Two day trips from Istanbul genuinely work on public transport: the Princes’ Islands (a ₺137 ferry from Kabataş, 90 minutes) and Bursa (a fast ferry from Yenikapı or Eminönü, about 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 50 on the water plus a bus or taxi). Edirne is a long but doable coach day. Gallipoli, Troy and Cappadocia are sold as day trips and should not be; do them overnight or not at all.
| Trip | Transport | Door-to-door one way | Return cost per adult (approx.) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princes’ Islands (Büyükada, Heybeliada) | Şehir Hatları ferry from Kabataş, Eminönü, Kadıköy or Bostancı | 40 to 90 minutes | ₺275 (about £4) from Kabataş; cheaper from the Asian side | Easy, cheap, do it |
| Bursa | İDO fast ferry Yenikapı to Bursa (Güzelyalı) or BUDO Eminönü/Kabataş to Mudanya, then bus or taxi | 2 hours 15 to 2 hours 45 | ₺1,000 to ₺1,650 (£15 to £25) ferries plus local transport | Long but excellent; leave on the first boat |
| Edirne | Coach from Esenler or Alibeyköy otogar | About 3 hours 15 plus getting to the otogar | ₺600 to ₺1,600 (£9 to £24) | Worth it for the Selimiye Mosque if you like Ottoman architecture; a long day |
| Şile and Ağva (Black Sea coast) | Bus from Üsküdar (Şile route) or car | 1.5 to 2 hours | Local bus fares; car hire from £30 a day | Fine for a beach day in summer; not a sightseeing trip |
| Eskişehir | YHT high-speed train from Söğütlüçeşme | About 2 hours 45 to 3 hours 5 | ₺1,290 (about £19) economy return | Only for train enthusiasts or Odunpazarı fans; a stretch as a day trip |
| Gallipoli and Troy | Coach tour, 5 to 6 hours each way | Leaves 06:00, back after 22:00 | £70 to £120 per person on organised tours | No. Stay overnight in Çanakkale or Eceabat |
| Cappadocia | Flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, 75 minutes, plus 1 hour transfer | 4 to 5 hours each way with airport time | From £80 flights plus tour | No. Minimum two nights to see it and fly a balloon |
Fares are at roughly ₺67 to £1, November 2026, and are explained under each trip. For how these fit into a longer stay, see our 3 days in Istanbul itinerary and the general getting around Turkey page.
Nine islands in the Sea of Marmara, four inhabited, no cars (electric buses and bikes since the horse carriages were retired), pine woods, wooden mansions and swimming spots. Büyükada is the biggest and busiest; Heybeliada is quieter with a naval academy and a Greek Orthodox seminary on the hill; Burgazada and Kınalıada are small and residential.
From the Büyükada pier walk up through the clock-tower square, hire a bike (agree the price first) or take the electric shuttle to the Aya Yorgi monastery path. The 20-minute climb from the Luna Park stop to the monastery gives the best view in the Marmara. Swim at the beach clubs on the south side (entrance fees in high season) or from the rocks for free. Eat fish at the harbour but check prices before ordering.
Go on a weekday. On summer weekends the ferries are standing-room and the island is wall-to-wall. Check the last ferry back before you set off; it is earlier in winter.
The first Ottoman capital, under Uludağ mountain: the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, the silk market in the Koza Han courtyard, the Grand Mosque with its 20 domes, the covered bazaar, İskender kebab in the restaurant that claims to have invented it, and a cable car up to the ski resort for the view. It is a proper city with 3 million people, so it absorbs tourists without feeling like a theme park. Our Bursa page covers what to see.
| Operator | Route | Crossing | Fare (one way, adult) | Then |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| İDO | Yenikapı (Istanbul) to Bursa Güzelyalı | About 95 minutes; around five sailings a day (e.g. 09:50, 12:00, 15:15 out; 15:30, 18:30 back) | From ₺765 promo / ₺825 economy | Metro, bus or taxi 30 to 45 minutes to the centre |
| BUDO | Eminönü or Kabataş to Mudanya | About 1 hour 50; several sailings a day (e.g. 08:00, 10:30 out; 16:00, 19:00 back) | From around ₺480 on campaign fares | Bus or taxi 30 minutes to the centre |
Fares and times above are the November 2026 published schedules reported by Turkish ferry timetable sites and must be confirmed on ido.com.tr and the BUDO site before you book; both operators change times with the season and sell cheaper fares to early online bookers. Yenikapı is on the M2 metro and Marmaray; Eminönü is on the T1 tram. Book the return the same time as the outbound so you are not stranded, and keep an eye on the weather: strong winds cancel Marmara sailings, and both operators will send an SMS if they do.
