Home
About us
Destinations & Country Guides
Travel Guides
Recipes
Featured
Photos As Art
Abstract Prints
Locations
Travel Gear
Travel Resources
Favorites
Photo Framer
Explore Photos
Contact
Attractions & day tripsBy Clever Tourists · Published
The Princes' Islands and a ferry up the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavağı are the two best day trips from Istanbul, and Bursa is the best one beyond the city. The islands are about 90 minutes by ferry from the European side and have no private cars; the Bosphorus ferry runs the length of the strait almost to the Black Sea; Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, is about 2 hours away by sea bus. Edirne and its Selimiye Mosque are a long but rewarding day by bus. We spent about 16 days in Istanbul in 2023, 15 of them from 12 to 27 October before heading east to Ankara and Cappadocia, and a last night in November on the way out. With that much time, the city itself came first; these are the trips worth taking when you have seen the old town.
• Princes' Islands (Büyükada and Heybeliada): about 90 minutes by ferry. Car-free islands and wooden mansions. Full day.
• Bosphorus ferry to Anadolu Kavağı: the length of the strait, with a castle walk at the end. Most of a day.
• Bursa: about 2 hours by sea bus, plus a transfer. Early Ottoman mosques and silk markets. Full day.
• Edirne: 2.5 to 3 hours by bus. Sinan's Selimiye Mosque. Long full day.
• Polonezköy and the Belgrad Forest: under an hour by car. Forest walks. Half a day.
• Gallipoli and Troy: about 4 to 5 hours each way. Overnight only.
Istanbul needs at least 3 days before any of these; our 3 days in Istanbul itinerary covers the essentials.
The Princes' Islands are an archipelago in the Sea of Marmara where Istanbul's wealthy families built wooden summer mansions. There are no private cars: on Büyükada, the largest, you get around by electric minibus, bicycle or on foot, up to the hilltop monastery of Aya Yorgi for the view. Heybeliada, 10 minutes away by ferry, is smaller and quieter, with pine woods and swimming coves.
Getting there: Şehir Hatları ferries run about hourly from Kabataş, calling at Kadıköy on the way; the ride takes about 90 minutes from the European side, or about 45 minutes from Bostancı on the Asian side. Pay with an Istanbulkart. Check the time of the last ferry back, which changes with the season.
How long: a full day. Suits: families, couples, and anyone tired of crowds. Tip: avoid summer weekends, when the ferries are packed. On a weekday in spring or autumn you can visit both Büyükada and Heybeliada in a day.
The Bosphorus is best seen from a public ferry rather than a tour boat. The long Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü zigzags between the European and Asian shores, past Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ortaköy mosque, the Rumeli Hisarı fortress and the wooden waterfront mansions, to the fishing village of Anadolu Kavağı, near where the strait meets the Black Sea.
Getting there: Şehir Hatları's long Bosphorus tour leaves Eminönü once or twice a day depending on the season; Anadolu Kavağı can also be reached more often by ferry from Sarıyer. From the village, a signposted road climbs a little over 1 km, about 20 to 30 minutes on foot, to the ruined Yoros Castle, with a view over the mouth of the Bosphorus; parts of the site can be fenced off for excavation.
How long: most of a day with lunch. Suits: everyone. Tip: check the day's return times when you board. Eat grilled fish or fried mussels by the pier in Anadolu Kavağı, and see our Istanbul and Cappadocia guide for the Bosphorus sights on the way.
Bursa was the Ottoman capital before Edirne and Istanbul. Its sights are early Ottoman: the Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque), completed in 1399, with its calligraphy panels and a fountain inside the prayer hall; the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, covered in turquoise tiles; and the Koza Han, a 15th-century silk caravanserai with tea gardens in its courtyard. A cable car climbs Uludağ, the mountain above the city.
Getting there: İDO and BUDO sea buses cross the Sea of Marmara in just under 2 hours, to Güzelyalı or Mudanya, followed by a bus or dolmuş of about 20 km to the metro into the city. Intercity buses take a little over 2 hours via the Osmangazi Bridge.
How long: a long full day. Suits: history and architecture fans. Tip: Bursa is the home of the İskender kebab, and lunch near the old market is part of the reason to go. Book the return sea bus in advance, since there are only a few sailings a day.
Edirne, near the Greek and Bulgarian borders, was the Ottoman capital before Istanbul. The Selimiye Mosque, built from 1569 to 1575, is considered the masterpiece of the architect Mimar Sinan and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; entry is free. The town also has the Old Mosque (Eski Cami), the oldest of its three great mosques, and the Bayezid II complex, a 15th-century hospital that now houses a health museum.
Getting there: buses leave Istanbul's Esenler bus station at least hourly and take about 2.5 to 3 hours. Buses are the practical option for now; a new high-speed rail line to Edirne has been under construction.
How long: a long full day. Suits: anyone who loved the Süleymaniye in Istanbul. Tip: check the opening days of the Bayezid II museum before you go, and leave time for tava ciğer, the town's fried liver.
For green space, Polonezköy is a village founded by Polish exiles in the 19th century, about 40 km east of the center on the Asian side, with forest walks and weekend breakfast gardens. On the European side, the Belgrad Forest north of Sarıyer has walking and running trails around Ottoman reservoirs. Both are easiest by car or taxi.
How long: half a day. Suits: families and long-stay visitors.
Tours sell Gallipoli and Troy as day trips, but at about 4 to 5 hours each way to Çanakkale they are far better with a night there. Cappadocia is a flight or an overnight bus away; see our Istanbul to Cappadocia guide.
On our route, Istanbul was followed by Ankara (4 nights), then Göreme (5), Pamukkale and Selçuk; see our 33-day Turkey itinerary and the shorter 10-day Turkey itinerary.
Almost every trip above starts at a ferry pier or bus station: Kabataş and Eminönü for the islands and the Bosphorus, Yenikapı for sea buses, Esenler for Edirne. An Istanbulkart covers ferries, trams, the metro and buses. A base near the tram line in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci or Karaköy keeps the piers a short ride away; our where to stay in Istanbul page compares the areas.
For food on the way, see what to eat in Istanbul, and our Turkey tipping guide for restaurants and guides.
The Princes' Islands. Ferries from Kabataş take about 90 minutes, there are no private cars, and you can walk or cycle Büyükada and visit Heybeliada in the same day.
By İDO or BUDO sea bus across the Sea of Marmara, just under 2 hours, then a bus to the metro. Intercity buses take a little over 2 hours. Book the return sea bus ahead.
Yes, as a long day. Buses from Esenler take about 2.5 to 3 hours, and the Selimiye Mosque, the Old Mosque and the Bayezid II complex are all in town.
The public ferry from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavağı, paid with an Istanbulkart. It runs the length of the strait, and from the village you can walk about 20 to 30 minutes up to the ruins of Yoros Castle.
Tours sell it, but it is about 4 to 5 hours each way to Çanakkale. It is far better with a night there.
Get our new Turkey guides and practical tips by email: where to stay, what to eat, what things cost and the rules that catch travelers out.
Free. No spam, only new guides and tips.
Search verified local fleets with low security deposits and exact model delivery on Localrent.
Get the best rates and deals on Turkey hotels through Booking.com.
