Biking on Prince Island (lunch or dinner)

Mustafa was a fountain of knowledge on this tour. From the moment we met him he put us at ease and planned the trip to suit us. We would recommend this as it was nice to see a slower pace side of istanbul.

We did a one day bike tour of Buyukada Island in October. Mustafa was a great and informative guide who clearly has a passion for the island. We were able to stop whenever we wanted to take pictures and he knew the best viewpoints. We really enjoyed our day very much.

I had such an enjoyable day with Mustafa. I am a solo, female travel and he took excellent care of me. The itinerary was wonderful and I loved my time spent over on the island. Highly recommend this activity!

A great bike ride across the island. The route is doable. Only the part to the Monastry is a tough climb. Mustafa as a resident of the island takes you into the history, culture and nature of the island. He talks with love and passion about the island, its inhabitants, its history and customs. Away from the crowds and a real adventure. With a visit to the monastry with a beautiful view, a visit to a hidden (pebble) beach. Along the way we had a picnic with delicious fresh fruit and juice. Later at the sunset enjoyed a delicious meal (salad and salmon) and a nice wine with it on a beautiful viewpoint during the sunset. Our children (15 and 18 years) also found it a fantastic experience.

Great private bike ride with Mustafa on his Princes Island. We agreed to meet at Marmary train station from where he would escort us to Buyukada island. He assisted us to purchase an Istanbul card for public transport. We only needed it on the way back for the train because we left it on the island after the trip. What a nice experience to enter a crowded train on a public holiday. The first one was too full so shortly afterwards the next one was taken. As a result, the schedule for the boat was somewhat compromised so after the train trip with accelerated pass to the ferry service to get to the island. It was also very busy there (last day off for the locals). Walked together to the rental shop of the bikes and with 2 bikes on the way to the house of Mustafa (2 min walk) where he picked up his own bike and our dinner. All kinds of goodies were loaded into his panniers after which we left. The first gradient was a challenge for a while and we got used to the acceleration after which we had a say in how we wanted to organize the trip. Obviously with everything in it. First the highest climb to the monastery on hill. Unfortunately not being able to do all the cycling but smart to take the bikes all the way up. The monastery itself was already closed (closed at 4 pm) and we had the ‘evening tour’ (due to the sunset). The view was the reward for the climb. After taking some pictures we went to a large dilapidated country house. This house had a very (Greek) past but the exploitation never got off the ground properly because it was a problem to get fresh water up. It had still served as an orphanage but still the water was a problem. Now it's completely run down and yet there's still a family living there. Time to freshen up so cycled to a beach. A fun climbing trip to get to the water. An idyllic place, especially when people would be picking up their trash. After such a holiday a really dirty gang of both glass, packaging material and everything you can think of. (Take water shoes for the smooth pebbles). To finish the trip climbed to a high point and ate the meal prepared by Mustafa. Super tasty bulger with a fresh salad and a baklava for dessert. All that with a nice white wine at the setting sun, what more could you want..... Oh yes, in between on the day were already spoiled with a local delicacy cookie and apple. After the sun went down, nicely squeaked down on the way to the ferry where our adventure would end. Fortunately Mustafa ended our evening with a joint cup of coffee and tea on the municipal ferry that served as a cafe for up to 24 hours. During that cup of coffee he explained to us how we would end up back at the starting point and took care of our ferry crossing again. After reminiscing on the ferry and in the Asian part made the switch to the train again. Tired and satisfied late back at our hotel.

We met Mustafa during a bike tour in Istanbul and decided to join him the next day for a tour on Büyükada, where he lives. It turned out to be a great experience. He helped us rent bikes and showed us around the island in a relaxed and friendly way. At lunchtime, we stopped in a quiet spot among the trees with a beautiful view of the sea, where he shared some homemade bulgur with us — a really nice touch. After lunch, we hiked up to the highest point of the island for an amazing view. Later, we visited the large abandoned wooden building, which was remote but very interesting to see. Then we continued cycling around the rest of the island. On the way, we even spotted dolphins! Thanks Mustafa for the great day and for sharing a bit of your island with us. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a different and more peaceful experience outside the city.