Where do you go in Istanbul when you want to escape the bustling streets and city’s chaos?
The Prince Islands!
… But what happens if Büyükada is crowded too? Then you escape to Heybeliada. 😉
Heybeliada, also known as Halki, is a cute little gem that makes up the second-biggest island in the Prince Islands group. Its former name, Halki, means ‘copper’ in Greek, as the island was once allegedly known for its abundant mineral resources.
Nowadays, the island delights visitors with its historical mansions, charming little streets, and lush forests that cover nearly 70% of the entire island!
Unlike its more popular neighbor, Büyükada, far less people know about Heybeliada — which means it retained much of its original charm. Thanks to its peaceful and uncrowded atmosphere, Heybeliada is an ideal destination if you’re looking for some peace and quiet.
If you’re planning to travel to Heybeliada, this guide has everything you need to know, including what to do on Heybeliada, how to get here, where to eat, places to stay, and much more. We’ve even included a Heybeliada walking tour/itinerary so you can easily see all of the aforementioned places. 🙂
How to get to Heybeliada Island
From the European Side
There are dozens of daily departures to Heybeliada from Istanbul’s European side. Here are the three most popular departure points:
Eminönü — If you’re staying in Istanbul’s Old Town, you’ll most likely depart from Eminönü. Since City Lines (Şehir Hatları) doesn’t have a viable route, you’ll need to use Dentur Avrasya. The trip takes about 1 hour, and there are only morning departures — click here for the timetable.
If the timing doesn’t work for you, you can also take the T1 tram to Kabataş Pier and sail from there (there are sailings practically every 1-2 hours). See below for details. 🙂
Kabataş — Alternatively, if your hotel is near Taksim, you’ll depart from Kabataş. The trip takes about 1 hour, and you can see the timetables here. *Be sure to click Kabatas Departure
Beşiktaş — City Lines (Şehir Hatları) operates multiple daily ferries from Beşiktaş, and the trip takes about 1 hour and 20 mins. You can see the timetables here. *Be sure to click Besiktas Departure
From the Asian Side
If you’re located on the Asian side (Anadolu), the trip will be slightly faster. 🙂
Kadıköy — City Lines (Şehir Hatları) operates more than a dozen daily ferries from Kadıköy, and the trip takes about 1 hour and 5 minutes. You can see the timetables here *Be sure to click Kadıköy Departure
Maltepe — The quickest way to get to Heybeliada is from Maltepe — the trip takes only 35 minutes! Click here to see the timetables *Be sure to click Maltepe Departure
From Other Islands
You can get to Heybeliada from other Prince Islands like Büyükada, Burgazada, and Kinaliada.
The trip from Büyükada to Heybeliada takes about 15 minutes; the trip from Burgazada to Heybeliada is also 15 minutes; and from Kinaliada to Heybeliada it’s a 30-minute ride.
You can check the timetables here and here
How to get Around Heybeliada Island
You have a few choices when it comes to traveling around Heybeliada Island.
The first is on foot. Since Heybeliada is a fairly small island, you can see the entire perimeter within a few hours. Since it’s not as hilly as Büyükada, it’s not as intensive of a ‘hike’ either!
Fun fact: Heybeliada translates to ‘Saddlebag island’ and got its name from the island’s topography: the two hills on either side of the island are separated by a valley, making the island look like a saddlebag. But, like we mentioned, it’s not that hilly. 😉
If you’re short on time, you can also rent a bicycle and pedal around the island. The price is very reasonable (around 200 TL for the whole day) and there are a handful of bicycle rental shops near the center (Ahmet Bike is a well-rated one).
Finally, there are electric buses that loop around the island. While convenient, we don’t really recommend taking the bus because of their somewhat infrequent schedules, price, and route. However, you can see the HA-2 timetables and stops here.
TIP: If you’ve already read other guides about the Prince Islands, you might have noticed that some talk about horse-drawn carriages as a method of transportation. However, the Istanbul Governorate banned horse carriages in 2020 and transitioned to electric busses instead.
