Heybeliada

The ‘saddlebag’ that makes a holiday perfect – walking tour Istanbul

Heybeliada, Heybeli ada or simply Heybeli is the greenest and the second biggest island of the Princes’ Islands and it can be part of customized Istanbul tours. It is in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul. Actually, the Princes’ Islands are only an hour away from Istanbul. Heybeliada has always been a favourite summer resort during Byzantine and Ottoman eras. During the different historical periods it had different names.

During Byzantine Period the island was known as Khalkitis or Chalki. Chalki comes from the Greek word chalkos, which means copper. Once upon a time there used to be copper mines which are no more in use nowadays, but they explain the name of the island. Turkish name – Heybeli, means ‘saddlebag’. This time the name is given because of the low place between the hills.

There are nine islands in the Princes’ Islands group and the ferry stops at four of them only