Princes' Islands: Buyukada

Headed out to Buyukada Island today, it's part of a group of 9 islands that make up the Princes' Islands.The ferry calls at the 4 biggest. There are no motorized cars on the islands, though I did see a police van and two trucks in my walk.

I don't suppose there's a lot to do but get away from busy city life. It was pretty quiet, I ended up avoiding the touristy bits by getting straight out and walking through a neighborhood of opulent and decrepit mansions. It was quite neat to see and they seem to have varying designs and belonging to different eras. If you head uphill, the houses do get more modest.

You'll also see motorized scooters and bikes to help residents and visitors get around. Some people will do carriage rides, but I read that not all the horses are taken care of, so opted out. If you prefer to stick to the touristy bits, veer left when exiting the ferries to access the restaurants along the water and about 2 streets of shops.

I ended up taking the 3pm ferry back to Sultanahmet and the hotel. A beautiful and relaxing boat ride for this 4th day in beautiful Istanbul. After getting back, I blitzed through the Spice Market nearby and then chilled out a bit before meeting my fellow travellers for the next 2 weeks.Read more