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ISTANBUL
Princes' Islands Day Tour from Istanbul
From $49 per person
- Duration: Full day · approx. 10 hours
- Pick-up: Pick-up from central hotels
- Meals: Seafood or grill lunch on the island
- Group: Small group · English guide
- Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours
Tour Overview
Princes' Islands Day Tour from Istanbul: Ferry, Electric Vehicle Tour & Seafood Lunch
This Princes' Islands day tour takes you from Istanbul to car-free Büyükada in about ten hours, with pick-up from central hotels at 09:00 and drop-off at around 19:00. A ferry crosses the Sea of Marmara in roughly 90 minutes, with views of the Istanbul skyline.
On Büyükada, an electric shuttle tour winds past Ottoman wooden mansions and pine-covered hills, followed by a seafood or local lunch at a waterfront restaurant. Free time lets you wander flower-lined streets, ride a bicycle or visit the historic clock tower.
It suits families, couples and friends wanting a calm city break. The Shared tour includes central hotel pick-up and drop-off, ferry tickets, an English-speaking guide, the electric vehicle tour and lunch. Read our Princes' Islands guide, browse Istanbul tour packages or compare the Bosphorus day tour.
Highlights
- Ferry cruise with Istanbul skyline views
- Electric vehicle tour of car-free Büyükada
- Ottoman wooden mansions and pine forests
- Seafood or local lunch by the sea
- Free time for bicycles and the clock tower
- Pick-up and drop-off from central hotels
Quick facts
- Most pleasant in summer.
- Bicycle rental is optional.
- Ferries can be cancelled in storms or heavy fog; you receive a refund or a new date.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
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09:00Hotel Pick-up & Transfer to the Pier
Your day starts at 09:00 with a free pick-up from your hotel in central Istanbul. A driver takes you to the pier, where you board the public ferry together with your English-speaking guide. Pier and boarding time confirmed with your booking. Your round-trip ferry tickets are already included in the price. Bring a light jacket for the sea breeze and sunscreen for the island.
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10:00Ferry Cruise Across the Sea of Marmara
The ferry sails for about 90 minutes across the Sea of Marmara toward the Princes’ Islands. From the deck you can look back at the Istanbul skyline and watch the seagulls following the boat. It is a relaxed time to take photos or simply sit back before the island day begins.
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11:30Electric Vehicle Tour of Büyükada
On arrival at Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands, you step into a car-free world where only bicycles and electric vehicles move. You board eco-friendly electric shuttle cars for a tour of the island. Your guide shows you the Splendid Palace Hotel, historic Ottoman wooden mansions and the pine forests that cover the hills.
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13:30Seaside Lunch & Free Time
Lunch is served at a waterfront restaurant, with fresh seafood or a traditional grill on the menu. Afterwards you have free time until the return ferry. Walk the flower-lined streets, visit the historic clock tower at the heart of the island or rent a bicycle. If you would like to swim, ask the guide about public beaches and bring swimwear and a towel.
Optional: Bicycle rental during free time (not included in the price) -
17:00Return Ferry & Hotel Drop-off
At 17:00 you board the public ferry back to Istanbul; the crossing takes about 90 minutes. A transfer vehicle waits at the pier and drives you to your hotel, so you are back at around 19:00. The whole day lasts about ten hours, from the 09:00 hotel pick-up to the evening drop-off. Ferry tickets for both directions are included.
Places Along the Route
Princes’ Islands
An archipelago of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, a short ferry ride from Istanbul. This tour visits Büyükada, the largest island, where private motor vehicles are not allowed.
Büyükada
The largest of the Princes’ Islands, a green hill island in the Sea of Marmara where private cars are banned. Pine woods, wooden mansions and flower-lined lanes give it a calm, old-fashioned feel just outside Istanbul.
Splendid Palace Hotel
A grand early-20th-century hotel with a domed rotunda and wide terraces on the hillside above the harbour. It is among the island’s best-known landmarks and a favourite subject for photographs.
Büyükada Clock Tower
The historic clock tower marks the centre of Büyükada, close to the ferry landing and the start of the flower-lined streets. It is an easy meeting point and a pleasant photo stop during free time.
Why Choose This Princes' Islands Day Tour?
