Volume Control. 

The city groans with the weight of traffic, the white-knuckle taxi ride from the airport would easily compete with the best action at Alton Towers, modern smoked-glass high-risers stand next to impenetrable Ottoman city walls. It’s extraordinarily rich in history, culture and diversity and 14 million residents make it dynamic, cosmopolitan and lively, in the truest sense of the word.

This is Istanbul, one of the most tempestuous and talked about cities in the world. It is a fantastic place and if you haven’t sampled its delights (yes, Turkish delights, lets get the clichés out the way), I would ask, Why not?

However, there isn’t really a great deal to write about Istanbul that hasn’t been written by the many travel writers, poets and historians before me. I could mention our stays at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Besiktas, with its panoramic Bosporus views from its front-facing bedrooms; a great place to sit and watch the myriad of floating vessels, to-ing and fro-ing, whilst you enjoy a leisurely room-service breakfast; and the superior service that starts from the moment you arrive – once you have managed to release your grip from the arm of the taxi door. I could also mention their buffet breakfast that takes an age to complete, as the vast array of dishes and choices really are annoying, because everything looks so good - the poached eggs are superb. At dinner, the tea-smoked duck salad, the asparagus hollandaise (with another poached egg) and the bread, to dip in the heavenly-flavoured herby oils, are all worth the visit to Istanbul alone.

Definitely worth a mention though are the Prince Islands, rising majestically from the Sea of Marmara; they are less than an hour away by steamer ferry from the heady heat and noise of the city. Great for a day trip, overnight stay or long weekend, the Prince Islands are gentle birdsong to Istanbul’s full-on, fever-pitch rock.

As the melee of disembarkation and arrival dies down, you will think there is something wrong with your hearing. This is an incredibly peaceful place of pine forests and pure air, where cars are banned, and two bicycles and a horse and cart make a traffic jam.

Of the nine Prince islands – so-called because Byzantine Princes and Ottoman sultans were exiled there – four are served by the Istanbul ferry or catamaran, either of the two largest islands, Buyukada and Heybeliada will give you a rewarding stay.

Buyukada – or big island - is the most commercial of the two, but not in the McDonalds and neon- lights sense, oh no. The Island has a more ethnically Turkish feel, due to the influx of wealthy jet-setters, but the previous incumbents – Greeks, Romans, Ottomans and British, to name but a few – have all left their mark. The Splendid Hotel is a charming Edwardian residence - art nouveau inspired - that retains a nostalgic reminiscence of Brighton sea-front grandeur. It has a bright inner courtyard, encircled with rooms that face either, Istanbul, or the Sea of Marmara. Comfortable and charming.

An Island tour by buggy, will take you to several historic buildings, the Ayia Yorgi Church and monastery that dates back to the 6th century, being one. The church has a café that serves wine, chips and sausage sandwiches; all part of the island experience. The Northern part of the island, is heavily residential, but there are many restaurants and colourful shops clustered around the bustling pier, and the Yorik Ali beach, which is in a wonderful cove, is open to the public for swimming. 

Largely a summer resort for wealthy Istanbulians, Heybeliada – the second largest island - has a wealth of Victorian cottages and Greek architecture that attracts tourists from all over Greece and Turkey. As you arrive at the jetty, the large building you will see to the left is the Naval Cadet school, it houses the only remaining Byzantine church on the island, the last church to be built before the conquest of Constantinople. The town has bars and cafes, houses for rent, B & B’s and a hotel – the Halki Palas, a restored wooden mansion run by the Merit group – and many lovely wooden houses. There are plenty of opportunities for trekking through the pine-scented forests and for leisurely cycling along the empty roads. Special paths have been laid out over the hills that give incredible vistas and there are plenty of places set-out for a refreshing picnic.

When you come to Istanbul – which is a very special place - the Prince Islands will be waiting for you; mystical islands hovering in the distant mist. These are special places too, your eyes will tell you that, if ears could somehow faint with shock, I’m sure they would. Whoever operates the volume control switch over there deserves a pat on the back.

The Halki Palas & Splendid Hotel www.istanbulshotels.com/prince-islands.html

By web author.