What to do on Heybeliada Island
Since Heybeliada is fairly small, we decided to make a self-guided walking route that covers the main attractions of Heybeliada island. 🙂
We tested this tour during our last trip to Heybeliada, and it took us roughly 3 hours from start to finish, for a total length of 12 km (7.5 mi). We walked at a very leisurely pace and had a few breaks along the way (including a longer stop at a roadside cafe). This is plenty of time to see the points mentioned, walk down to the cove, and stop to pet a few local cats along the way. 🙂
If you don’t feel like walking the entire route, you can also pick and choose your favorite attractions, or rent a bicycle to quickly move between the points.
Ready? Let’s get started!
After touching down at Heybeliada pier, we’ll start our tour at Değirmen Burnu Nature Park and then move in a counterclockwise direction across the perimeter of the island.
Değirmen Burnu Milli Park
Translated to Mill Point Nature Park, this lovely spot of greenery makes up most of the northern part of the island. On weekdays, the park is very calm and peaceful, especially in the morning.
While doing this itinerary, you can walk past the park or go inside. There’s a small fee to enter the park, and you can also pay to use the beach. Inside the park is a cafe, restaurant, picnic gazebos, and a children’s playground.
Towards the western end of the park is the Old Flour Mill (Eski Un Değirmeni) that gives the park its name and, on a clear day, you can see Burgazada across the waters!
Continue to follow the path before turning right on Abbaspaşa Sokak and walking straight until you see the İnönü Museum. While you’re here, you might notice two large intricate columns. This was the area where the Abbas Paşa Mansion was built for an Egyptian Khedive (using no nails, by the way!). However, in 1945, the entire building was dismantled and moved to Egypt — leaving only the two columns behind.
İnönü House Museum (İnönü Evi Müzesi)
This beautiful period-era house was where Türkiye’s second president, İsmet İnönü, lived and used as his summer house. Even if you’re not too keen on Turkish history, it’s worth a visit just to see the amazing retro furniture from the 1930s to the 1950s (fun fact: many pieces were housewarming gifts from Atatürk).
If you want to stop for a break, there’s also a lovely third-wave cafe (Helios) next door!
After checking out the museum, continue on Refah Şehitleri Cd. and turn onto Alp Görüngen Yolu. Walk until you reach the western point of the island, where you’ll be met with…
German Beach (Alman Plaj)
One of the most beautiful places on Heybeliada Island is this secret little cove. 🙂
When walking along the main road, you’ll notice a small and steep dirt road to the right side. If you keep following it, you’ll arrive at a small grove with multiple viewpoints of German Beach and little coves. If you look in the distance, you’ll see another lovely view of Burgazada. It’s so close that it feels like if you wave, someone on the opposite island will wave right back at you!
If you’re tired, there’s a bench near the top of the dirt path that you can sit and relax on.
From here, it’s about a 15-minute (1 km / 0.62 mi) walk to our next spot.
Hagios Spyridon Monastery (Terki Dünya Manastırı)
Located on the southernmost part of the island, this monastery has quite the interesting name — Terki Dünya Manastırı translates to “The Monastery of World Abandonment.”
The name was quite fitting, as monks from all over the world came here to cut off ties with the rest of the world and devote themselves to a life of solitude and prayer.
The monastery was built sometime in the 1860s, destroyed by an earthquake towards the end of the century, and restored in the 1950s by a bishop. Nowadays, a Greek family lives inside and takes care of the monastery.
The monastery is open for worship every Thursday between June and September. Sometimes you might be able to get a peek inside, like we did — when we visited in April, the first room was open, but the door to the main church was closed. Don’t forget to stop near the garden and look at the beautiful view of the sea!
Alright, let’s walk another 15 minutes (1 km / 0.62 mi) to the next destination. 🙂
Pine Harbor Bay (Çam Limanı plajı)
Remember how we mentioned that more than 70% of Heybeliada is covered in forest? We weren’t kidding — and Pine Harbor is a perfect example of that!
As you follow the road, you’ll notice a small patch where the trees part to reveal a lovely panoramic view. The cove below (sometimes with a sailboat or two), sparkles in the sunlight and is surrounded by a dense forest of pine and olive trees that climb up the hillside. It’s an awe-inspiring scene that perfectly captures the island’s natural beauty!
Keep walking for about 10 minutes and you’ll notice a blue fence and a closed gate. This was originally the Heybeliada Sanatorium (a type of hospital for long-term treatment) between 1924 to 2005, but nowadays it’s unfortunately dilapidated. If you’re a fan of Turkish cinema, you might notice that it was used as a location in the film The Butterfly’s Dream (Kelebeğin Rüyası)!
