What to see in Istanbul. Day 4. Buyukada island

I hope you was enjoying your three days trip in Istanbul, using my plan in previous posts: "What to see in Istanbul. Day 1" in the Sultanahmet area in the historical center of Istanbul, "What to see in Istanbul. Day 2" in the central square of Istanbul, amazing seafront and museum of miniatures and "What to see in Istanbul. Day 3". )

Today, will be our last full day important trip. Other interesting places in Istanbul you can see if you will have more days and time. You can find an information about other ibjects and areas in Istanbul, reading other posts in my blog.

So, what will we see today during our trip in Istanbul? Ofcouse, we cannot complete our trip without visiting Prince`s Islands of Istanbul! ) So, let`s go there.

There is a group of nine islands very close to Istanbul in the Marmara sea. You can visit just three of them: the biggest one and the most interesting - Buyukada island, Kinaliada island and Heybeliada. Actually, I advice you to visit just Buyukada, because discovering that island will take all your day. And other islands are not interesting to compare with this one.

So, how to get to Buyukada? 

To get to Buyukada island you can by ship from the Kabatash (Kabatas) ferry station that will take 1,5 hour, the Kadikoy ferry station that will take about 1 hour and the Bostandji (Bostanci) ferry station that will take 30 minutes in transit. Choose the closest ferry station to your place, find a writing"Adalar" (islands in Turkish) in a schedule of ships, use your IstanbulKart and go. 

Usually, ship have few stops, so you have to be careful and don`t get out from ship on the wrong station or island, because the interim between ships can be about 1.5 hour or more.

Then you will just get out from the ship and should go straight on the street following other people till you will reach the central square of the Buyukada island. You can easily recognize it by the column with the clock on it. 

 On photo you can see the ferry station of Buyukada with a ship.

This is the main square of Buyukada.

Now lets decide where we will go first. If you are hungry, I advice you to eat now, because our trip will be long and some period of time we will not find any place to eat. On the square in Buyukada a lot of restaurants, but if you want to try famous Turkish food, you can visit the Sultanahmet Koftesi restaurant near the square. 

The restaurant is not far from the old and very beautiful drugstore.

Or you can choose one of the fish restaurants near the sea if you will go left from the ferry station along the seaside.

Now we will decide how will we go to one of the most famous place in the Buyukada island - The Church of st. George. That church is on the top of the mountain and you can go there by foot, by bicycle or by horses.

I don`t advice you to go by foot if you don`t know the way very good. You can be lost in the forest as we did once. )) It was not funny and safe there, to be alone, without a way and orientation where we are and where to go. Especially, when started to be dark on the street. 

About bicycle its nearly same. If you know the way, you can go, or you can go following  horses to find the way, but when you will come closer to the top of the mountain, it will be not possible to go far with a bicycle, because of the sharp hill. And you will need to take your bicycle with you, walking up about 1 km by foot or leave it in the middle with a hope that nobody will take it. )) 

Bicycles you can rent in the center of Buyukada.

And the last option, that I strongly advice you if you really don`t know the way -It is horses.)
You can find the station with horses on the left of the clock on the central square of Buyukada.

Don`t rent full cabin alone, you can find another tourists and share the price with them, will be less expensive. 

Choose the horses and the color of sits, design of a cabin and enjoy the trip along the Buyukada island.

 Till you will come to the sharp hill of the mountain. From that point you will need to go by foot. Unfortunately, there is no options.

In the middle of the way will be a place with a benches and a water, by the way, very very tasty water. You can stop, rest and wash your face, drink water and go up more till you will reach The Church of st. George.

 There is a believes among Turkish people, if you will wish something inside The Church of st. George and ask it with an open heart, your dream will come true. So, you should try. )

Around The Church of st. George you can find a place to sit and enjoy amazing view from the very hight mountain. My favorite place is on the right and on the left you can find a bench where you can sit on the edge of the mountain.

That place are very silent. You can hear just how birds are singing. 

Going back from the mountain you can in a  same way as you came here. Try to mention about houses on the both sides of the street. All houses in Buyukada island have different construction and some of the are very old and interesting.

After coming back to the center of Buyukada, don`t rush to go back to Istanbul. Walk near the sea, it`s really amazing.

