The Prince of Tides Islands

Don't worry, the islands have nothing to do with the "Purple Rain" guy or the Spin Doctors' song. Instead, this group of nine islands offers the perfect quick-and-easy day trip from the Turkish city of Istanbul.

In centuries past, only monks and exiled princes occupied these islands, but advanced water transportation in the 19th century turned this island chain into a popular tourist destination. Princes features five tiny islands and four larger ones. All four of the big islands -- Kınalıada, Burgaz, Heybeliada and Büyükada -- are inhabited and feature public water transit to and from, while Sedef (meaning "Mother of Pearl") is the only inhabited smaller island (the other four small islands are all uninhabited) and it's nearly all private property. The islands also feature diverse inhabitants, including pockets of Greek, Jewish and Armenian communities.

Büyükada, the largest of the nine, is considered the island chain "queen," and it's the one most frequented by tourists. It's the birthplace of Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid and where Leon Trotsky stayed after being exiled from the Soviet Union in the '30s. It's the island visited by this writer and featured in these photos.
Most green-minded tourist will appreciate that motor vehicles are not allowed on the islands, save for the occasional ambulance and school bus. Most people walk, ride around on bicycles or take horse-drawn carriages. There are lots of restaurants, cafes and snack shops throughout the islands, as well as swimming at the various beaches. Some of the islands also feature hotels for those who want more than a day trip.

Popular island sights include the Hagios Giorgios Church and the abandoned Greek Orphanage on the big island's central peaks and Heybeliada's Byzantine church Kamariotissa (the last church built before Constantinople was conquered). Still, most tourists visit the islands for the wonderful views, to enjoy the waters or simply to escape the big city. There are ferries that can take you there from both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, and it takes just under two hours to get there.