Burgazada Day Trip: Ferry, Swim Spots and Hill Walk Guide

Burgazada day trip from Istanbul

Burgazada is the third stop on the Princes' Islands ferry line and the one most day-trippers skip on their way to Büyükada. It's small, quiet, and built for exactly the kind of day where you walk uphill in the morning and swim off the rocks after lunch. The whole thing fits into six or seven hours from Eminönü and back.

The island has no cars beyond a few service vehicles, so you move on foot, by bike, or by electric shuttle. That's part of why it stays calm even in July.

How do you get to Burgazada from Istanbul?

Burgazada sits on the Princes' Islands ferry line that leaves from Eminönü and Kabataş on the European side and Bostancı and Kadıköy on the Asian side. Şehir Hatları and the private İDO/Turyol boats both run the route, and the crossing from Eminönü takes roughly 70 to 80 minutes, with Burgazada as the third stop after Kınalıada and Heybeliada.

Check the current Şehir Hatları timetable before you go, because summer sailings are more frequent than winter ones and the schedule shifts by season. In July there are usually departures every hour or two through the morning. You tap an İstanbulkart at the turnstile, and the island fare is the same flat public-transport rate as a city ferry, well under 50 lira in 2026.

A useful trick: sit on the right side of the boat leaving Eminönü for the best view back at the old city, then swap sides for the island approach. If you'd rather sail from the Asian side, Bostancı to Burgazada is much shorter, around 30 minutes.

Is Burgazada worth visiting compared to Büyükada?

Burgazada is worth visiting if you want quiet over spectacle. Büyükada is the largest island, with grand wooden mansions, a big hilltop monastery, and crowds to match in summer; Burgazada is a fraction of the size, with one small town, a single walkable hill, and far fewer visitors. Pick Burgazada for a swim and a slow walk, Büyükada for sights and scale.

The practical difference is time. On Büyükada you can spend a full day and still not see everything, and the queues for phaeton rides and the monastery climb eat into your afternoon. On Burgazada you can circle the developed part of the island in a couple of hours, which leaves the rest of the day for the water. If it's your first Princes' Islands trip and you only care about the famous views, go to Büyükada. If you've done that already, or you want the calmer version, Burgazada is the better call.

What can you do on Burgazada in one day?

In one day on Burgazada you can walk up to the Aya Yani church and the hilltop monastery, circle the coast road past the swimming coves, and eat a long fish lunch by the harbour. The town clusters around the ferry pier, and everything worth doing is within a 40-minute walk of it. No transport needed unless you want a bike.

Start with the hill while the morning is still cool. From the pier, head up through the town's back streets toward Bayrak Tepesi, the island's high point at around 170 meters. The climb takes 30 to 45 minutes at a steady pace, and near the top you'll pass the Aya Yorgi monastery grounds. The view opens onto the Sea of Marmara and back toward the city, with Büyükada and Heybeliada laid out across the water. Bring water in summer; there's a café near the top but it isn't always open.

Back down, follow the coast road for the swim spots. Kalpazankaya, on the western side, is the best-known: rocky platforms rather than sand, clear deep water, and a restaurant of the same name where you can eat and swim in one stop. It's about a 25-minute walk or a short bike ride from the pier. There are smaller rocky entries dotted along the coast road too, so if one is busy, keep walking. The water off Burgazada is cleaner than most of what you'll find on the mainland shore.

For lunch, the fish restaurants along the harbour do grilled catch of the day with meze, and prices run higher than the city, as they do on every island. Ask what's fresh before you order.

Burgazada is part of a broader set of hidden places worth exploring near Istanbul, whether you're seeking quiet beaches or quieter neighborhoods away from the main tourist routes. Last ferries back to Eminönü and Kabataş usually leave in the early evening, so check the return time the moment you arrive and build your swim around it.