Perhaps the least visited of the Princes’ Islands in Istanbul is Burgazada. For this reason, it’s also my favorite.
In my introduction to the Princes’ Islands, I noted there are nine islands altogether, four of which can be visited by public ferry (Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada, and Kınalıada). What about the other five islands?
Going to the Princes’ Islands in Istanbul feels like a special occasion. They’re technically still within the city limits, but when you step off the ferry you immediately feel like you’re in a different world. With daily ferry service to four of the nine islands to choose from, each island has something different to offer on a memorable day trip.
Rumeli Fortress (Rumeli Hisarı) is a medieval Ottoman fortress in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the village of Rumeli Hisarı, on the European side of the Bosporus.
Rumeli Kavağı is a village on the European side of the Bosporus in Istanbul. It sits north of central Sarıyer in the Sarıyer district, directly across from Anadolu Kavağı.
The Temple of Artemis, or Artemision (Ἀρτεμίσιον / Artemis Tapınağı), was the most important temple in Ephesus. It’s located on the outskirts of the modern town of Selçuk, Turkey. The temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Ephesus.
East of the Selimiye neighborhood in the Üsküdar district is the very peaceful Karacaahmet Cemetery (Karacaahmet Mezarlığı). This cemetery is the oldest and largest Ottoman burial ground in Istanbul, founded in the mid-1300s. Over a million people have been buried there.
The Ihlara Valley (Ihlara Vadisi) is a canyon in the southwest part of Cappadocia in Turkey. It contains a wealth of rock-cut churches.
The Derinkuyu Underground City (Derinkuyu Yeraltı Şehri) is the largest multilevel underground city excavated in Turkey. It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia.