Istanbul: Princes Islands Tour With Hotel Transfer & Lunch

One of the most beautiful places to visit near Istanbul. Peaceful streets, charming old houses, beautiful sea views, and no city noise — just a completely different atmosphere 🤍🤍 I loved walking around with my friends , enjoying the views, and simply slowing down for a while. The perfect place for a relaxing day away from the busy city. 🤍 Definitely worth visiting if you’re in Istanbul. 🇹🇷

The tour was extremely disappointing, starting with a pickup scheduled for 8:30 a.m. that did not leave until 10:00, followed by an overcrowded, hot boat with suffocating fumes, inadequate seating, and unsanitary bathrooms. The seven-hour itinerary felt poorly organized and focused more on selling products than providing the sightseeing experience advertised. I not book another tour in Istanbul.

The island tour exceeded my expectations. Everything was very well organized from start to finish. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and always helpful. The transportation was comfortable and well arranged. Exploring the beautiful islands, enjoying the fresh air, and spending such a relaxing day was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to discover new places and enjoy a memorable day. Thank you to everyone who made it possible!

I loved my experience with this organizer. I was traveling alone, and the guides came to me several times to explain things about the islands and give me advice. I didn't feel abandoned when I went ashore; they responded quickly via WhatsApp when I needed directions. The atmosphere on the boat was great; people were dancing, which reminded me of the Dominican Republic. Thank you to Oktay for giving me so much advice.

This was the most peaceful tour we took during our Istanbul vacation. We spent a fulfilling day enjoying the historical atmosphere of the islands, the sea voyage, and a wonderful seaside meal. The organization was flawless from start to finish, thank you!

Oktay was excellent and kept the group in sync. He surprised me with cake, happy birthday singing and then the best part of the day was dancing 💃🏻 with everyone. It was a most Joyful day🌻🇹🇷🥰

Staff are kindly and Suleyman he's the one who manage everything

I highly recommend this tour to everyone! Everything was well organized, and the atmosphere was great. Our guide Oktay was amazing — very friendly, professional, and made the experience fun and enjoyable. Thank you for such a wonderful time! — Очень рекомендую этот тур всем! Всё было хорошо организовано, атмосфера отличная. Наш гид Октай был замечательный — очень дружелюбный, профессиональный и сделал всё весёлым и приятным. Спасибо за прекрасное время!

The small island was hardly worth the time. Buyukada definitely worth the trip. Chance to meet other travelers during the trip and great views of Istanbul. Hotel pickup on time.

To start, the tour should never have gone ahead given the weather conditions. It was raining non-stop, foggy, and very windy making it completely unsuitable for a boat trip. Despite this, the company made no effort to cancel or postpone. The “guided” aspect was minimal. The information provided about the island was very brief and difficult to understand due to poor English. The rest of the time was spent with music on the boat, and once on the island, you are left to explore on your own. Unfortunately, due to the weather, there was very little to do as many shops were closed, and even renting a bike felt unsafe. The meal looked unappealing but tasted decent. Drinks were available for purchase onboard. The boat journey itself was uncomfortable and at times concerning. The sea was very rough, with constant rocking and items falling around the boat. Even the guide admitted the weather was not good, yet the tour still went ahead. Many passengers looked genuinely uneasy. To end the tour, we were taken, without any prior warning or option to decline, to a leather “fashion show.” This turned into a 2-hour sales stop. The products were marketed as being “60% discounted,” yet prices were still extremely high (e.g. around €1000 for a jacket), making the so-called discount feel meaningless. The entire experience felt pushy and unnecessary, with staff closely watching and pressuring you to buy (this store is rated 2.3 on trip advisor) Overall, this day would have been far better spent doing something else in Istanbul, especially given the weather. It’s disappointing that the company chose to proceed under such conditions rather than prioritising customer safety and experience.

The Princes’ Islands tour to Buyukada was a very enjoyable and memorable experience 🌊🚢 The island is beautiful, peaceful, and perfect for relaxing away from the busy city. Walking around Buyukada was very nice, with lovely views of the sea and charming streets 🌅🌿 The atmosphere of the island is calm and refreshing, making it a great place to spend the day and enjoy nature. Overall, the tour was well organized, and we had a wonderful time exploring Buyukada. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul — it’s definitely worth the visit ✨

easy and fun way to see two of the islands. Good entertainment whilst on the boat. The two Iranian photographers really made my trip special though as I did an impromptu photo shoot with them which is something I'll treasure.

