Sultanahmet is a superb base for a week of Istanbul, partly because the city around it is enormous and partly because so much of it is reachable in a day. The old city sits at the heart of a public transport system that can put you on an island, on another continent, or in a mountain city for the price of a ferry ticket. These are the best day trips from Sultanahmet, ranked for how easy they are and how much they pay back.
The Princes’ Islands: A Day Without Cars
Forty minutes from Sultanahmet by ferry, the Princes’ Islands — Buyukada first among equals — are the closest thing Istanbul has to a holiday within a holiday. Cars are banned on the main islands. The transport is your feet, a bicycle, or the horse-drawn phaeton carriages that clip-clop up the pine-covered hills.
How to go. Take the tram to Kabatas, then the ferry to Buyukada. In summer, ferries run frequently and the crossing is part of the pleasure — the old city skyline recedes and the islands rise green out of the Marmara. On the island, rent a bicycle for the circuit or take a phaeton up to the hilltop monastery, then swim at one of the beaches or simply lunch on fish at the harbor.
Why it’s worth it. It is a completely different Istanbul: Victorian wooden mansions, pine forests, sea swimming, and a pace that makes the old city feel frantic. The islands are at their best May to September.
Bursa: The Ottoman Capital Across the Water
Bursa was the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, and it sits an hour and a half from Istanbul across the Marmara Sea. Its great mosques, its silk bazaar, and its position on the slopes of Mount Uludag make it the most substantial day trip from the old city — and the most rewarding for anyone who wants more than another mosque in Istanbul.
How to go. The classic route: ferry from Yenikapi or Kabatas across the Marmara to Mudanya or Yalova, then bus or minibus into Bursa. Or take the express bus from Esenler Otogar directly to Bursa’s terminal. The ferry-and-bus version is more scenic; the bus is simpler.
What to see. The Ulu Cami, Bursa’s great fifteenth-century mosque with its forest of columns and its famous calligraphy; the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, tiled in the Iznik blues the city gave its name to; the covered bazaar with its silk and knives; and, in winter, the ski slopes of Uludag above the city. Eat the local specialty, Iskender kebab, invented here — grilled meat over bread, drowned in tomato sauce and hot butter.
The Bosphorus Cruise: The Water’s the Destination
Not every day trip needs to go somewhere. The Bosphorus ferry from Eminonu or Kabatas runs the entire length of the strait, past the summer palaces, the fortresses, and the villages of both shores, to Anadolu Kavagi near the Black Sea. It is the best sightseeing ticket in Istanbul, it costs a fraction of the “cruise” boats, and it takes most of a day.
How to go. Take the long-distance ferry toward Anadolu Kavagi. Sit on the right side going out for the European shore views. At the end, climb the hill to the ruined fortress for a look at the Black Sea, eat fish at one of the village restaurants, and take the ferry back. Total: six to seven hours, and the most memorable one of the trip.
Why it’s worth it. The Bosphorus is the city’s spine. The ferry shows you the Ottoman summer palaces at Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi, the medieval fortress of Rumeli Hisari, the fishing villages of the upper strait, and the bridges — all from the water, with no queues and no entrance fees.
Edirne: For the Architecture Obsessive
Edirne, three hours west by bus, was the Ottoman capital before Bursa and holds the single greatest mosque in Turkey: the Selimiye, built by Mimar Sinan for Selim II, whose dome Sinan himself declared his masterpiece. It is a long day — six hours round trip — and it is absolutely worth it for anyone with a serious interest in Ottoman architecture.
How to go. Direct buses from Esenler Otogar run frequently; the journey takes about three hours each way. Most people make it a full-day excursion.
What to see. The Selimiye, first; then the Old Mosque and the Uc Serefeli, the city’s other great mosques; the covered bazaar; and the bridge over the Tunca river. Edirne is also famous for its liver kebab — kofte and fried liver — so lunch is sorted.
Practical Notes for Day Tripping
- Buy an Istanbulkart. It works on the trams, the metro, the ferries, and the Marmaray — the whole network — and it makes every day trip cheaper.
- Check ferry schedules the night before. The Bosphorus and island ferries run less often in winter, and the return timetable matters more than the outward one.
