explore Büyükada Island

The Experience

One minute you're watching fishermen crowd the Galata Bridge, the next you're sailing under it, the city's roar fading as the boat heads toward open water. That shift — from the exhaust and horns of central Istanbul to the sound of waves and wind — is what this cruise is built around. You leave from the Old City and head straight out past the Maiden's Tower, that lonely illuminated structure on its tiny islet, then past Topkapi Palace cascading down toward the Bosphorus. Your guide points out the Galata Tower rising from the 14th century, still watching over everything. But the real point is what comes next: Heybeliada and Büyükada, the two largest Princes Islands, where cars don't exist and the air tastes different.

Heybeliada hits first. The island is thick with pine forest and old wooden mansions, the kind of place that makes you understand why people came here to escape. You walk or rent a bicycle — there's no other way — and the quiet is almost strange after Istanbul. There's a Naval High School here, historic churches, the Ayia Triada Monastery tucked into the trees. Most people grab seafood at a waterfront restaurant or just sit with coffee and watch the water. It's not a long stop, but it's enough to feel the difference. Then the boat moves on to Büyükada, the largest island, and this is where you get real time: three full hours to do whatever you want. Some people hike up to Ayia Yorgi Church for the view back across the Bosphorus. Others rent an electric vehicle and cruise the streets lined with old mansions, or find a beach and swim. The restaurants here are good — fresh fish, proper Turkish coffee — and the pace is entirely yours.

The return journey is the other half of the contrast. As the boat glides back toward the city, you see Topkapi Palace from the water, its pavilions and courtyards dropping down to the shore the way the Ottoman sultans built it four centuries ago. The Maiden's Tower passes again, now lit up as evening comes on. You sail back under the Galata Bridge, and suddenly you're back in the noise and traffic, but you've had a day that felt like a different city entirely. The boat is air-conditioned, the guide speaks English, and the whole thing runs on a fixed schedule so you don't have to think about timing or transport. It's the kind of day trip that works because it solves the problem: you want out of Istanbul for a few hours, but you don't want to arrange it yourself.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or port pickup (if arranged), boat transport to and between the Princes Islands, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned boat, views of Galata Bridge, Galata Tower, Maiden's Tower, and Topkapi Palace from the water, time to explore Heybeliada on foot or by bicycle, three hours of free time on Büyükada to swim, hike, eat, or rest, and return transport to the Old City. Meals and bicycle or vehicle rentals on the islands are not included but are available to book on arrival.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by IMCA TOURISM

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full break from Istanbul's crowds and traffic without arranging your own transport, island ferries, or timing — the fixed schedule handles all of it, and three hours on the largest island gives you real time to move at your own pace.