| Offer | Duration | Price "from" | Included (per the listing) | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tour with hotel transfers and lunch, Heybeliada and Büyükada | Full day | about $46 | Hotel transfers, crossing, lunch on board, two islands | Most travellers | See |
| Small-group tour with hotel transfers | Full day | price not seen | Hotel transfers, Heybeliada and Büyükada, smaller group | Those who want fewer people | See |
| Cruise with lunch and free time | Full day | price not seen | Cruise, lunch, free time on Büyükada and Heybeliada; drinks extra | Those who want free time | See |
| Full-day tour with lunch | about 8 h | about $16 to $21 | Coach, cruise of about 1.5 h, Kınalıada, about 3 h on Büyükada, lunch on board in summer | Tight budgets | See |
| Büyükada by electric vehicle | A few hours on the island | about $18 to $23 | Island tour by electric vehicle (4.7 from 58 reviews) | As an add-on to the ferry | See |
Prices seen in October 2026 in listings, varying by date and option; several listings show different prices on different pages. Check the price and inclusions on the listing.
Tour with hotel transfers and lunch, Heybeliada and Büyükada
The most complete option we saw: hotel pickup, the crossing of the Sea of Marmara, two islands and lunch on board. Drinks, personal expenses and bike or electric vehicle rental are extra. The price seen is about $46 per person. See the listing.
Small-group tour with hotel transfers
The listing is presented as a small group with hotel transfers, covering Heybeliada and Büyükada. We could not see its price. One traveller reports that the transfer was an extra although the listing advertised it, and a return trip twice as long as the outward one because of headwinds: read the chosen option carefully. See the listing.
Cruise with lunch and free time
A cruise to Büyükada and Heybeliada with free time on the islands; drinks are paid on board. Without a transfer option you must reach the departure point yourself before boarding. Price not seen. See the listing.
Full-day tour with lunch
About 8 hours: coach, a cruise of about 1.5 hours, Kınalıada, then about 3 hours on Büyükada. Lunch is on board in summer; in winter the programme is limited to Büyükada. Prices seen run from about $16 to $21 depending on the page. Bike or electric vehicle cost extra. See the listing.
Büyükada by electric vehicle
This is not an excursion from Istanbul but an island tour to add once there, rated 4.7 from 58 reviews, for about $18 to $23. Another version was seen at lower prices, probably a promotion. Handy for reaching the monastery without the uphill walk. See the listing.
What is not included and the pitfalls
- "Private" does not mean private: a listing titled "private tour with transfers" looks like a shared boat trip, with no transfer according to its conditions, at about $9. We did not select it.
- Hotel transfer is not always included: several listings offer it as an option.
- Little time on the island: on coach-and-cruise formulas most of the day is spent travelling.
- Bikes, buggies and electric vehicles: extra almost everywhere.
- The sea: in wind, the return can be much longer.
- The ferry alone: round-trip ferry tickets cost about $10 to $12 on GetYourGuide (4.1 from 749 reviews), with mixed reviews, including a second adult ticket paid on the way back. The public ferry with an Istanbulkart costs 151.23 TL one way (see Istanbulkart and the best ferry rides).
Which tour to choose?
- For most people: the tour with transfers and lunch, the most complete.
- Fewer people: the small group, checking the transfer.
- Freedom on the island: the cruise with free time.
- Budget: the full-day tour with lunch, or the public ferry.
- Family or reduced mobility: add the electric vehicle on the island.
- Couples: the tour with lunch, then a walk up to the monastery.
For more, see our other excursions from Istanbul and the beaches of Istanbul.
Booking at the right time
Outside summer, the offer and the programme are reduced (sometimes Büyükada only). At weekends the islands are very busy: prefer a weekday and leave early to make the most of the light.
