There is no better way to escape the bustle of Istanbul for a day than with a visit to the idyllic Princes’ Islands. Enjoy cool breezes and charming sights along the way to Büyükada, the largest Island in the chain. Famous for their mild climates, lush vegetation, and ornate Ottoman Houses, all the islands are unspoiled by traffic. Instead of cars there are carriages, called phaetons, which we will use to tour the island and its beautiful scenery studded with elegant mansions draped with purple bougainvillea, reminiscent of a more leisured and graceful era. We will enjoy our lunch at the best of one of the many excellent fresh fish restaurants that line the waterfront, gazing across the Asian shore of Istanbul, so close - though it feels worlds away.