It was an amazing island tour experience! Everything was well organized from start to finish. The scenery was breathtaking, the atmosphere was peaceful, and we had plenty of time to explore and enjoy each stop. The staff was friendly and helpful throughout the day. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the area!

“The island tour was one of the highlights of our trip. Everything was perfectly planned, and we had plenty of time to explore and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The views were amazing, and the whole experience was calm and refreshing. I would definitely do it again!”

“The Princes’ Islands tour was very relaxing and enjoyable. Beautiful nature, fresh air, and lovely views. Everything was well organized and the guide was friendly and helpful. Definitely worth it!”

“We had a wonderful day on the Princes’ Islands tour. The scenery was stunning and the atmosphere was peaceful. The organization was smooth, and the staff were very kind and professional. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Istanbul

“Such a wonderful island tour! The views were absolutely breathtaking, and the fresh air and peaceful atmosphere were so refreshing. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, sharing interesting details throughout the trip. Everything was well organized and comfortable. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing and enjoyable day!”

A peaceful and enjoyable tour to the Princes’ Islands. The scenery was beautiful, the boat trip was relaxing, and the free time on the island was just perfect. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Istanbul

Great Princes’ Islands tour with stunning sea views and a calm, charming atmosphere. The organization was smooth, and the whole experience was relaxing and enjoyable. A nice break from the city crowds...

The Princes’ Islands tour was a lovely escape from the busy city. Beautiful views, fresh air, and a very relaxing atmosphere. Everything was well organized, and the guide was friendly and helpful. Definitely a great way to spend a day in Istanbul!...

This wasn’t really a tour. You spent a lot of time of an old boat, that wasn’t clean and the furnishings looked like they were found in a tip. There was some commentary on the boat, which you could only hear in one area. You had an hour stay on one island, with no tour. You were dumped there and had to figure things out. That wasn’t too bad, but on the second island you were there for 3 hours with no tour! The worst thing was, when you returned on the boat you were taken to a leather market with a ‘short’ show and were trapped there until the transfers took you back. This is nowhere in the itinerary. It’s mentioned nowhere. They tell you about it once you return, which you can only hear if you’re inside the main area of the boat! If you’re outside it will be a complete surprise. I don’t recommend this at all. If you do decide to go, do some thorough research beforehand so you can figure out what to do on the islands while you’re there.

Had a great experience visiting the islands. The guide didn’t just take us on a boat and drop us off. He took us up to the monastery an took us through it. Also on the big island took us around an explained things very well. Would definitely recommend him.

No show Impossible to find out Viator didn’t respond Don’t trust these people. Local tour operator contacted me an hour after no show saying they would do it another day

Well organized, good information being shared and service to support guests. Area to improve is the bus was not safe mirror of the bus was cracked in front of the driver. Also, miscommunication occur when I was picked by one of the buses and another guid was waiting me in another bus, so we tour guides need to align well with their communication. While returning back bus is not sufficient and drop off was challenging

This tour did not follow the itinerary. They did not go under the Galata Bridge. They did not pass-by the Maidens Tower. They stopped at the large island for 2hrs instead of the published 3hrs. They stopped for 1hr on the small island instead of the one with Halki that I especially came to see.

What an incredible trip! I got to explore all three islands and enjoy some really delicious food along the way. Thank you

Everything was great as expected. We were kept informed of the trip and time so everything went smooth. I would definitely recommend for the price you pay. Unless you want to see more.

I had an awesome experience during this tour. I met quite a few people and had a good conversation. The islands are spectacular, but there is nothing much to do there, but I enjoyed biking around. The tour staff are very informative and approachable.

More of a packed ferry ride than a boat cruise, noisy crowded and hot, I was hoping for an enjoyable boat journey but it was more like being on public transport. Islands are nice enough, souvenir shopping and food, although be sure to agree the price before ordering, they can be extortionate.

