What to do if you want to escape from Istanbul?
You head to Princes’ Islands, what most of the locals do during the weekends.
So we took the ferry to one of the four Princes’ Islands, Heybeliada, the second largest one. In reality, there are nine islands, but the ferry will only take you to four of them. The comforting part is that the islands are relatively close to Istanbul (about one hour and a half) and to each other. Our personal guide, the instagramer, @neslin.co, told us that many of the Istanbulians have houses here, which they use only for summer retreats, when the population triples.
What’s so striking about these islands?
The simple fact that cars or any other petrol-driven vehicles are prohibited. Bicycles and horse-drawn carriages are the only means of transport. Therefore something that will amaze you here is the silence, interrupted now and then by the screeching cry of seagulls and the horses’ clip-clops.
Walking through the pine coves, discovering viewpoints fronting the Sea of Marmara, or gazing at the wooden Art Nouveau-
One last thought to reflect upon: don’t you think this just makes for a perfect movie setting?
Tip: To get to one of the four islands, take the tramway to Kabatas and from there hop in a fast ferry (55 minutes ride) and once you arrive on the island, make sure your check the time it departs back so that you don’t find yourself stuck there over the night.