The coach alternative (Istanbul Esenler to Bursa otogar, around three hours via the Osmangazi Bridge) is slower and less pleasant than the ferry; only use it if sailings are cancelled.
09:50 İDO from Yenikapı, in Güzelyalı by 11:30, taxi or metro to the Green Mosque area by 12:15. Green Mosque and Tomb, walk down to Koza Han for tea under the plane tree and a look at the silk shops, Grand Mosque, İskender for a late lunch. If time allows, the Teleferik cable car up Uludağ (about 25 minutes each way; closed in high winds). Back at Güzelyalı for the 18:30 boat, in Istanbul by 20:15. It is a 12-hour day. If you can, make it an overnight: Bursa is cheaper than Istanbul and the evening in the old town is the best part.
The Ottoman capital before Istanbul, on the Greek and Bulgarian borders. The reason to go is Sinan’s Selimiye Mosque, which he considered his masterpiece and which has recently come out of a long restoration; the Old Mosque and the Üç Şerefeli Mosque, the Ottoman bridges over the Tunca, the Beyazıt II health museum, and the fried liver (tava ciğer) the town is known for. Edirne has no real tourist infrastructure for foreigners, which is part of the appeal.
If you are hiring a car for a few days, Edirne is a straightforward two-and-a-half-hour motorway drive on the O-3 with tolls paid via the hire car’s HGS tag; see driving in Turkey on a UK or Irish licence.
Black Sea beach towns on the Asian side, 70 to 100 km from the centre. Şile has a lighthouse, a castle on an islet and a long sandy beach; Ağva sits between two rivers with riverside guesthouses. Both are where Istanbul goes for a summer weekend, so weekend traffic is dreadful. Public buses run from Üsküdar to Şile (allow two hours; Istanbulkart accepted), with minibuses on to Ağva. The Black Sea is colder and rougher than the Med, with rip currents; swim only on lifeguarded beaches. Not a trip for a short Istanbul stay unless it is August and you need a beach.
Some people want to ride the YHT. If so, Eskişehir is the realistic day target: trains leave Söğütlüçeşme (Marmaray, Asian side) from 05:30, around 2 hours 45 to 3 hours each way, economy from ₺645 one way after the August 2026 fare rise. Eskişehir is a lively university city with the restored Ottoman quarter of Odunpazarı and a pleasant riverside. Pleasant rather than essential. Book on TCDD’s e-bilet site (seats sell out on weekends). Ankara on the same line is three hours more and is not a day trip.
Tour companies in Sultanahmet sell all three as day trips from Istanbul. The maths does not work.
Anyone insisting these are good day trips is selling the coach seat. If a tour operator’s claims sound too good, run them through how to verify a Turkish travel business and read common tourist scams.
The Princes’ Islands for ease and cost; Bursa for substance. Do the islands if you have half a day, Bursa if you have a whole one and are prepared to start early.
Technically yes, sensibly no. You lose the balloon flight, the cave hotel and most of the valleys. Two nights is the minimum.
For the Princes’ Islands ferries and the public buses to Şile, yes. İDO, BUDO, intercity coaches and the YHT sell their own tickets.
Easily. Ferry, then metro or taxi, then everything in the old centre is walkable. The only reason to take a tour is if you want the commentary and no planning.
Islands: under £10 per person including the ferry and a bike. Bursa: £25 to £40 including ferries, local transport and lunch. Edirne: £15 to £30. More in Turkey travel costs 2027.
Prices and timetables checked on 8 November 2026 and change often, including seasonal timetable changes; always confirm before you travel. Sources: Adalar ferry routes and fares 2026, Istanbulkart ferry fares from 7 June 2026, İDO and İDO Yenikapı–Bursa timetable, updated 1 November 2026, BUDO Mudanya–Eminönü timetable, Istanbul–Edirne coach fares, YHT fares, August 2026, Istanbul–Eskişehir YHT times, GBP/TRY, 6 November 2026.