Kınalıada

Red Is the Colour of Tranquillity

If you are looking for a quieter summer escape or a weekend getaway, or maybe even spend a carefree week away from the lively city, Kınalıada is the place for you. With its beautiful beaches like Ayazma Beach and lovely restaurants and cafes along the seafront, many city dwellers and visitors escape to this smaller and quieter island in the summer. The island is also the closest to the European and Anatolian sides of İstanbul, just 12 km south of the city.

The island is the least forested and the land has a striking reddish colour from the iron and copper mining that was done here in the past. On the tip of the island is a historic monastery, the Monastery of the Transfiguration, which served the Rum Orthodox community of Constantinople since the time of the Eastern Roman empire.