Hello people!
And we have come to the end of an unforgettable and wonderful journey through a magical city that we have loved. We have visited magnificent, imposing, interesting, curious and beautiful places, but there is more to come. In Istanbul, there are always more things to be surprised by, immense pleasures that the Turkish capital offers us.
One of them is its coasts, and also its nature, so we are going to take a less usual but impressive and gorgeous tour through a place that I like a lot.
In Istanbul, in addition to the large metropolitan area that connects two continents by means of several bridges, there are also some nearby islands that are well worth visiting. The big one, the largest is called Büyükada in Turkish, but it was also known as one of the Princes' Islands. Surely because the ancient princes would go there to spend the summer and enjoy the amazing natural environment and the peaceful atmosphere.
It is very easy to get there from the city, on the Asian side, in the Kartal area, we take one of the ferries that will take us directly to this small and charming place of recreation and enjoyment. We sail the Sea of Marmara, eager to get there...
Büyükada (Big Island)
We arrived completely surrounded by all kinds of stimuli, views, noises of cars and people, lots of vegetation but also beautiful classic houses, a pleasant climate and a wonderful atmosphere.
We decided to leave the hustle and bustle where more people gather to follow the path followed by horse-drawn carriages, there are no motor vehicles on the island, and the natural environment also provides great tranquility. We were also surprised and pleased by the elegant facades of large houses, owned by wealthy people who would live more luxuriously away from the hustle and bustle of the city and from where they can enjoy more calm and also views of the coast.
I loved the different houses, as if they were the mansions of celebrities, but in a natural location envied by many, because as we advance, we go up in height, and the views are more spectacular.
Stunning views from the top
We can see, almost at the top, and with less breath, great lovely views, the sea and another of the smaller islands that are nearby, and the urban coast as well, while we are surrounded by many trees, lush vegetation and beautiful flowers, an incomparable setting to breathe deeply and admire the landscape. We could just stand there staring...
Orthodox Church
And at the top we are surprised by the discovery, what we had been told along the way that we would find, a small rustic but beautiful Greek Orthodox church, it seems hidden there from people and time, although Orthodox tourists did visit. The island offers us unexpected places.
Main area of Büyükada
We return to the main part of the island, where the crowds and the hustle and bustle are concentrated, and of course a statue of Atatürk. Where cars park and tourists eat ice cream or go to fish restaurants, or buy flower crowns to adorn themselves in a casual and fun way, in this great experience on the island. It is as magical as the city of Istanbul itself, but different.
More views and back to Istanbul land
There is little left of this special dream trip, we look at the sea, almost hypnotized by its gentle rocking, we see boats passing by, and in the background the great city that awaits us again, to say us goodbye...
Even the seagulls from the ferry back accompany us in these last moments of tranquility and happiness, and with a slight feeling that everything is over, the unique, wonderful and special travel. And our bird friends greet us and also say goodbye, until we meet again. Until we meet again, Istanbul.
We say goodbye to Istanbul, this is the last post of the trip, I hope you liked it, as well as the rest of the previous ones around the city, I have left the links below. We will see each other again on an almost penultimate trip that I will share with you again here on Worldmappin!
Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷❤️Europe/Asia
And more about Istanbul, in Turkey, here:
Görüşürüz Istanbul! See you!