There is a joke about Ankara (the capital city of Turkey) among many Turks that do not live there. They say that the best thing about visiting Ankara is leaving it! Though I do not feel like cracking a joke at the expense of the denizens of the capital at the moment, the same “logic” applies to Istanbul for me. Despite its overall beauty and richness (in terms of cultural “stuff” to do) I cannot help but feel suffocated every time I spend more than a few days in Istanbul… Thankfully, there is a small part of it that you can “escape to” in order to be rid of some of its most overwhelming issues, especially if you time your visit there right. I am, of course, talking about the Prince Islands of the Marmara Sea. Being just a short ferry ride away, these provide an excellent venue to the denizens of the city who want something similar, but different. Büyükada, being the biggest of them all, logically offers the most to do. That means that it is pretty busy most of the time, especially on weekends. This is not ideal. Leaving your crowded apartment, going through a congested traffic, and sitting in a loud ferry is not fun if the destination is not worth it, or worse yet, it is the same as your neighbourhood when it comes to being hectic as heck… You should, if at all possible, go to Büyükada during a weekday, and better yet, not during summer. Then, you will truly enjoy it. Without further ado, let me share a few photos from my trip there, though to be fair, it is truly up to one’s personal preferences to create an itinerary for themselves in Büyükada, and Google already does a better job at providing all the needed information than anyone else. Therefore, I will just share the day that I had with you, in the hopes of providing you with a glimpse of what awaits you over there!
There is a lot of walking (or cycling) to do in Büyükada given how its public transportation system is almost always working at full capacity. Besides, it is best explored on foot given how everything worthwhile to see is scattered around the island. That means that you will need some energy for this long day ahead of you. What better way is there to get that energy than by going to Büyükada Pastanesi and starting the day right with a plate full of their lovely cream puffs. Officially these are sold as “kremalı börek” which roughly translates to a “pie with cream” but really for all intents and purposes, it is a cream puff in a different form factor. It tastes just amazing, it is a dessert but not too heavy, it is a breakfast item but not too boring, and it is quite cheap too! You cannot go wrong with it, and the very same bakery offers other (mostly savoury) items as well, so it is great for a group.
After that fulfilling start to the day, I decided to walk to the western end of the island as I knew that there was a semi-hidden treasure on the way. If you take the Çankaya/Nizam Street and go all the way to the west, you will eventually come across a much smaller road that descends down to what one can only assume is a beach. Follow along that road and you will come across this derelict building, which once housed none other than Trotsky himself for almost five years when he was on exile in Turkey. Later on, he would continue his journey westward, where he would eventually settle in Mexico. The years he spent in Büyükada gave him some fond memories according to his memoirs, so it is extra sad to see that the building itself has not been cared for ever since… It could serve as a wonderful museum for modern Turkish-Russian relations, if need be, or perhaps as an exhibit to political asylum seekers all around the world, but no, it is just a building that decays every single day. There is no way to enter it, and it is “private” property so try not to push your luck with this one.
One of the highlights of any trip to Büyükada is climbing any one of its many hills, with the tallest one offering the finest views! There are well paved and maintained paths leading to many different parts of the island, and you will always run into another person or two on the same journey so do not be afraid of venturing anywhere alone if need be. The small but rather cute Aya Yorgi Cathedral sits atop the best hill on the island, and right next to it, you can sit down at Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu to enjoy fascinating views of Marmara Sea and Istanbul. It is interesting even for many local visitors of the island due to the simple fact that most of these views are of parts of Istanbul most of us do not frequent much, if at all. Here you can see the Sedef Island, as well as the very eastern end of Istanbul in the background. As much as this concrete labyrinthine hell can have an end that is…
It is difficult to explain what a “gazino” really is, but for all intents and purposes, these are “cheaper” restaurants that serve alcohol and are often found outdoors or at least away from the city centre. Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu is no exception. They do not have much on their menus, especially for those who do not eat meat, so suffice to say that I had to rely on the “old reliable,” beer and chips. Chips were homemade and tasted fine, but their portion size definitely did not match their high price. Beer was a beer, since it is not draft and since they do not offer any special brands, there is nothing much to discuss there. I would not recommend this place for its food, but going there for the views is a must in my book.
Büyükada is home to a ton of small museums, beautiful natural tapestries, lovely churches, and perhaps more importantly than them all, an eccentric and extremely friendly local population that loves to enjoy life to the fullest. You can find excellent “art installations” in many gardens such as this one, that show a bit about that homeowner’s personality. That is why, a simple walk along the many streets of Büyükada is not only recommended, but in fact is the single best activity to do in the whole place. This is not to say that all those other points of interest are boring, they are all fine. Anything from the almost crumbling wooden Greek Orthodox orphanage atop a hill to the small but informative “Islands Museum” in the eastern end of the island can and should be inviting for those that are interested in such matters. However, a simple walk even in the very centre of Büyükada will be worthy for all! Now go ahead and explore it at your own pace, perhaps even spend the night there to take it all in, you will not be disappointed to see such a mosaic of cultures for as long as you can.