- Start early. Every trip on this list works better with a 9 a.m. start. The islands and Bursa are quieter in the morning and the sun is kinder.
- Pack light. These are day trips: water, a hat, a charging pack, and lira for lunch are all you need.
- Leave the big luggage at the hotel. Every one of these returns to Sultanahmet by evening; a day bag is the only luggage you need.
Matching the Trip to Your Interests
All four day trips are excellent; the right one depends on what you want out of the day:
- You want to relax, swim, and escape the city: the Princes’ Islands. Bicycles, pine forests, sea views, and no cars — the closest thing to a holiday within your holiday.
- You want history and architecture: Bursa, for the Ottoman capital’s mosques, tombs, and silk bazaar, with Iskender kebab as the reward.
- You want the most beautiful four hours in Istanbul: the Bosphorus ferry, which needs no destination because the water is the destination.
- You are an architecture obsessive: Edirne, for the Selimiye — Mimar Sinan’s own pick for his masterpiece — even though it is the longest day on this list.
There is also an urban fifth option for repeat visitors: a day on the Asian side. Take the ferry from Eminonu to Kadikoy, wander the market streets and the Moda waterfront, ride the Marmaray a stop to Uskudar for the view of the Maiden’s Tower, and ferry home at sunset. It is not a classic “day trip” — you never leave the city — but it is the best way to see the Istanbul that lives across the water, and it costs less than a museum ticket.
Whichever you choose, the golden rule is the same: check the return schedule before you board the outbound ferry or bus, and treat the journey itself as part of the day rather than a cost to be minimized. The ferries are the point.
The Takeaway
Sultanahmet’s greatest asset is not the monuments inside it but the city around it. The islands, Bursa, the Bosphorus, and Edirne each show you a different Istanbul, and each is reachable in a day by public transport that costs less than a single taxi ride. Take two day trips during a week in the old city — one on the water, one on the land — and you will come home with a fuller map of Turkey’s greatest city than most visitors manage in a month. And if the islands and the ferries leave you wanting more water, remember the Bosphorus runs all the way to the Black Sea: the day-trip horizons from Sultanahmet are effectively endless.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest day trip from Sultanahmet?
The Princes’ Islands: a single ferry from Kabatas, no transfers, and a full day of island life at the end of it.
Can you do Bursa in one day from Istanbul?
Yes. The ferry-and-bus route takes about ninety minutes each way, and the mosques and bazaar are compact enough to cover in a day — just start early.
Is the Bosphorus ferry really a day trip?
The full run to Anadolu Kavagi and back takes most of a day, and it is the best-value sightseeing in Istanbul. You can also do a shorter version and return in an afternoon.
Do you need a tour for these day trips?
No. The ferries, buses, and ferries again are all easy to navigate independently, and doing it yourself costs a fraction of the tour price.
Which day trip is best in winter?
Bursa — the city is substantial, the bazaars are covered, and Uludag’s snow makes it a different trip entirely. The islands are half-deserted in winter.
Can you combine two day trips in one day?
It is possible but rarely wise. The Bosphorus ferry can be paired with a long lunch at Anadolu Kavagi, and the islands can absorb a whole day happily. The honest rule is one destination per day — each of these trips is at its best when you let it fill the day instead of rushing it.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
More guides like this
Hidden Gems of Sultanahmet Most Tourists Miss
Sultanahmet's headline monuments swallow the crowds, and that is exactly why the neighborhood's quieter corners remain so rewarding.
Shopping Guide: What to Buy in Sultanahmet
Sultanahmet is a shopping district disguised as a historic neighborhood, and for good reason: the Grand Bazaar has been trading here since…
Best Time of Year to Visit Sultanahmet
There is no bad time to visit Sultanahmet — there are four different versions of it, one for each season, and each…
Where to Stay in Sultanahmet: Neighborhood Guide
Sultanahmet is the classic first-night choice in Istanbul, and with good reason: the neighborhood puts you in the middle of everything, on…
A Solo Traveler’s Guide to Sultanahmet
Istanbul is one of the best solo travel cities in the world, and Sultanahmet is its best solo neighborhood.
A Foodie’s Guide to Sultanahmet
Istanbul is one of the world's great food cities, and the good news for visitors is that its most historic neighborhood is…