🇹🇷 Istanbul · Living here

Weekend getaways in Istanbul

Places within easy reach of Istanbul, with how long they take, how to get there and what a weekend costs. Filter by time and mode.

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9 getaways from Istanbul

  • Belgrad Forest

    40 min · Car, Bus

    Oak and beech forest with reservoirs and a long walking circuit, the city's escape on summer weekends.

    Stay
    Day trip
    Per person
    TRY 100–TRY 800
    Car north from Sarıyer, or bus to Bahçeköy
    Spring and autumn

  • Kilyos

    50 min · Car, Bus

    Sandy Black Sea beaches within an hour. Swim only where lifeguards are on duty; the currents are strong.

    Stay
    Day trip
    Per person
    TRY 400–TRY 2,000
    Car or bus north from Sarıyer
    June to September

  • Princes' Islands

    1 h 15 min · Ferry

    Car-free islands of wooden mansions and pine woods. Büyükada is the largest; Burgazada and Heybeliada are quieter.

    Stay
    Day trip / 1 night
    Per person
    TRY 400–TRY 3,000
    Şehir Hatları ferry from Kabataş, Eminönü or Bostancı
    May to October; avoid summer Sundays

  • Şile and Ağva

    1 h 40 min · Car, Bus

    Black Sea beaches, a river with riverside guesthouses at Ağva, and a lighthouse town at Şile.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    TRY 3,000–TRY 10,000
    Car east along the Black Sea road from the Asian side
    June to September

  • Sapanca and Maşukiye

    1 h 45 min · Car, Train

    A lake and wooded hills with bungalows and trout restaurants, popular for autumn colour.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    TRY 3,500–TRY 12,000
    Car east on the motorway, or the high-speed train to Arifiye
    Autumn and spring

  • Bursa and Cumalıkızık

    2 h · Ferry, Bus, Car

    The first Ottoman capital: mosques, covered markets, the original İskender kebab, and a preserved Ottoman village nearby.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    TRY 3,500–TRY 10,000
    Fast ferry from Yenikapı to Mudanya, then bus; or car over the Osmangazi Bridge
    All year; skiing on Uludağ in winter

  • Edirne

    2 h 30 min · Bus, Car

    The Selimiye Mosque, Sinan's masterpiece, an old covered bazaar and fried liver (tava ciğer) by the border with Greece and Bulgaria.

    Stay
    Day trip / 1 night
    Per person
    TRY 1,500–TRY 6,000
    Coach from the main bus station, or car on the motorway
    Spring and autumn; oil wrestling in early summer

  • Cappadocia

    3 h · Flight, Bus

    Valleys of rock chimneys, cave churches and underground cities. Balloon flights depend on the weather; keep a spare morning.

    Stay
    2–3 nights
    Per person
    TRY 10,000–TRY 30,000
    Flight to Kayseri or Nevşehir, then a transfer
    April to June and September to November

  • Çanakkale and Gallipoli

    5 h · Bus, Car

    The Gallipoli battlefields and memorials, and the site of Troy across the strait.

    Stay
    1–2 nights
    Per person
    TRY 4,000–TRY 12,000
    Coach or car down the Thracian side, then the ferry or bridge
    Spring and autumn

Budgets are per person for the whole trip: return travel, a mid-range double room shared, and food.