Princes' Islands, Istanbul Province, Marmara Region, Türkiye

🇹🇷 The Princes' Islands, officially just Adalar; alternatively the Princes' Archipelago; is an archipelago off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, in the Sea of Marmara.

The islands constitute the Adalar district of Istanbul Province.

They consist of four larger islands, Büyükada ("Big Island"), Heybeliada ("Saddlebag Island"), Burgazada ("Fortress Island"), Kınalıada ("Henna Island"), and five much smaller ones, Sedef Adası ("Mother-of-Pearl Island"), Yassıada ("Flat Island"), Sivriada ("Sharp Island"), Kaşık Adası ("Spoon Island"), and Tavşan Adası ("Rabbit Island").

Tourist Industry During the summer months, the Princes' Islands are popular destinations for day trips from Istanbul. As there is almost no motor traffic on the Islands, the only transport being bicycles and horse and cart, they are more peaceful than the city of Istanbul. They are just a short ferry ride from Istanbul, with ferries departing from Bostancı, Kartal and Maltepe on the Asian side, and from Kabataş on the European side. Most ferries call in turn at the four largest of the nine islands: Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada and, finally, Büyükada. Ferry and ship services are provided by six different companies.

In spring and autumn, the islands are quieter and more pleasant, although the sea can be rough in spring, autumn and winter, and the islands are sometimes cut off from the outside world when the ferry services are cancelled due to storms and high waves. During winter, with the addition of the biting cold and the strong winds and the resulting ferry cancellations, the islands become almost deserted. As for cultural tourism, Büyükada happens to have the first and only city museum in İstanbul, the Museum of the Princes' Islands in Aya Nikola Bay.