What to see in Istanbul. Day 3.

Hello again! )

I hope you was enjoying traveling these two days with me and want to advice you where will be better to go on your 3 day of your trip in Istanbul. 

You can double check plans for previous trips in Istanbul, reading articles: What to see in Istanbul. Day 1 and What to see in Istanbul. Day 2.

Today we will discover the Asian side of Istanbul. We will visit the Kadikoy, Camlica hill, Beylerbey palace and Yoros castle.

Lets start with the Kadikoy area.

The Kadikoy

Kadikoy is one of the oldest area of Istanbul. And nowadays one of the most popular place for tourists and turkish people. 

Here you can see the old railway station Haydarpasha (Haydarpasa), that was opened at 1908. It is really cute and interesting place. You can see Haydarpasa from the pier of Kadikoy or walking closer to see it inside.

If you remember the Nostalgic Tramway that we was using during our second day trip in Istanbul in the Taksim square, maybe, you also remember we was talking about another one ancient Nostalgic Tramway. That Tramway you can see in the Kadikoy area. And that tramway makes a cycle around the Kadikoy area and around one of the most famous, beautiful and central street of the Asian side of Istanbul - Moda street.

The Kadikoy area is very crowded. A lot of small and thin streets are running up along the buildings from the Kadikoy pier. On that small and very crowded streets are a mix of cafes with an open-air areas, a lot of shops, tourists are moving absolutely chaotically, a live music in some areas near the restaurants and a lot of cats, so you should be careful, watching under your feet, not to make a cat`s accident. )) 

The Kadikoy is very different in the evening and in the day time. In the day time it`s more look like just a crowded area with a people and a businessmen who are rushing somewhere, a lot of cars, a lot of noise. But at the evening the Kadikoy area transformed in a night life area. So, I advice you to visit the Kadikoy at last twice. In the day time and at the late evening. 

From the Kadikoy square we will go to the Camlica hill.

The Camlica Hill

The Camlica hill is one of the most highest point in Istanbul. That`s why here are located all TV and radio towers. The Camlica is about 268 meters above the sea level. And from that place you can see absolutely increasable panorama of Istanbul and Bosphorus. 

 To get to the Camlica Hill you can from the Kadikoy taking a bus # 14D, 14F, 14R or 14K to «Turistik Camlica Tesisleri» station. 

Near the entrance to the Camlica hill I strongly advice you to stop in the Chomlek (Comlek) restaurant and thy their famous dish with beans. You can try that delicious dish just in that restaurant, because the secret of how do they cook it so amazing they keep in secret.

In the Comlek restaurant you can choose an area where to sit. There are two options. You can sit in a hall and enjoy the view from the windows.

Or you can sit in the area with an observation deck.

 But, you have to know that that area will move. Very slowly ofcouse, but will move around, to let all guests see the view from the windows. 

That area is open in the summer time.

And in the cold period of time, windows are closed and you can look outside throw the glass.

 After eating amazing beans in the Comlek restaurant on the Camlica hill, we will go to see the ruins of the Yoros castle. To go to that place you will better take a taxi. You can easily ask an administrator in the Comlek restaurant to call a taxi for you. Or if you know how, you can do it by yourself. 

Road to Yoros Castle will take about 20 minutes. 

After coming to the mountain with the Yoros castle, climb up to see it.

 You can also drink a coffee or a tea in the amazing cafe on the top of the mountain.

From the Yoros you can take a taxi to our last destination - Beylerbey palace.

In the Beylerbey castle is forbidden to make a photos. Also, you will be allowed to enter the palace just with a guide, that will tell you all about that place in English. Maybe, you will just need to sit few minutes and wait till some other tourists will join you, because they don`t make an excursions for a group of people less then 6 person.But, places are popular and I am sure that you will not wait for a long time. 

Till you are waiting you can walk in a garden near the Beylerbey castle, close to the sea.

Going back from the Beylerbey castle to the Kadikoy, you can easily. Just go out from the territory of castle and in front of you will be the bus station. Wait a bus that will take you to the Kadikoy.

Please, find a plan for the fourth day of the trip in Istanbul in the post What to see in Istanbul. Day 4.