Büyükada, Princes' Islands, Turkey

Just a short ferry ride from the chaos of Istanbul lies Büyükada (about 5 square kilometres), the largest of nine of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara.

Motor vehicles are banned except for public transport, which means most people get around this lush island by bike, foot, or in horse-drawn carriages, giving it a very laid-back atmosphere. It’s well worth spending at least a night here. The history of the island is fascinating and there are plenty of things to see and do, as well as going to the beach, eating, drinking and shopping, if you find time.

There are several historical buildings in Büyükada. Before you get off the ferry, admire the pier designed by Armenian architect Mihran Azaryan in 1914. Once on dry land, there is a line of busy cafes and fish restaurants where anxious waiters will try to lure you in. Continue on to the wedding cake-style Splendid Palace Hotel, with its atmosphere of faded elegance. If you can’t afford to stay there, nip in and have a look around. A few minutes walk further is the central square with its clock tower, from where you can choose whether you want to rent a bike, take a horse and carriage (a fayton), or walk, to discover the rest of the island.

In the distant past, the islands were used to isolate unruly princes, such as a number of Byzantine empresses who were exiled to the island’s convent. They include Irene of Athens, (Byzantine empress consort to Emperor Leo IV from 775 to 780), Theophano (866-897), and Zoe (913-919). More recently, Leon Trotsky was moved to Büyükada after he was deported from the Soviet Union in April 1929. He lived there until July 1933.

If you don’t have much time, you must at least visit the Hagia Yorgi Greek Orthodox Church and Monastery, dating back to the 6th-century. The trip includes taking a winding path through the forest, where you might run into a wild horse. Part way up the very steep climb, you will see a massive wooden building, supposedly the largest in Europe and one of the biggest in the world.

It was built in 1898 by the French-Ottoman architect Alexander Vallaury as a luxury hotel and casino for the company that operated the Orient Express but was sold in 1903, when Sultan Abdul Hamid II refused to issue a permit for its use. It was then bought by a rich Greek banker to be used as a Greek orphanage. But as Istanbul’s Greek residents declined, it was closed down in 1964, leaving it to fall into decay.

The Agios Dimitrios Church and the Hamidiye Mosque, built by Abdul Hamid II (1876–1927), are also must-sees. There are plenty of other historic churches, monasteries, and private houses (or villas) on the island. The main churches are the Greek Orthodox Churches of Panagia (15th-century), the Franciscan Church of San Pacifico (1675), and the Armenian Church of the Surp Asdvadzadzin Verapolium (1830–1901), as well as the Sotiros Christou monastery. (14th-century)

In the first part of the 20th-century, prosperous Turks, Greeks, Jews, and Armenians built sumptuous summer residences on the island, which you can still admire today. The most well-known are Con Pasa, Yelkencizade, Fabiato, and Mizzi Mansions.