Full-day tour of the 3 most popular islands of Istanbul (Kinaliada, Heybeliada and Buyukada) and lunch on board, local guide.
First Stop of Princes Islands cruise is the Kınalıada Island:
The smallest one of these three ısland is Kınalıada Island which has wonderful summer resorts. These houses can be rent by everybody during summers but generally Armenian community hires them for summer vacations.
The name of Kınalıada comes from the reddish colored material henna (kına). The henna forms from iron and copper which have been mined in Kınalıada in the past.
There are both historical and natural beauties in Kınalıada that will fascinate you! To illustrate, the touristic attraction such as Ayazma Beach and Hristos Monastery are locating on Kınalıada. Hristos Monastery is on the hill of the island, and it was constructed by exiled Byzantium Emperor Romanus IV (Diogenes). He also buried in the monastery. If you wonder Hristos Monastery, you can visit it only on the Fridays, because it is only open to public on Fridays.
Second Stop of Princes Islands cruise is the Heybeliada Island:
The Heybeliada is in the middle between Kınalıada and Buyukada about its size. The name of island was different during Byzantium period such as Khalkitis or Chalki. There were multiple cooper mines on these times in the Heybeliada but they are closed now.
Of course there are amazing historical structures on the Heybeliada such as Naval Academy which was a Greek Orthodox High School in the past (1773). Unfortunately, this spectacularly huge building is closed to visit. However, if you want to just a glance to it we can say, it is located on the northern hill of Kınalıada, between the pine trees.
Last Stop of Princes Islands cruise is the Buyukada Island (Istanbul Big Island)
The most popular and the largest island of these three islands is the Buyukada Islands. Every year millions of local and foreign tourists visit the Buyukada because it is kind of heaven on the Istanbul.
In addition to its amazing views from all sides of the island, of course there are splendid historical buildings such as Aya Yorgi Church and Monastery, Ayios Dimitrios Church, Hristos Church and Monastery, Hamidiye Mosque and so on. As you see there are structures from both Byzantium and Ottoman periods which makes these islands more interesting and unique for tourists.
There are both long and short tours on Buyukada island that you can choose. We need to add that the longest break of the Princes Islands boat tour will be on the Buyukada Island.
