THE FOUR PEARLS OF ISTANBUL
Tranquillity awaits at the Prince Islands in the Sea of Marmara, where there are plenty of attractions for day-tripping tourists
Imagine an oasis of calm where the lou-dest street sounds are the ringing of bicycle bells and the clipclop of horses’ hooves – no screeching of brakes, no honking of horns, no blaring of sirens. And it’s only a leisurely boat ride away from the hustle and bustle – and the cacophony – of cosmopolitan Istanbul.
There is such a place – actually, four of them, the Prince Islands, part of an archipelago in the Sea of Marmara. No visitor to Turkey’s largest city should forgo an opportunity to spend a day at one or more of these idyllic retreats where motorised vehicles are prohibited. As with all of Turkey, centuries-old history is writ large on the Prince Islands, which were taken by the Ottoman fleet during the siege of Constantinople in 1453. But before that, du-ring the Byzantine period, misbehaving princes were exiled to the islands, giving them their name, and the tradition continued under the sultans.
Later, members of Istanbul’s wealthy Jewish, Greek and Armenian communities came to realise that such “punishment” if sampling the pleasures of shady pine forests, pristine tiny beaches and hidden placid coves can be so labelled – should hardly be left to unruly royals. Thus, the islands became a po-pular summer resort in the 19th century, and Victorian houses, surrounded by verdant gardens, flank many a narrow island street.
Today, the islands have become a frequent destination not only for the people of Istanbul but also for tourists to enjoy fresh air, escape city life and relish the calm.
The Prince Islands (officially just Adalar, which means Islands),
consist of four larger islands – Büyükada (Big Island) with an area of 5.46 square kilometres, Heybeliada (Saddlebag Island) at 2.4 km2, Burgazada (Fortress Island) at 1.5km2 and Kınalıada (Henna Island) at 1. km2 – and five smaller ones not open to the public.
They can be reached only by boat, and during the summer ferries leave Istanbul every 30 minutes, from Bostancı, Kartal and Maltepe on the Asian side and from Kabataş on the European side. The trip takes between 45 and 90 minutes, and passengers can hop between the islands. It’s important to check return times unless you’re planning an overnight hotel or resort stay so you don’t get stranded.
While simply walking, hiking, picnicking, sunning and swimming are obvious attractions of the laid-back tranquillity, there is much to see and do on the four islands, each with its distinctive character. Bicycle rentals and horse-drawn carriages remember, there are no private cars are perfect for a day’s casual exploration of the sights. Harbour-side restaurants (with seafood a specialty, of course) and quaint shops abound on the leafy streets, and other attractions include: The Islands Museum, the former exile residence of Leon Trotsky, the Monastery of St George and the Hamidiye Mosque built by Abdul Hamid II on Büyükada. The Turkish Naval Academy and the hilltop Hagia Triada Monastery on Heybeliada.
The former residence, now a museum, of the Turkish short-story wri-ter Sait Faik Abasıyanık on Burgaz. The hill-top Hr is to sM on a ste ry, built by the Byzantine emperor Romanus IV (Diogenes), on Kınalıada. These are but highlights, and since the islands are small enough to walk, you’ll find much more – both historic and modern – to captivate you when you visit.
Above all, enjoy the sounds of silence.