Snack Break
After all that walking, you’ve probably worked up an appetite, right? Thankfully, there are a few cafes around this area that you can stop for a break.
We really like Palmiye Kafe, where you’ll find the most adorable teyze (auntie) working. 🙂 They have a pretty good menu of things like toast, meatballs (köfte), gözleme (🤤), and hot/cold drinks. In the summer, they also sell ice cream!
Kangelaris Family Mausoleum (Kangelaris Ailesi Anıt Mezarı)
One of the most unique landmarks on Heybeliada (at least history/architecture-wise) is the Kangelaris Family Mausoleum. This interesting mausoleum was built in the late 1860s by Spyridon Kanglaris, who was the Consul of the British Empire in the 19th century.
The mausoleum featured beautiful brickwork, stained glass, and iron details, much of which were destroyed and looted over the years. The large statue in the center features portraits of Spyridon and his wife, Sevasti, along with various angel statues. Interestingly, the marble was imported from Italy.
Since the mausoleum is located next to a military zone, unfortunately it’s not possible to see up close. However, you can peek through the trees to get a look. 🙂
Congratulations, you’ve finished the main loop! From here, we’ll take a look at some interesting attractions in the center of Heybeliada.
See the Traditional Houses of Heybeliada
If you have some extra time, we highly recommend checking out the small alleys and backstreets of Heybeliada, where you’ll find beautiful houses from various parts of the island’s history.
The most popular style was the Ottoman-style architecture, which are wooden houses with a larger second-story (parts of the house ‘overhang’ the first floor), intricate details, and small bay windows.
You can find these cultural treasures on practically every street, but we found the most beautiful houses around İnönü Park and that area.
Heybeli Sahaf
Speaking of beautiful houses… We’ll let you in on a little secret and talk about our absolute favorite place on the island.
Heybeli Salaf is a super cozy secondhand bookstore set in one of the aforementioned traditional-style houses (and has many of the original details, like the mosaic windows!). The store sells thousands of books in different languages (Turkish, English, German, and others) as well as little mementos like postcards, old photographs, posters, and more.
It’s such a quintessential Heybeliada place that you can’t not visit while you’re here. 🙂
Where to Eat on Heybeliada Island
Cute little cafes, seafood restaurants, and family-owned businesses are just some of the places you’ll see on Heybeliada.
☕️ Helios — A cute third wave cafe located right next to İnönü’s house. Be sure to check out the inside, as it has the original stone details! Location →
🫒 Smyrna Cafe ve Meze Evi — A cute white-and-blue themed cafe that reminded us of Santorini. This is one of the best restaurants in Heybeliada (it has a 4.8 out of 5 rating!) and is famous for their delicious meze (appetizers). Location →
🥪 Palmiye Kafe — A sweet cafe that’s located in the middle of Heybeliada (we talked about it in-depth in our itinerary above). Friendly employees, delicious food, and lovely views of the surrounding areas. Location →
🐟 Kayıkhane Restaurant — If you want to try seafood on Heybeliada, this is the restaurant. It’s run by a local family and features plenty of space (inside and outside), a nice atmosphere, and a variety of dishes (soup, salad, sandwiches, and more than a dozen fish dishes). Location →
🍔 Munis Sokak Lezzetleri — A popular street food restaurant located right across from the ferry. The service is super nice, and they even have Turkish breakfasts from different regions (Izmir, Black Sea, etc) – perfect if you’re visiting Heybeliada bright and early in the morning!
Where to Stay on Heybeliada
Despite its small size, Heybeliada has some very charming hotels and guesthouses. Here are our favorites:
L’isola Guesthouse — One of the top-rated hotels in Heybeliada, L’Isola is a cute pink guesthouse that features amazing views, a kind host, and that quintessential Heybeliada peaceful atmosphere. It’s located in a quiet area of the center, yet just a 5-minute walk to the ferry pier!
Heybeli Butik Hotel — Ah, what a cute little boutique-style hotel. 🙂
Set in a traditional Ottoman-style house, the hotel’s rooms are spacious, clean, and comfortable. You can also choose between regular rooms and apartment-style rooms (which feature a kitchen and living room).
Ozdemir Pansiyon — A comfortable family-run guest house that’s located right in the center of the island.
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