Büyükada

What makes it special

Büyükada is the largest of the Princes' Islands, at 5.4 square kilometres, and its lanes are lined with big 19th-century timber mansions in gardens. Walk Çankaya Caddesi for the finest of them. They went up after the first ferry service of 1846 made the island a summer retreat for wealthy Istanbul families.

On the waterfront, pick out the Splendid Palace Hotel as the ferry comes in: its two domes once covered water cisterns. Higher up stands a former orphanage, a vast timber building believed to be the largest wooden construction in Europe. It closed in the second half of the 20th century, and you see it from the outside.

The island's highest hill carries the church and monastery of Aya Yorgi, St George, where the first building went up in the 6th century. On St George's Day, 23 April, pilgrims climb to it in great numbers, tying thread to the trees along the path and making a wish.

Down in the Kumsal quarter, look in at Ayios Dimitrios, where the island's Orthodox community holds its major services. Of the island's five mosques, seek out the Hamidiye Mosque, the most striking for its architecture.

Visiting

Büyükada's ferry pier lands you in the small town centre, with its fish restaurants, ice cream shops and seaside promenade. From here you walk; ask at the pier what island transport is running that day.

Walk the mansion streets first, starting with Çankaya Caddesi. Then head for Aya Yorgi: where the wheeled traffic stops, a steep cobbled path climbs the rest of the way to the summit, with benches to rest on along it.

Photography is not allowed inside the church, but you can take pictures outside and along the path. Plan to reach the church by mid-afternoon to be sure of seeing the interior, then walk back down to the promenade to eat before the ferry home.

Tips

Carry water and proper walking shoes: the climb is sunny and there are few fountains inland. The island is hilly, so cycling is harder work than it looks.

Going on your own by public ferry is usually the better plan than a tour. Weekend and summer sailings from Kabataş fill up and you may stand for part of the crossing, so get to the pier early. With the crossing each way, the trip fills most of a day.