The car-free Princes' Islands are only a short ferry ride from Istanbul, and provide a welcome break from the city heat and bustle. The morning begins when you are picked from your hotel at 8am and you are transferred to the ferry terminal for a cruise on the Sea of Marmara heading for Büyükada, the largest of the nine islands making up the archipelago. On the way you'll be able to enjoy great views of the Topkapi Palace, Leander's Tower and Üsküdar on Istanbul's Asian shore from the boat. Büyükada is a popular resort for the locals in the summer with its white sandy beaches and fragrant pine forests, but it was once a place of exile for Byzantine Emperors (and Leon Trotsky) as well as a popular retreat for wealthy Istanbulites in the first half of the 20th Century.

You'll be enchanted by this small slice of traffic-free paradise. When you explore some of the islands' quiet back streets, you will feel as if you have found your way back to the late 19th century and an Istanbul that no longer exists on the mainland.

Tour the island by yourself to explore

We will return to Istanbul in the afternoon arriving back at your hotel at around 5pm. This full-day tour includes a return boat ride to the island of Büyükada with a guided tour. (Lunch and tour ofn Electric Vehicles are not included in the program).