This Princes' Islands day tour keeps the whole day in one booking: hotel pick-up at 09:00, ferry tickets both ways, an electric vehicle tour of car-free Büyükada and a seafood or grill lunch, with drop-off at around 19:00.
- Ferry tickets included — The round-trip public ferry tickets are already in the price. Each crossing takes about 90 minutes, with views of the Istanbul skyline from the deck.
- Car-free island by electric vehicle — On Büyükada only bicycles and electric vehicles move. Your licensed English-speaking guide shows the Splendid Palace Hotel, Ottoman wooden mansions and pine forests from an electric shuttle car.
- Waterfront lunch and free time — Lunch is seafood or a traditional grill at a waterfront restaurant. Free time follows for the clock tower and flower-lined streets, or an optional bicycle rental paid separately.
- Easy for families — Free pick-up and drop-off from central Istanbul hotels means no pier navigation. Children 0–2 are free and ages 3–7 get 30% off.
- Licensed local agency — TÜRSAB A-group licence #18154, Istanbul-based, rated 5.0 on Google (15 reviews), free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start date.
Tour Price & Booking
What’s Included
What’s Not Included
Optional Upgrades
Add these to your request — we confirm availability and the final total before you pay.
Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish night show
An evening on the Bosphorus with dinner and a Turkish night show, watching the lit shores of Europe and Asia from the boat.
3.5 Hours · evening View tour →
Private airport transfer (IST)
A private vehicle meets you at Istanbul Airport (IST) and takes you straight to your hotel. Priced per vehicle, not per person.
Istanbul Airport (IST) · Vito View tour →
Bosphorus tour
A full day on and along the Bosphorus: palaces, fortresses, the Asian shore and a boat ride between two continents.
8-10 Hours View tour →Have something else in mind? Ask us on WhatsApp
Good to Know
Ferry and pier
The public ferry crossing takes about 90 minutes each way. Your driver takes you from the hotel to the ferry pier and back. Pier and boarding time confirmed with your booking.
Swimming and sun
Public beaches are available during free time. Bring swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and a light jacket for the sea breeze.
Children
Children 0–2 free, ages 3–7 receive 30% off.
Pick-up Times
Pick-up from 09:00; the exact time is confirmed the day before.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, cancel up to 24 hours before the start date.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before, the amount paid is non-refundable.
- Changes made less than 24 hours before the start date cannot be accepted.
- If the tour is cancelled due to poor weather, you'll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Payment
Reserve now, pay later (no credit card required). Pay after we confirm, via secure link or bank transfer.
What guests say about TourQuaz
"Super und zuverlässige Organisation unseres Fimenausflugs. Zuverlässige Abholungen zu vereinbarten Zeiten und hilfreiche Tips beim Programm vor Ort.
Vielen Dank an das ganze Team. Jeder Zeit wieder!"
"Everything was very good specially the staff there
Special thanks to Mr. Emre for amazing efforts and support during all visit in istany"
"معاملة راقية تجربة تستحق الإشادة شكرا على حسن التعامل"
Frequently Asked Questions
The tour takes about ten hours: pick-up from central hotels at 09:00, the return ferry at 17:00 and drop-off at your hotel at around 19:00. The public ferry crossing takes about 90 minutes each way.
The shared tour costs $49 per person. It includes pick-up and drop-off from central hotels, round-trip ferry tickets, a licensed English-speaking guide, the electric vehicle tour of Büyükada and a seafood or grill lunch. Bicycle rental, extra drinks and tips are not included.
Pick-up and drop-off are from central Istanbul hotels. Your exact pick-up time (around 09:00) is confirmed the day before. If your hotel is outside the city center, contact us before booking.
No. Private motor vehicles are not allowed on the Princes’ Islands. People get around by electric vehicle, bicycle or on foot, which keeps the island quiet and clean.
Ferry services occasionally get cancelled during heavy storms or heavy fog. In such cases, we will inform you as soon as possible and offer a full refund or a reschedule for another day.
Yes. Children enjoy the ferry ride and the electric vehicle tour, and with no cars on the island it is a calmer place to explore than the city streets. Children 0–2 free, ages 3–7 receive 30% off.
Free time after lunch is limited, but your guide can point you to public beaches. Bring swimwear and a towel in case you want to swim.
Lunch is fresh seafood or a traditional grill at a waterfront restaurant. Vegetarian guests should tell us when booking so that a suitable dish can be arranged.
