Day-Trips From Istanbul You Can’t Miss

Founded by 19th-century émigrés, this cherry-scented village is wrapped in oak forest and dotted with red-and-white flags. Stroll the 5 km loop in Polonezköy Nature Park, tour the tiny Czestochowa Church, then refuel on village cheese and sour-cherry jam before pedalling back to Beykoz.

Must See: Nature-park hiking loop, Polish cemetery, annual Cherry Festival

Eat & Drink: Leonardo Restaurant, Mari’s House, Polina Restaurant 

Getting There: Bus 137 from Kavacık or a 25-min drive on the Northern ring road

Families claim stripy parasols on the sand while paddle-boarders cruise below the ruined Genoese castle. Sunset here turns the whole bay into an apricot smoothie—highly Instagrammable, occasionally gull-bombed.

Must See: Hill-top Riva Castle, Riva River sandbar

Eat & Drink: Riva Iskelem Restaurant, Garden Mezze

Getting There: Car via Beykoz (~40 min) or İETT 139R bus from Kavacık (≈1 h)

Şile flashes Turkey’s tallest lighthouse and a craft market of cotton lace; Ağva whispers romance with Göksu-River boat cafés and honey-coloured cliffs. Dip at Kumbaba Beach, then toast the day with mulberry wine on a floating deck.

Must See: Şile Lighthouse museum, Göksu River cruise, Kumbaba Hill sunset

Eat & Drink: Casa Lavanda (Michelin-starred country kitchen), Liman Restaurant (riverside seafood), Wineport Lodge Restaurant (lakeside grill)

Getting There: Metro M4 to Kartal + bus 139A (Şile 1 h 30 m) then dolmuş to Ağva (30 m)

Welcome to the easiest access to the Prince Islands! A short ferry ride and you are on a summer island. And a special detail from Urban Quarters; Burgazada is the locals' favorite island. A quieter and more private option.Pine woods meet boho charm. Browse the Sait Faik Museum, then tackle the 30-minute trail to Kalpazankaya Cliff—rakı tastes better when the sun belly-flops into the Marmara.

Must See: Sait Faik Abasıyanık Museum, Kalpazankaya panorama

Eat & Drink: Kalpazankaya Restaurant, Barba Yani, Sahil Restoran

Getting There: Şehir Hatları ferry from Kabataş (≈1 h 40 m)

Greener than other Prince Islands, Heybeliada frames its historic mansions with eucalyptus and redbud streets. Hike or bike in Değirmenburnu Park, rent a canoe, sunbathe in the bays behind the island and then linger over Aegean appetizers under the fairy lights.

Must See: Halki Seminary hill, Değirmenburnu Nature Park

Eat & Drink: Zehra Meyhanesi, Ada Restaurant

Getting There: Kabataş → Büyükada ferry; 1 h 30 m from Kabataş

It is the largest and most ornate of the Prince Islands. Historic beauty meets bountiful nature. The cobbled streets are full of surprises. Nowadays e-bikes have replaced the old horse-drawn carriages, but the island's art-nouveau villas and pine-scented roads still feel like 1910. Climb up to the Monastery of Ayia Yorgi for a marathon view, then cool off at Nakibey Beach. And for the island at its best, heed this local recommendation: Don't go to Buyukada on local holidays and weekends.

Must See: Aya Yorgi Hill, Dilburnu Park, historic mansion row

Eat & Drink: Splendid Restaurant, Balıkçı Süleyman, Sermest

Getting There: Kabataş → Büyükada ferry, 1 h 45 m (extra sailings summer weekends)

Reeds rustle, kingfishers dive and city stress dissolves on Lake Sapanca’s glassy surface. Paddle-board at dawn, zip-line in Maşukiye, then collapse into a hammock with fresh blackberry juice.

Must See: Lake boardwalk, Maşukiye waterfalls, Glass-Terrace view

Eat & Drink: Sapanca Villa Suite Restaurant, Sasa Sapanca Restaurant, Eker Lokantası

Getting There: TCDD high-speed train Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme → Sapanca (1 h 50 m) or 90 m drive via TEM

Two hours west, vast vineyards await you. This part of Marmara is well worth exploring if you rent a car and head out of the city. Feast on Tekirdag meatballs along the harbor before heading towards the Barbare Vineyards. Taste cabernet at sunset and take a chair on the beach line to enjoy the sun and the sea air. Sunset makes even the cargo cranes look poetic. If you want to extend the road, do not return without seeing Şarköy.

Must See: Wine Route tastings, Rakoczi House Museum, harbour promenade

Eat & Drink: Özcanlar Köfte, Barbare Vineyards Restaurant, La Blanca Café-Restaurant

Getting There: Drive via coastal D-110

The high-speed train from Kadıköy takes you to the UNESCO-listed wooden roads of historic Odunpazarı, gondolas on the Porsuk River, and a café scene that rivals Italy, minus the espresso price tag. Eskişehir is a young-spirited, practical, cheerful city. You can walk to every part of it and meet nature in the green areas around the canals. Contemporary art lovers will lose hours at OMM, which has become an attraction in recent years. Taking a tram to the lively areas and hanging out in a tavern or listening to live music in a bar until late at night is a great way to end the day. Discovering a new urban environment outside Istanbul? That's Eskisehir.

Must See: Odunpazarı Modern Museum, Porsuk gondola, Sazova Science Park

Eat & Drink: Varuna Gezgin (world cuisine, traveler concept) Ayten Usta Gurme (traditional Anatolian breakfast) Mezze House Kızılcıklı (seafood, meze and raki), Tatlıdil Köftecisi (traditional meatball)

Getting There: YHT high-speed train Kadıköy Söğütlüçeşme → Eskişehir, 3 h (five daily)