Istanbul is a massive, noisy, crowded, dirty and frequently a very hot city. Thus, sometimes you need to get out and see the countryside. One of the unique features of Istanbul is the lack of suburbs surrounding the city. The sprawling metropolis extends for miles in all directions and then suddenly gives way to a rural landscape of grasses, farmland and seashore. Thus, there are many easy escapes from Istanbul to cool, quaint and beautiful locales. This article will detail some of the best day trips from the city.
The Princes Islands
The Prince’s Islands are technically part of the Municipality of Istanbul but you would never notice. The Islands lie about five miles offshore of the Asian side. You can reach them by taking a ferry boast from Eminonu, Kabata…Ÿ and Kadikoy. The ticket price is less than 3 TL. Eating simit and drinking tea on an Istanbul ferry is one of the signature experiences of visiting Istanbul.
There are four islands that you can visit: Kinaliadi, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Buyukada. Kinaliadi has little tourist infrastructure but it does have decent beaches if you’re willing to brave the crowds and the pollution. Burgazada is beautiful and gets few visitors, though there are a few fish restaurants around the ferry terminal. Heybeliada is interesting as home to both a Turkish naval base and an Orthodox seminary that was closed during the 1970’s. Heybeliada is not very crowded and an excellent place to go for a walk. Hikes on the Prince’s Islands are notable for the beauty of the Turkish summer houses and the lack of cars. Buyukada (Great Island) is by far the biggest tourist destination of the chain. It has numerous fish restaurants, cafes and ice cream shops. You can also take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the island. Bike rentals are usually 5 or 10 TL. Notable sites on Buyukada are a ruined monastery and the wild horses that wander the streets and pathways.
Sile
Sile is the closest town on the Black Sea to the city of Istanbul itself. It is located about fifteen miles northeast of the city and is best reached by a 45 minute car ride. The bus to Sile leaves from the Asian train station but it’s hard to find and runs infrequently. Sile is a typical small Turkish town. It has a main street with many shops, wooden homes built in the Ottoman style and a few modest, single-minaret mosques. The highlight of Sile is the waterfront. The beaches are long and sandy. While the Black Sea can be a little rough, closer to shore you can wade comfortably. Sile’s small harbor is home to dozens of fishing boats. The fish market is located on the water’s edge not far from the ruins of a Byzantine fortress. The fish mongers sell fresh catch, including sea bass, bonito, mackerel and squid. The fish restaurants along the water have stunning views of the Black Sea and serve only the freshest fish. If there’s something you want that they don’t have, the proprietor will send someone down to the market to immediately buy it for your dinner.
Bursa
Bursa is one of the most important cities to Ottoman culture and history. Here, during the early 14th Century the armies of Osman I defeated a Byzantine army and captured the town, in the process founding the Ottoman Empire. The best way to reach Bursa is by taking a ferry from the Yenikapi terminal across the Sea of Marmara to the town of Yalova. The ticket costs 20 TL and the ride in the ultra modern and very fast ferry takes about one hour. From the terminal you can take the metro or a shared taxi (called a dolmu…Ÿ) to the heart of the city.
The tombs of many of the first Ottoman sultans are located in the hills above downtown. Bursa is called Ye…Ÿil Bursa (Green Bursa) because of the forests and farmland in and around town as well as its significance to Islam. It is home to Ye…Ÿil Camii and Ulu Camii (Green Mosque and Great Mosque). These two mosques are built in the early Ottoman style and thus lack the high, grand domes of mosques in Istanbul. Downtown Bursa also features a covered bazaar where you can buy fruit, cheese or vegetables directly from local merchants. When dining at one of the city’s many fine restaurants, be sure to order the Iskender Kebab. This signature dish of meat, yogurt and tomato sauce layered over pita bread was invented in Bursa.
You can also take a cable car ride from downtown Bursa to Uludag, called Mt. Olympus by the Greeks. Uludag is the nearest ski resort to Istanbul and a destination for some of the cities richest inhabitants. In summer, a hike on top of Uludag is one of the best encounters with nature that you can get so close to Istanbul.
Iznik
Iznik is a sleepy town on a lake surrounded by olive groves. In ancient times, however, Iznik was called Nicaea. The town was founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals and during the 4th Century AD was the site of the First Ecumenical Council, which was convened by Constantine the Great and established the Nicene Creed. You can reach Iznik by taking the Yalova ferry and taking the Iznik dolmu…Ÿ. Altogether the trip takes about two hours.
Iznik is almost perfectly round and bounded by stout walls left behind by the Romans. The elaborate double gates of these walls are one of the most noteworthy historic sites in the town. Downtown Iznik also boasts a ruined amphitheatre, a handful of very old mosques and an interesting archaeology museum. Pay attention to the tile work you see in town; Iznik was once the center of the Ottoman tile-making industry and the town’s signature red dye, called “Iznik red” was highly prized. There are few restaurants in town but Camlik Motel, a lakeside hotel, does have a gourmet kitchen that serves fire-roasted fish kebabs, made from white fish caught in Lake Izanik, that are light and delicious.
Sources:
Personal Experience
Fodor’s Travel Guides: Turkey, 2009
www.tripadvisor.com