I got message from organizers at 10:42 pm (night before) to be at meeting place at 9:30 am instead of 8:30 am. I did not receive the message until 6:30 am, it was too late to change my Uber, so we got to meeting place very early. Waited for 1.75 hours to board ferry. Tour did not start until 10 am -it was not a boat, but a ferry, shuttling passengers across, not just our tour -our “tour guide” talked to us for about 5 minutes at each stop and left us to explore on our own. -lunch was very good, they had a vegan selection

Pick up and drop off in time and our guide was good friendly and helpful the Island was beautiful and food was good. Recomended.

23:23 the night before the excursion, when I was fast asleep, they sent a message via Whatsapp to inform that the pickup at the hotel would be 8:30. So, ten minutes before 8:30, we started waiting in the hotel lobby. Someone speaking very poor English came to pick us up after 9 o’clock and made us, and other people he also picked up on the way, practically run to the bus, that was parked 2 streets further. After that, we had to wait again, in the bus now. No explanation. After the bus had started the trip, we went to the Taksim area, where we had to…. wait. 3 diferent groups in one bus, another bus had too many passengers, … very poorly organised. After that we finally got in the right bus, the guide, Süleyman, entered and the trip started. It is only thanks to this guide that the trip wasn’t a complete waiste of time and money. He was very kind and helpful and seemed to know what he was talking about. The lunch included in the package was very bad. My dogs get better food than this. I saw that more than half of the people almost didn’t eat anything. What we didn’t ask for, but got anyway, was a trip to a local leather factory at the end of the trip. Very expensive and also very dangerous because of wet stairs and no railing to hold on to. Conclusion: it would have been less stressfull and cheaper tot buy the tickets for the boats and organise the trip ourselves.

Best tour guide and Beautiful Islands. food was good and all service was wonderful thank for all your service. i am grateful from your hospitality

They were very accurate on timings; the trip was very enjoyable and exceeded my expectations. The staff was very friendly and professional with the service.

It was nice experience. The pick up was timely. The transport was comfortable. The boat was nice. The island trips were good. (1st island stop could have been a little longer.) The final visit to the leather shop could be expedited. ☺️

Our tour guide was wonderful, the boat ride was beautiful seeing amazing sites. But from pickup to boat took an hour and 20 minutes with lots of stops and sitting around. Islands were pretty but not much to see but vendors selling their items.

Great experience, guide was very helpful and informative. Cost is very reasonable and well worth it, would book this tour again.

There was no tour element to it at all - no information about anything was provided - only thing that was said was the name of the islands - spent the first two hours driving around Istanbul picking up people in hotels - much less time that they say on the description - 40 minutes at first island, 2 hr at second island - played very loud dance/club music the whole way out there - 2 Turkish coffee cost me 200 lira? At the end they tried to make us go to a ‘fashion show’ - where they try and pressure you into buying clothing in warehouse Looked online and can get ferry yourself there for a fraction of the cost/ spend way longer there

The Island was lovely we had great time our tour guide Suleyman was very good and friendly food and shopping was nice recommended.

Our guide for the day was a lovely guy but there wasn’t much guiding to do. It’s mostly a glorified taxi service from the hotel to the ferry(s) with lunch included. If I was to do it again, I’d organise it and visit the islands my own way. You sit on the bus during the pickups for like 45 mins to an hour. The islands themselves are beautiful. We got approx one hour on the smaller island and approx 2 hours on the larger island. The lunch was pretty good to be fair. I do have one serious gripe about the whole experience tho. It’s not on the schedule but they bring you to a leather store where you sit through a catwalk show, then given the hard sell by some slick salesman and then ushered up to store itself where your followed by some “helpful” sales merchants. I felt extremely awkward and uncontrollable throughout and left and made my own way back to the hotel. You pay for a tour, not a sales pitch.

Picked us up at 8am, went around the houses to pick up different people, then we drove to the Hilton where the majority of people got off, no explanation what was happening, there was only us and another couple left. Arrived at the boat an hour and a half after we were picked up, the boat looked quite old and dirty. There was a bar which had snacks and drinks (you had to pay for) there were two toilets, both holes in the floor, as a woman (and with mobility issues) there was no way I could ever imagined being able to use them. They were filthy, even if I could manage to use them, I wouldn't have. If you are providing a tour for people of different nationalities you need to have facilities for those guests. Three hours after we were picked up we set sail. Luckily it was a nice day, we sat outside which was nice. We eventually set sail three hours after we were picked up. We visited two Islands, one for one hour, 20 mins and the other for 30 mins. Because the boat was so filthy we decided to get lunch at a local restaurant on the first island, this pretty much took up most of our time. Even if we hadn't eaten there wouldn't have been enough time to explore. At no point we were given any information about the island. When we got back on the boat, lunch was served. We didn't have any, it looked like chicken and rice. Before we got off to visit the second Island we were asked if we wanted to hire a bike or go on an electric car ride, we declined. With only 40 minutes there was no way it would have been worth it. We almost felt as though the guy in charge was on a commission. Again, didnt have enough time to explore the island, managed a quick bit of shopping before heading back to the boat. On the way back to the mainland the guy in charge decided he fancied himself as a bit of a DJ, some people got up to dance, we were badgered a bit to join in, a fight almost broke out, two guys squaring up to each other and the crew getting involved. Another guy continued to hassle people to buy his perfume and aftershave, had enough of that outside the Grand Bazzare, didn't expect it on a 'nice, relaxing boat trip' Although it was nice to sit on the boat in the sunshine we felt it was a waste of our time and money. Our advice would be, don't bother booking this trip! Hop on a ferry (much cheaper, quicker and easy to navigate) you can then take your time, browse the islands, grab some lunch, a bit of shopping and explore at your own pace!

We expected to spend 2 hours guided-touring Istanbul. We then expected to stay for one hour at the small island and 3 hours at the bigger one. Instead we went straight to the port with zero city guided touring, we spent half an hour longer than expected in the smaller island followed by a mere 30 minutes at the bigger island which I personally had a vested interested and thus booked this specific tour. Needless to say the experience felt rushed and below of my personal expectations which included nothing more than being able to enjoy this trip without fearing I would be left stranded. As if that wasn't enough though, the trip ended at a leather shop in Istanbul for a runaway show. I am not proud to say I was made aware of this change. Had I known this was the planned trip I would refrained from making this booking. I would not recommend this to fellow travellers unfortunately as I escalated this to the travelling company which refused to issue a partial refund, citing that we had been on this trip which did not reflect the expected itenary. Hopefully the company policy might change!

Our guide was informative throughout the tour and he even helped us with understanding how to travel in Istanbul, understanding the roads, tram, Metro (since we had more 2 days there). In fact, he strongly recommended we use metro for our way back to Sabiha airport which we did and it Proved very cost effective. Coming to The tour, it's a basic tour to the islands. Enjoyed the ferry trip though a bit long but can't do much about it. On reaching the island there was electric car ride where the driver didn't bother to explain or inform us about any of The buildings. She just drove about for 20 mins and brought us to drop off. Followed by lunch which was basic and usual. Guide then gave us 2 hours to explore the island, we saw wooden buildings and local Markets. It's a pollution free island. We were then driven back to Istanbul port. Shown a fashion show for leather products. And finally back to our hotels. Overall decent experience but if not too Keen on a ferry ride or simply roaming on island with nothing great or over the top to look out for, you can think of giving it a skip.

If you are looking for a little break from the city and are worried about getting to the ferry to get to the Island(they pick you up in a bus), want to learn a bit about the islands, and have lunch set up for you, this is a great option! The guide was very nice and made sure everyone was accounted for and got to where they needed to. The Island itself is very cute, with street food, sit-down restaurants, cute walks, and shopping available. However, if you are young and want to explore more on your own and know how to operate the public transit systems(ferry picks up from two locations in the city), then you don't need a tour guide.

I wish we could get more information on the boat as well as when we were driving around on the island. The lunch was very good.

We missed the tour because of very bad address that locals didn't know so we couldn't find the tour.

Best part of our trip. The island was so beautiful with amazing mixed architectural buildings. The guide Suleiman was fantastic!

Amazing day trip to Island Hotel transfer and our tour guide was very good and friendly er had good time in the Island Buyukada thank you for amazing service.

Amazing day trip to Buyuk ada princes Island olur tour guide Mr. Süleyman was very friendly and helpfull food was good. We will recommend to all our famlly and friends.